What do you do when you check?

[xiaozhoux 0]

Hey guys,

So I was playing in a tournament a couple of months ago where we played a team that was a lot bigger than us. My team counted on me to take the forechecking role and physical aspect of the game. I was going to check a guy using my forearms and my chest, but after doing so, my chest and stomach area started to hurt/burn. When I check, I mostly always hold my breath for some reason, I think it may just be instinct. Is this bad? Do you guys inhale/exhale when you are about to body check someone, or how do you regulate your breathing when you check? Hopefully the tips will improve my game.

Thanks a bunch!

[lampliter87 8]

Can't say I've ever really noticed my breathing when making a hit... I do my best to lead with my shoulder (think anterior deltoid area). Hitting with your forearms isn't as effective and may lead to penalties.

[Chadd 916]

Hitting with your forearms isn't as effective and may lead to penalties.

Notice that nobody ever calls it a body check anymore, it's always checking or hitting. Everyone hits with their arms first, and usually get their stick up in the process. Head contact and high sticking could be called a lot more often than it is.

I agree with the shoulder as well as a good hip check every now and then, but I don't think there is anyone left that knows how to teach that skill.

[Machinehead2k5 32]

When I took some learn to play hockey classes in Augusta, a couple of the then Augusta Lynx told me to exhale when making contact with someone. it's the equivalent of bench pressing and exhaling when pushing the bar back up.

A good shoulder to chest check or a well timed hipcheck are almost extinct in today's game.

[Chadd 916]

A good shoulder to chest check or a well timed hipcheck are almost extinct in today's game.

That's because you don't have to be in position to hit with your hands, it's easier than the way the game used to be played.

[robat 0]

I always got in a low stance and tried to explode up through guys, since I'm so short.

[Chadd 916]

I always got in a low stance and tried to explode up through guys, since I'm so short.

The lower your center of gravity the more likely you are to "win" in a collision. Jumping up just makes head shots more likely.

[PJaeggi97 0]

When I took some learn to play hockey classes in Augusta, a couple of the then Augusta Lynx told me to exhale when making contact with someone. it's the equivalent of bench pressing and exhaling when pushing the bar back up.

A good shoulder to chest check or a well timed hipcheck are almost extinct in today's game.

Yes, you want to exhale. When you inhale thats when you get the breath knocked out of you

[chk hrd 164]

remember a check isn't to seperate a person's head from his body it's to seperate the player from the puck. You don't have to have a highlite real check everytime. Make your check effective buy where you hit him, how you hit him and what happens after. To many kids go in for the big check and get sidestepped from the other guy, this takes you out of the play and lets them back in. Same goes for hitting someone on the boards and bouncing off, where is the puck, if it's still in reach pin the player.

Most importantly, regardless what type of check you are doing, finish it, don't hesitate or back off unless the other guy gets in a bad position.

[WSjo22 1]

Suprised someone hasn't mentioned it yet but I always worked on keeping my stick on the ice. Focusing on that leads to the elbows and hands staying down

[chippa13 1844]

Your stick should be low because you want to be lifting your opponent's stick as you're making the hit. That way you are guaranteed to separate him from the puck.

[PJaeggi97 0]

Suprised someone hasn't mentioned it yet but I always worked on keeping my stick on the ice. Focusing on that leads to the elbows and hands staying down

To be honest, that should be a given.

[chk hrd 164]

To be honest, that should be a given.

so should not hitting from behind, but you see alot do that.

[Captain Sane 2]

Your stick should be low because you want to be lifting your opponent's stick as you're making the hit. That way you are guaranteed to separate him from the puck.

I've never heard of doing it for that reason, but for keeping elbows, etc down like the original poster said. Plus having your stick up during a hit seems like a good way to get a penalty

[starsfan71 9]

As one of the smallest kids in the Varsity high school league I find that the most important part of a check is getting your base set and if you can get your edges into the ice. Lead with your shoulder and use your back foot as a driving force. Keep low the entire time and remember to keep your base firm and try to minimize the amount of unnecessary movement. Try and put all the driving force towards one impact point. Try and pick the other guys chest or shoulder. I like to hit the other guys shoulder because I am not really trying to destroy the guy I am just trying to get him off balance so that I can take the puck.

[Chadd 916]

Your stick should be low because you want to be lifting your opponent's stick as you're making the hit. That way you are guaranteed to separate him from the puck.

Most hits I see in youth hockey are after the puck is gone.

[gxc999 7]

A few obvious tips I've learned are 1) Don't lock up and stop skating 2) Put all the weight on your inside foot and bend that knee, e.g. the side of the body that is making contact 3) to properly receive or throw a hit, it's a good idea to lift up (and in) your upper arms/shoulders into a defensive type posture, not sure how exactly to describe this but most players probably know what I mean. Obviously, if any of this seems wrong, correct me asap!!

[Chadd 916]

A few obvious tips I've learned are 1) Don't lock up and stop skating 2) Put all the weight on your inside foot and bend that knee, e.g. the side of the body that is making contact 3) to properly receive or throw a hit, it's a good idea to lift up (and in) your upper arms/shoulders into a defensive type posture, not sure how exactly to describe this but most players probably know what I mean. Obviously, if any of this seems wrong, correct me asap!!

If you want to be more effective when checking, make yourself compact and lower your center of gravity. Raising your upper body is going to raise your center of gravity and make you less stable on your skates.

[Jarick 5]

I always got low, dipped the front shoulder to lead with that (rather than hitting with the side of my arm), and skated through the guy. Being only 5'8 and 175 I still win just about every collision just getting low and putting my shoulder into the guy (out of instinct usually). If I'm perpendicular to the opponent and have my skates planted it's really hard to knock me off my balance.

[gxc999 7]

If you want to be more effective when checking, make yourself compact and lower your center of gravity. Raising your upper body is going to raise your center of gravity and make you less stable on your skates.

Yeah, I should've said forward, not really up.

[Chadd 916]

Yeah, I should've said forward, not really up.

Exactly. Make contact, then drive through the other guy. Too many guys are reaching or extending in order to make contact, rather than trying to drive the logo through his body to his numbers.

[Stryker 37]

Personally, as an average sized d-man, i throw hips whenever I can. If not, a nice shoulder cap to the sternum area tends to work best. The trick is to tuck everything in and then try to explode through the other player.