By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Benoit_Levesque]Benoit Levesque Wrist shots are one of the most used shots in hockey. Why? Because they're quick, powerful, and precise. You can get off a wrist-shot in half the time it would take you to wind up and take a slap shot. Also, many players are usually more accurate with their wrist shots than their slap shots. Here's our little breakdown of the wrist shot:
Power: 4 out of 5 (Your second most powerful weapon, next to the slap shot.)
Accuracy: 5 out of 5 (True snipers can pick corners with this shot every single time.)
Release time: 4 out of 5 (While it's not as easy to get off as the snap shot, it can still be wound up and released pretty quickly.)
Usability: 5 out of 5 (You can let one rip from anywhere you want within a second.)
Element of surprise: 2 out of 5 (The goalie will see it coming most of the time. You need to make up for it by being accurate.)
Here are 4 easy tips to help you make the best of your wrist shot:
1-Transfer your weight: Always transfer your weight when taking a wrist shot. Contrary to what you might think, the power of a wrist shot comes primarily from your lower body, and then from your wrists. You need to transfer your ENTIRE bodyweight from your back foot to your front foot while taking a wrist shot. In other words, when you pull the puck back, all your weight is on your back foot. As the puck moves towards your front foot in the motion, your weight should also shift to your front foot. Your weight transfer and puck movement have to occur together, mirroring each other.
2-Look at the target: Beginner hockey players have a tendency to always look at the puck. Whether they're stick handling, shooting, or just plain skating, their heads are always down. When taking a wrist-shot, you need to place the puck if you want to score. Simply shooting on net won't work often, as the goalie has time to react and be ready because of the slightly slower release time than a snap shot. This is why you need to look at the goalie, find the hole, and follow through towards your target. This is how you'll score those big goals. Once you get better at this, try using the opposing team's defenseman as a screen when you let off your wrist shot. This is an art in itself, and can be a very useful tool in scoring goals because goalies can't stop what they can't see. Remember that!
3-Use the whip: You want to generate the most power out of your stick as possible. This means using your weight to press down on your stick and make it flex. This creates a whiplash-like effect, whipping the puck off of your blade. We suggest to test out different stick flexes to see what suits you best. Some players like extra stiff sticks (100-11o stiffness) while other players like sticks that they can bend easily (67-95 flex). Find something you're comfortable with and stick with it!
4-Use your second pair of eyes: What? Second pair of eyes? Yes, every hockey player has two pairs of eyes. The first pair being the obvious one. The second pair is the pair on your stick blade. What do we mean by this? Your stick blade is always off to the side; it's off to the right for rightys, and off to the left for leftys. Now, when you look at the goalie head on, you might not see any holes. But if you think about it, you're not standing at the same angle as the puck. In other words, if you were actually standing where your puck is, you might be able to see a hole. Goalies tend to line up with the player, even though they should line up with the puck. It just happens naturally. Use this to your advantage! If you're a righty coming up the left wing and you don't see any openings on net, chances are there's an opening on the far right side because the goalie is lining up with your body and not with the puck. It's a little hard to understand, but next time you're out on the ice, practice using the eyes on your blade!
5- Find your sweet-spot: Many players have a certain spot on their blade where they like to fire the puck from. Depending on your curve, it might be from the heel, the toe, or even right in the middle of the blade. Experiment with your wrist shots, using the different spots on your blade and see what works best for you. Some players even start with the puck on the heel and let it roll to the toe when they're just about to shoot. Find your sweet-spot and practice using it!
So there you have it...5 easy tips for a better wrist shot. You've heard it before but I'll say it again; practice makes perfect! So get out on the ice and practice!
Ben | http://builtforhockey.com
Ben has played hockey for over 12 years. He has played at an elite level and currently plays at the University level while finishing his degree. He has over 8 years of hockey-specific training experience and he is currently undergoing his fitness instructor certification.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Improve-Your-Wrist-Shot&id=6505081] How to Improve Your Wrist Shot
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