Jump to content
Slate Blackcurrant Watermelon Strawberry Orange Banana Apple Emerald Chocolate Marble
Slate Blackcurrant Watermelon Strawberry Orange Banana Apple Emerald Chocolate Marble

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

raygunpk

Optimal flex question

Recommended Posts

A question about flex - is the stick supposed to flex when you push down on it on carpet?

For example I have an 87 flex stick, on my carpet in my room if I push down really hard (without trying to snap it) it doesn't seem like it bends that much. Like you would maybe see in a slow motion video or a perfectly captured image.

If I can can't even make it bend much on carpet, with all that friction, would it even flex at all on ice?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

It flexes on ice because of the weight of the puck in front of it.

A stick flexing is like a catapult action; the stick hits the puck, stick flexes, stick whips through, puck accelerates off the blade.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

What I've found is that I want it to flex a little bit with a little bit of pressure. If I have to really lean into the stick, it's not going to flex on a wrist shot. Now this is just my personal preference, because I take mostly wrist shots and not slappers.

Anyways, you might want to try a 70-75 flex stick and see how you like it.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

might be a bit stiff for you....

A stick will crank through a shot only when it is properly loaded... If your taking snapshot or a slapper, when you hit the ice about 4 or 5 inches behind the puck, the resulting force will load the stick (making it flex) and then on contact and follow through the stick releases its flex and that force of energy is transferred to the puck resulting in shots with more power behind them.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I would definitely recommend you try a 70-77 flex or even possibly a 60-70 flex intermediate depending on how big / strong you are. You should definitely be able to get the stick to bend when in shoes, and especially if you have a higher friction surface like a carpeted floor. You don't need to banana it by any means, but you should be able to get it to flex some by just leaning your body weight into it a bit.

For me personally, I have found that if I can't flex the stick in shoes I can't shoot very well once on the ice. The only exception is if the stick is cut -very- short-then I can get my body weight low and just use my arms and upper body to shoot-but the results are not nearly as good as when I have the proper length and a flex I can bend. On a wrister, you want to get some power from your arms, some from your body, and a lot from weight transfer. I find that if the stick is too stiff, I can't draw my hands through the shot properly because the stiffness of the stick forces my hands to move upwards away from the ice. If the stick flexes properly your hands can stay at the same level off the ice all the way through the shot and then all the energy loaded in the stick will transfer to the puck as the blade whips forwards.

IMO people tend to use flexes that are too high but I guess you just have to try some different things and apply the old addage "whatever works for you"

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
If I can can't even make it bend much on carpet, with all that friction, would it even flex at all on ice?

No, it won't flex on the ice. As mentioned, go with something that has more whip

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I'll add some information. 5'11 160lbs~ skinny asian. I add an inch plug on the stock NBH stick lengths.

How much is it supposed to bend on carpet though? And how much is too much bowing?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

If I were you I'd try a 75 flex or lower, maybe even an intermediate stick. I'm around 170 lbs and I'm using a 75 flex right now, but am going to try lower. Now that I'm used to the softer flex, if I try an 85 or so it just feels way too stiff. Give it a shot and see how it feels.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

It doesn't all have to do about weight though. Most of it is technique. I weigh about 170, and was about 160 at the start of this year, and I've been using flex for probably my third season (I'm 16). I have no problem using 100 flex, but it's probably because I've grown used to it. http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc...811613_6105.jpg . If I were you, I'd definitely go down in flex if you're unable to whip it on the carpet.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
It doesn't all have to do about weight though. Most of it is technique. I weigh about 170, and was about 160 at the start of this year, and I've been using flex for probably my third season (I'm 16). I have no problem using 100 flex, but it's probably because I've grown used to it. http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc...811613_6105.jpg . If I were you, I'd definitely go down in flex if you're unable to whip it on the carpet.

It takes forever to get off a shot if you have to lean into it that much. If I lean into in that much I can bend a 120, but 90-95 is my preference for wristers.

I'll add some information. 5'11 160lbs~ skinny asian. I add an inch plug on the stock NBH stick lengths.

How much is it supposed to bend on carpet though? And how much is too much bowing?

Only you can decide what is enough and what is too much, everyone has different preferences. The best bet is to try sticks that buddies are using and work from there.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

If you add a 1" plug then I would definitely expect that you could get some flex out of the stick when on carpet. This is even more true if you add length to the stick which makes it easier to flex. Like Chadd said, try to find some friends or other people with sticks that are different (shorter, less flex, different curves etc) and just play around with different options. Once I tried a lot of different things I was surprised by how much I changed what I use once I gave other types of sticks an honest try. I also found that you need to be brutally honest, and go with what works best and not what you expect to work best based on preconceived notions. It doesn't matter if you use a broom handle if you get good results.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Just want to add my meager $.02 to the conversation...along with all the other wise advice given in this thread so far, be aware that the quickness of your hand also helps determine what's optimal for you. I've seen smaller guys with 100+ flex sticks have ridiculously hard and accurate shots due to proper technique and extraordinarily quick hands. I've also seen guys that have used the same (intermediate) stick for years, have hard shots, but cannot get off the shot quick enough in most on-ice scenarios.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Just want to add my meager $.02 to the conversation...along with all the other wise advice given in this thread so far, be aware that the quickness of your hand also helps determine what's optimal for you. I've seen smaller guys with 100+ flex sticks have ridiculously hard and accurate shots due to proper technique and extraordinarily quick hands. I've also seen guys that have used the same (intermediate) stick for years, have hard shots, but cannot get off the shot quick enough in most on-ice scenarios.

In most of the cases I've seen the small guy with quick hands and a stiff stick results in a quick shot, but not really a hard one. Then there are the ones that defy the "average" scenario, but we have to assume that most people fall into the average range. You do make a good point though.

The funny thing is that I would rather have a stiffer stick from my wrist shots than for my slappers for the "quick hands" reason you mentioned. Assuming I had to go with a stick that was stiffer than I prefer. You can alter your technique on a wrist shot more easily than a slapper and I need to feel the stick load and release on my slappers.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
It doesn't all have to do about weight though. Most of it is technique. I weigh about 170, and was about 160 at the start of this year, and I've been using flex for probably my third season (I'm 16). I have no problem using 100 flex, but it's probably because I've grown used to it. http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc...811613_6105.jpg . If I were you, I'd definitely go down in flex if you're unable to whip it on the carpet.

It takes forever to get off a shot if you have to lean into it that much. If I lean into in that much I can bend a 120, but 90-95 is my preference for wristers.

Yeah well wristers and snappers I love 85 flexes, but because I take slappers I love my 100 flex stick.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Just so I know, if the stick is TOO whippy... how would it feel like? Would shots be way off the mark?

Most people don't like to feel it flex when they stickhandle. A stick is too whippy for me to shoot if I move my hands through the shooting motion and the stick still hasn't begun to kick through yet. It will feel very "laggy". You can get around it by slowing down your hands and making your motion more smooth until you get a stiffer stick.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Only you can decide what is enough and what is too much, everyone has different preferences. The best bet is to try sticks that buddies are using and work from there.

That's pretty much it. For me, I found that 90-95 flex is what works for me. Anything higher, and it seems like I'm shooting w/ a 2x4 having no flex. It's hard to explain, but you almost feel too much force/shock in the palms of your hands because not enough force is being transferred into the shaft. Also, I find that if the shaft is too stiff, it torques a bit in my hands and the puck flutters. However, if the flex is too low, I can feel the shaft flex, but the puck doesn't kick off the blade. It almost feels like the shaft is dead. In the end, it just comes w/ shooting around w/ different shaft flexes; lots of trial and error.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

For me, if I have to lean into a stick to get it to flex, it's too stiff. Again, that's because I like to take quick wrist and snap shots. One Cyclone shaft that I had was labeled 70 flex and I believe was actually 95, I leaned into a shot and I couldn't load the stick, so I actually did some weird half-circle thing as the puck slid away from my body instead of coming across.

A stick that's TOO whippy for me, the shots go wide and frequently over the net too often. The only sticks I've had that do that are the One40 intermediate wood and the Mission L-2 75 flex (really, really whippy). But typically anything between 65 and 70 flex (I'm 5'8" and 170) works great for me (cut down to just below my chin).

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...