Developing Quick Release

[hockeymom 2]

So how do you go about developing a quicker release in shooting?

I have heard practice one-timers and always pretend there is someone right on you in every practice.... but I'm wondering what advice MSHers have to add into this.

[repus 0]

Personally I find having a quick release is shortening then length of the shot. This is why one timers work well at doing this. To practice this on your own, leave your stick on the ice and only allow it to go back about 18 inches and try and hit the puck as hard as you can.

This can be done just as easily off the ice doing the exact same thing.

A shorter wind up requires a lot more body coordination when releasing the puck.

-dave

[Chadd 916]

I used to line up pucks around the crease and go as quickly as possible from one to the next, firing them as quickly as possible. No windups, no stickhandling, just step to the puck and release. That does require some measure of strength in the wrists and forearms.

Most players pick up the puck and have a "trigger" motion that they go through before shooting or passing. For many it's a forehand/backhand/forehand or toe drag/forehand motion. If you can rid yourself of those types of habits, your relase will seem a lot faster as well.

[chikinpotpie 137]

Use the stick with the weight and rope to strengthen your forearms and wrists then as Chad says work on the ice eliminating your signs of shooting. Also try to practice shooting off balance and at various angles and locations to get used to shooting under any condition so the goalie does not know when the shot is coming.

[Storm 0]

Good pipes can't hurt l but I personally feel quick release comes from my core muscles and not my arms.

[Chadd 916]

Good pipes can't hurt l but I personally feel quick release comes from my core muscles and not my arms.

If you're getting all of those muscles involved in your shot, it's not a quick release.

[Storm 0]

Good pipes can't hurt l but I personally feel quick release comes from my core muscles and not my arms.

If you're getting all of those muscles involved in your shot, it's not a quick release.

I did a quick search so as not to mislead anyone and I came up with this...

Everything you do in hockey initiates in the core and extends out to the extremities. When a player takes a shot, they load up on their back leg and explode upwards through their mid section and finish by extending their arms toward the target.

[Chadd 916]

Good pipes can't hurt l but I personally feel quick release comes from my core muscles and not my arms.

If you're getting all of those muscles involved in your shot, it's not a quick release.

I did a quick search so as not to mislead anyone and I came up with this...

Everything you do in hockey initiates in the core and extends out to the extremities. When a player takes a shot, they load up on their back leg and explode upwards through their mid section and finish by extending their arms toward the target.

While I don't disagree with that statement, the vast majority of hockey players are not and will never be able to get their entire body into a shot and do so in a manner that could be described as "quick". Doing so involves body movements that telegraph your intent and cancels out any advantage gained.

[BK 0]

Another key factor is learning to shoot out of your sweetspot. I take my snapshots close to my front skate normally. When we are doing snapshot drills I try to move the puck around a little bit in different positions when I shoot.

[Chadd 916]

Another key factor is learning to shoot out of your sweetspot. I take my snapshots close to my front skate normally. When we are doing snapshot drills I try to move the puck around a little bit in different positions when I shoot.

Thats the thing though...If you want the quickest release possible, you just have to get the puck and shoot as is...The more you play with it, the more the goalie can read your actions and defenders will have a better chance of grabbing it.

You rarely have the time to get the puck exactly how you like it in a game. So the more you practice situations where you are shooting off different blade areas the better you will be in games when opportunities arise

Exactly, like chikinpotpie said.

[hockeymom 2]

Thanks much guys!!

[DangleSpud 0]

One suggestion I would give is a "quick release" comes from getting rid of your tendincies as Chadd said. It's hard to give advise in this matter, but I would combine his info along with the other as far as getting your core into it. A hard shot that is quick comes from being able to have all your energy explode into your stick at a moments notice, no wind up or back and forth weight shifting. She should practice in different positions (skating, balanced, off balance, standing still) and shoting with no hesitation. You should have her skate and randomly tell her when to shoot. You should tell her when to shoot when she least expects it and the puck already craddled in her curve. The trick being that when you tell her to shoot, she needs to do it instantly. Only practice will help.

[biff44 0]

I used to line up pucks around the crease and go as quickly as possible from one to the next, firing them as quickly as possible. No windups, no stickhandling, just step to the puck and release. That does require some measure of strength in the wrists and forearms.

Most players pick up the puck and have a "trigger" motion that they go through before shooting or passing. For many it's a forehand/backhand/forehand or toe drag/forehand motion. If you can rid yourself of those types of habits, your relase will seem a lot faster as well.

Agree, just line up 10 pucks in a line laterally, and shoot them as fast as you can.

[PBRyan 0]

not sure how much this adds but I would suggest you begin thinking about shooting as a reaction i.e. goalie slides skate to move with you as you are coming in on him and as his legs widen or his stick moves out of position and you react instantly by shooting. This obviously also applies to rebounds or recieveing a pass or really whenever you have an oppurtunity to shoot. Try to make your hands an extension of your mind/eyes so they react simultaneously. Practice shooting off both feet, when the puck is far, near, behind, or in front of your body.

Also, age has a big factor on quick release due to the muscle development limitations on kids under say 13 who cannot/should not be taking snap shots. While you can still have a "quick release" at a young age it involves a bit more effort.

[Cavs019 708]

strong wrists and lighting quick fast twitch response.

[MDE3 0]

strong wrists and lighting quick fast twitch response.

And balance/quick feet drills to be able to move your feet quickly, in anticipation of being in a shooting stance when recieving a pass. This is easier to develop at a younger age than pure wrist strength.

Ie...instead of reaching out with the stick and having feet stationary to recieve a pass..adjust your feet position in advance, to where the pass is recieved in a location that you can immediately release a shot.... Takes balance, quick feet and anticipation.....like any other sport...:)

[AnthonyJTa 0]

Thanks much guys!!

I've been lucky enough to have a Rapid Shot trainer in my lhs... I mean, it's not the know-all end-all answer... but it's certainly helped a bit

[Dante2004 0]

One suggestion I would give is a "quick release" comes from getting rid of your tendincies as Chadd said. It's hard to give advise in this matter, but I would combine his info along with the other as far as getting your core into it. A hard shot that is quick comes from being able to have all your energy explode into your stick at a moments notice, no wind up or back and forth weight shifting. She should practice in different positions (skating, balanced, off balance, standing still) and shoting with no hesitation. You should have her skate and randomly tell her when to shoot. You should tell her when to shoot when she least expects it and the puck already craddled in her curve. The trick being that when you tell her to shoot, she needs to do it instantly. Only practice will help.

Any drill that forces you to shot a puck WITHOUT craddle/dribble it first will help with a quick release. I think Chadd may have mentioned this already. We used to practice the same drills in lacrosse.

You can have someone pass you the puck and then you shoot it...when you accept the pass you draw your stick back, then in one motion you shoot.

Stick back (accept pass)...stick forward (shoot puck).

[AnthonyJTa 0]

One suggestion I would give is a "quick release" comes from getting rid of your tendincies as Chadd said. It's hard to give advise in this matter, but I would combine his info along with the other as far as getting your core into it. A hard shot that is quick comes from being able to have all your energy explode into your stick at a moments notice, no wind up or back and forth weight shifting. She should practice in different positions (skating, balanced, off balance, standing still) and shoting with no hesitation. You should have her skate and randomly tell her when to shoot. You should tell her when to shoot when she least expects it and the puck already craddled in her curve. The trick being that when you tell her to shoot, she needs to do it instantly. Only practice will help.

Any drill that forces you to shot a puck WITHOUT craddle/dribble it first will help with a quick release. I think Chadd may have mentioned this already. We used to practice the same drills in lacrosse.

You can have someone pass you the puck and then you shoot it...when you accept the pass you draw your stick back, then in one motion you shoot.

Stick back (accept pass)...stick forward (shoot puck).

that's what the Rapid Shot trainer is about... it feeds you passes at the desired speed, and times your reaction, and accuracy, and compiles your date in a database.. you can compare your scores all over the world... they're working on getting these spread out accross the US... it's quite the workout firing off numerous rounds after another.

http://www.rapidshot.com/home.php