How do you actually really know the lie is the right one...

[stran11 0]

for you?

Sorry if this has been discussed (I tried searching). Is it totally by feel? Is it by trial and error? Do you have someone videotape you actually playing and shooting?

Thanks in advance

[steve66 45]

typically you'll want the centre portion of your blade in contact with the ice for the majority of the time when stickhandling and shooting. You'll obviously use the toe and heel of the blade at various points too, but if you find that the majority of wear is on the heel or toe, that would seem to indicate that the lie isn't quite right for you.

If the wear is on the toe, it indicates you are stickhandling close to your feet, and you may want to try a higher lie.

conversely if it is on the heel it suggests you are playing further away from your feet, and may want to try a lower lie.

i'm sure other people will chime in with any suggestions or corrections.

[stran11 0]

Thanks, but if your blade is significantly rockered, you may not see the wear on the tape in the toe or heel??

[chk hrd 164]

for me it's because it feels right. To much or to little and it seems my shots and stick handling just are not the same.

[steve66 45]

If there is no significant wear to use as an indicator, it comes down to how you feel when using the stick.

Do you feel like you are skating, bent over or stretching too far out in order to handle the puck or shoot, or do you feel like you're having to stand upright more than you'd like, or handling the puck too close to your feet?

[Hockeydog 8]

Do you have a problem with receiving passes, especially when you have to reach a bit for them?

[stran11 0]

No problems with stickhandling or receiving/passing. My wrist shot is decent, but not superb. I think my technique is OK. Have been reading that shot quality may be significantly affected by lie (and of course, flex, curve,...). Just looking for any bit of refinement I can get to improve my game! Thx

[Chadd 916]

No problems with stickhandling or receiving/passing. My wrist shot is decent, but not superb. I think my technique is OK. Have been reading that shot quality may be significantly affected by lie (and of course, flex, curve,...). Just looking for any bit of refinement I can get to improve my game! Thx

One thing to watch with your shot is the motion of the puck. With a lie that is too high, you will often see the puck stand on end and tail one way or the other. For a RH shooter, like me, the puck will frequently stand up and veer to the left if your lie is too high.

You really should be able to tell by putting one layer of white tape on your blade and playing for a few minutes. The tape doesn't have to wear through to the blade, you should be able to see where it is contacting the ice fairly easily. If you want to improve your shot, get a private lesson or two from a good coach. I learned a lot from a local HS coach when I started playing and my shot got much better thanks to a former pro coach. Little things make a big difference.

[stran11 0]

Thx f/ advice!

[gxc999 7]

I've only ever had one case where the lie was awful and wrecked my game. It was a pro stock, around 6-6.5. Suddenly, pucks were constantly sliding under my blade and everything seemed wrong, basically, it felt like the ground was slanted a foot down!