Arm strength and wrist shot power

[Chara3 0]

I work on my wrist shot alot and while it is pretty good, I want to improve it even more. I was thinking of working on strengthening my arm muscles since my arms are pretty weak, but some people tell me arm strength isn't a big deal and that the wrist shot is only technique while others say arm strength is very important. Can I have your opinions on this? How much effect does arm strength have on wrist shot power?

Thanks :)

[ktang 34]

In addition to wrist curls and grip exercises, you need to do wrist twists (like twisting a doorknob). Wrist twists use muscles in the upper arms.

[Jason Harris 31]

I've seen kids much weaker than me hit harder than I do, so I'd say technique is more important. However, if the technique and stick were the same, having stronger arms would allow you to have stronger shots.

[SailRace 1]

Most of the power from a properly executed wrist shot comes from the flex of the stick. A perfect example was Shanny's goal last night against Chicago if anyone was watching on OLN. That was a thing of beauty.

So many kids i see learning to shoot focus on dragging the puck from behind them and trying to use arm muscles while whipping the stick forward. It's sort of like a golf swing using only your arms. You may be consistent and make good contact, but it's not going to go very far.

A propoer wrist shot, you shold be leaning on your front foot, putting a lot of weight/pressure onto the the stick to load it up (think about loading a bow and arrow). You need to get the stick to bow, and then snap fowrad with the puck and release. That's why wrist shots are so quick and effective..they don't requre much backswing, and when executed, are very hard to read coming off a blade.

[Cavs019 705]

The proper wrist shot is no wrist shot at all. That damn thing is obsolete.

[nspeen 0]

The proper wrist shot is no wrist shot at all. That damn thing is obsolete.

[Chara3 0]

I would take snappers but my backhand shot is faster than my snap shot, I don't even think I know how to take a snapshot I've always used wrist shots so my snapper is embarresing

[kovalchuk71 212]

Yes, I agree with cavs, the snap shot is WAY more effective IMO

[nspeen 0]

i would agree that the snapper is more useful as that is what i score the most with but i dont agree that the wrist shot is obsolete. i guess everyone has their opinions though

[notquitedeadyet 13]

Cavs019 Posted on Nov 2 2005, 05:27 PM

  The proper wrist shot is no wrist shot at all. That damn thing is obsolete.

Is that why heel wedges are so popular now? I tried one once & couldn't get a wrist shot off, but thought it might be a good pattern if I had a snap shot.

I would take snappers but my backhand shot is faster than my snap shot, I don't even think I know how to take a snapshot I've always used wrist shots so my snapper is embarresing

Me too.

Can anyone help with this?

BTW, when I was a skinny kid, I had one of the harder shots (wrist shot & slap shot) & I couldn't bench press styrofoam. But I could beat most of the big guys at arm wrestling. Always thought there might be a correlation there.

[whbd18 0]

You take a broom stick, tie a rope to it and attach a 2 -5lb weigt and roll it up and down about 50 times,but make sure you are holding it shoulder level .Great for snappers and wristers. If you think 2 lbs is nothing doing it trust me after 40x its gets hard if the exercise is done right. Thios is also a great excercise if your break your wrist.

Heres an example http://www.proten.com/images/Wt-Exercises/...ist%20curls.gif

[Neo5370 132]

Cavs019 Posted on Nov 2 2005, 05:27 PM

  The proper wrist shot is no wrist shot at all. That damn thing is obsolete.

Is that why heel wedges are so popular now? I tried one once & couldn't get a wrist shot off, but thought it might be a good pattern if I had a snap shot.

I would take snappers but my backhand shot is faster than my snap shot, I don't even think I know how to take a snapshot I've always used wrist shots so my snapper is embarresing

Me too.

Can anyone help with this?

BTW, when I was a skinny kid, I had one of the harder shots (wrist shot & slap shot) & I couldn't bench press styrofoam. But I could beat most of the big guys at arm wrestling. Always thought there might be a correlation there.

Different muscles.

Arm wrestling has very little if at all to do w/ your pecs.

What kind of arms does Brett Hull have?

[Chara3 0]

Thanks for the input, guys. I'll try that 'weight on the stick' excersise.

Also this is a different question. The stick I use for off ice shooting is a cheap Sher-Wood 7000 and the blade on it is really chipped up and spintered, could that have any effect on shot velocity?

[biff44 0]

There are a lot of shoulder and neck muscles that need to be strong and balanced to get a good shot. The obvious first exercises are seated rows and chinups, to get your back balanced with a hockey player's typically over developed front side.

After that, there are a lot of exercises where you just take a 5 lb plate in one hand and extend your arm fully and raise/lower the plate, in front, to the side. Rotator cuff exercises help a little too. I like Zotman curls.

[Cavs019 705]

I shoot with my core more than anything else. Being able to explode through the puck via twisting/thrusting helps tremendously in increasing shot power.

[gRxMx 0]

Also this is a different question. The stick I use for off ice shooting is a cheap Sher-Wood 7000 and the blade on it is really chipped up and spintered, could that have any effect on shot velocity?

I think the very essence of shooting off ice will have an effect on velocity. See if you can get a small cut of plexiglass or some at least smooth hardened surface you can plop down to shoot off of. It wont tear your stick up and will be closer to shooting on the ice than the pavement will. If you're really throwing your weight on the stick, that blade will be toast in about 15 minutes.

[asdfa 0]

about snap shot power, how important is stick flex? i've worked on my slap shots enough that i have no problem using the flex of my stick (it's a prostock novius, which is probably too stiff for me) and i have a decent slap shot, but my snap shot is pitiful and i'm thinking it's because the stick is too stiff for me.

[kovalchuk71 212]

Ya, I think flex has a HUGE importance in snap shot power....I cant snap it with my 105 flex stick, but I can great with my 85 response + and flyweight

[thejackal 46]

Screw 85, I'd use a 70 if I could.

One thing you can do is take a old tennis ball and put a small hole in it to let the air out. , then squeeze it until your forearms start burning up.

[ultraman7k 0]

Screw 85, I'd use a 70 if I could.

One thing you can do is take a old tennis ball and put a small hole in it to let the air out. , then squeeze it until your forearms start burning up.

never thought of that one. i'll have to try it!