from How To Inline Skate on 13 Jan 2017
Slapshot Playlist
– https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYy1V52-ztnp4GG76G4EuZSWEF3Po_wzH
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Lately I’ve been practicing the slapshot. Sometimes I feel I do quite well, like here, but just as often I fail miserably.
So in this video I’ll share my mistakes, try to analyze what I do wrong. But I also encourage, you, the viewer to comment below.
At the end of the video I link to a playlist of slapshot tutorials. So if you’re not intersted in my mistakes, go right to the end or click the link in the description below.
1. No Flex
So this was my very first shot. As you can see, it’s not very hard at all. It does get some air, and it does go pretty much in a straight line, so that I’m happy with. But the lack of speed has one very simple explaination.
Here the stick hits the puck. The correct way is to hit the ice so the stick flexes, builds up stored energy and then releases. Much like how a bow and arrow works.
Here I do it better … see how much the stick bends.
2. No Tape
Okay, this is one is silly. But please just tape the blade alright. I did not and it cracked. Thankfully, it didn’t break but it was a great warning of what will happen if you don’t tape it.
I can add that my stick is the very cheapest wooden stick you can find. I picked it up at the discount store between light bulbs and toilet seats for around 10 euros. Still, I guess a more expensive stick needs tape too, if only for better grip.
3. Aiming high
I was very surprised when I watched this footage. Look, the puck flips on the blade and I had no idea it did that. What I do know, is that my focus was too much on lifting the puck.
As a matter of fact, I do believe you shall always try to aim low. If you do a proper slapshot, the puck will gain air anyway.
But again, what is you experience? What are your thoughts?
4. Looking at the puck
So here’s my second day practicing. My shots are a lot better now, half of them are decent … but the other half are … well … just terrible. And I’m pretty sure I know the reason. When I look at the puck, the shots are bad. When I look where I’m aiming the shots are good.
Of course, there’s sort of a catch here. Because if I don’t look at the puck then … I may not hit the puck in the first place. So I believe to clue is to look where you aim. You can look at the puck while you prepare the shot but when you release that’s when you must look where you aim.
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Finally I’ll add that I used to play hockey but that’s many years ago. So for me it’s more about relearning what I once knew. If you are new to hockey I guess the slapshot is one of the more difficult things to learn.
YouTube has lots of helpful tutorials, and I made a playlist which you likely see on screen right now. If you don’t, there’s a link in the description.
You may also wanna watch my video about how I relearned the hockey stop. As with the slapshot, it was quite frustrating at first but it soon came back to me, just like that it just clicked, and that’s a very satisfying feeling.
As always, thank you for watching and subscribe for updates.