Anyone ever make switch from Rh to Lh stick?

[nosmohtxela 0]

I've been playing roller hockey off and on for the last 4 year. I am now 25 and decided to get back into it.

Ive never been a great stickhandler and only have a nice slapshot. I can skate great backwards. So I

end up playing D and taking big hard shots from the Blue line.

I bought a net and tons of pucks to work on the weekest parts of my game.

After reading I found that most right handed dominant players shoot left handed sticks. After reading the arguments on both sides it makes more sense to have your strong hand on top.

So I messed around with a kids LH stick I had around and found it to not be terrible, a huge change from how ive played the last 4 years though.

Brings me to my question, has anyone attempted to retrain themselfs to change between left or right handed sticks? I wonder if retraining my right hand to work the top of my stick would break my terrible stick handling and not so great shooting habits

Any input would be great

Thanks

-Alex

[chk hrd 164]

The time spent trying to get use to playing with the opposite hand would probably be better spent practicing. For fun in practices we would make the kids (AAA) level switch sticks. You would be surprised how many kids had difficulty just skating well with the wrong stick because everything is so ingrained into their muscle memory. I don't buy into the top hand dominant stuff, to me it is what feels best. A former coach of my kid who is an ex NHL player would put a stick on the floor and ask for a first time mite to pick it up, most kids will pick it up to what feels comfortable not which hand is dominant. I always suggest little kids just learning use a straight blade, they can switch around and will find what they like, good luck finding a straight wood stick now.

[Zjack38 46]

A former coach of my kid who is an ex NHL player would put a stick on the floor and ask for a first time mite to pick it up, most kids will pick it up to what feels comfortable not which hand is dominant.

So would the kid that picked the stick up put the hand he picked it up with on the bottom or top of the stick, I kind of like this idea on how little kids should choose what hand they are in hockey.

[Souldriver 64]

Im a RHer bc it feels more comfortable especially bc i played baseball as well.

I do think that trying to play with the stick backwards in practice has the benefits of challenging muscle memory and challenging the mind. but it shouldn't be an ingrained thing, just here and there for fun.

[nosmohtxela 0]

The only reason i buy into the top hand being dominant is I constantly read that all control comes from the top hand. The bottom hand

Is your stability correct? But for me I find my bottom hand really doing the work. I'm guessing my main reason for the struggles in stickhandling and shooting.

When I played with the left stick, although not completely comfortable, I found my same hand but now on top doing the work and my left hand was relaxed. Even got a half decent snap shot off

Now I have never actually had any real coaching so take anything I say with a grain of salt lol

Thanks

-Alex

[Chadd 916]

Dominant bottom hand really helps with my slapper power and passing

[nosmohtxela 0]

I do have the hardest slap shot on my team. Accuracy is were I struggle. But my new goal and 50 pucks are on the way so im excited to put some work into improving my game.

[Zjack38 46]

Don't mean to brag or anything but I tied for first for the hardest slapshot in ohio at the state tournament for the 98 birth year last year, aa anyways and my dominant hand is on the bottom

[Souldriver 64]

Guitar is played (mostly) with your non-dominant hand doing all the fretting and precision work, just a thought. But I agree going with what's most comfortable is best.

[bnr032 11]

maybe off the beaten track, i know a guy who does everything right handed, except for hockey, shoots left...
But i think it all started before he started hockey, his dad is left handed and he learnt to play that left handed because his dad wouldnt buy him his own clubs incase he didnt stick with it..

Having said that i know a few guys ive played competitive cricket with, where they will bowl one handed, then bat the other way around. (ie bowl right handed, throw right handed etc) but bat left handed...

There is pro and cons for both set ups i think. Dominant hand or arm does not always mean most accurate, it also may mean stronger. therefor i think better being the lower hand. for power as described above.

[Cosmic 178]

When I was 5 years old, I recall the father of this kid in the neighborhood (his name was Eric Manz; I do not recall his Dad's name) insisting that my right hand is the bottom hand, since I was a righty. I can only imagine that he was so steadfast and insistent because maybe I was initially shooting lefty, but I do not recall. I just remember how passionate he was about "how it had to be."

So I always played righty, and never had any top hand control with the one handed stick handling, nor could I do much with the top handed stick whacking on the forecheck (I always played Forward).

Recently I tried to switch it up, but the torque generated when shooting aggravates my right elbow (from years of throwing baseballs, footballs and javelins). So, maybe Eric Manz's Dad knew what he was talking about, as I do not feel this discomfort when my right hand is on the bottom.

[McDugan 89]

I tried this.

I am right-handed, and when I played as a kid (skills clinic level for a few years age 7-10, nothing competitive at all and not much actual technique taught) I always shot right, it was just more comfortable. but I was definitely using my right (dominant hand) to do the control work from the middle of the stick.

So a couple years ago at age 30 when I got back into hockey, I tried out both ways. On dry land, using a practice pad, I found it very awkward to shoot left, but that my stickhandling with my strong hand on top was great. The control really helped and I was actually quickly able to figure out shooting mechanics and being learning to shoot left without it feeling weird. In fact I found my shot was better in some ways when I shot left. It was harder to raise the puck and a little harder to generate power, but my shots tended to be straighter and to flutter much less frequently.

After a while I decided to try shooting left at an adult skills clinic session. One try was all it took. Once I got on the ice I couldn't do anything left-handed. Ultimately, the slight instability the ice adds (the puck not being perfectly still, feet not being 100% planted) was enough to throw me off, I just couldn't think the process thru fast enough to execute anything. Right handed, I may not have a ton of skill, but I don't have to think everything step-by-step. As chk hrd said, probably better to just put in some practice time. I'm playing for fun and if this caps my potential to some degree, I'm OK with that. I'm sure there are other things that I can improve on without having to backtrack that will help my game much more.

[SDGRevo 0]

Im a lefty in hockey.

I do everything on a daily basis with my right hand (write, hold a bottle of beer, etc...). I play tennis right handed.

But my left arm is stronger than my right arm.

[Shayzam 0]

I've never personally switched hands but I do have a friend who when he was a kid about 7 or 8 years old was convinced or his parents were convinced to switch from righty to lefty as there was apparently less left hand players so more spots on competitive teams for lefties however I'm not sure of legitimacy of this as a few years back i played on a team of all lefties... Anyways the kid never amounted to way to much of a hockey player and his shot was definitely not a strong point of his game sort of interesting though.

[Xuno 14]

It's an absolute personal preference thing, I think. Chara and Weber, guys with two of the hardest slappers in the league, are both right handed but Chara shoots left.

Even some goalies switch. Hiller is righty and plays full right, and I think Harding is the same way.

[Shayzam 0]

It's an absolute personal preference thing, I think. Chara and Weber, guys with two of the hardest slappers in the league, are both right handed but Chara shoots left.

Even some goalies switch. Hiller is righty and plays full right, and I think Harding is the same way.

Makes sense for anyone who didn't learn to catch through baseball and gives you a huge advantage as far as shooting goes

[tareatingrat 4]

I think the problem a lot of people have if they're right handed and shoot right is that they grip a little too strong with their bottom hand. Trying to do more work with their "dominant" hand.

My stickhandling was abysmal until I learned how to loosen up my bottom hand and use it as more of a guide for stickhandling.

My shots have always been strong, as you get a lot of your power and accuracy from your bottom hand (I do, anyway).

It's really just about practice. Grabbing a toilet paper or PVC tube and stickhandling for hours with that on my bottom hand really helped my skill. Using weighted pucks/balls and the tube really helps develop strength in your top wrist and the looseness you need in your bottom hand. Now I don't really need to overcompensate with my right hand because my left is plenty strong to catch passes and make a lot of one handed plays.

I've tried playing left, and while initially I feel like I have a little more control, I don't have the time or inclination to completely change the way I play. As someone else mentioned, if you're gonna put time into that, practice with the way you shoot now and you'll end up being ten times better in half the time.

[chk hrd 164]

We did the same, slide a piece of pvc over the shaft and hold it with the bottom hand to take it out of play. It works good for fine tuning the top hand. A death grip with either hand is a problem I see in alot of younger or new players. Find what feels comfortable and practice, practice, practice.

[DLK 0]

I'm right-hand dominant and have used both RH and LH sticks often enough that I can switch back and forth without too much of an issue.

I'm far from talented, but for me it's not a matter of stickhandling vs shooting. It seems to break down such that everything I do with the puck is easier with a RH stick, everything without (or with one hand on the stick, for that matter) easier with a LH stick.

I spend 95% of my time without the puck, so most of the time I use a LH stick.

[nosmohtxela 0]

So ive been messing with a buddys left stick sence the first post.

I think I'm gonna try a few games with it. The biggest things I notice is my left shoulder doesn't flair up when shooting with a left hand stick. I injured it a few years back in the gym and have had issues with it sence.

All I know is my right hand never seems to tire like my left and my shoulder is loving the break lol

Now who knows if I can play like this but I'm to stubborn to not try it

[akravetz 29]

I coach two mite teams (well, one mini-mite and one mite). We have parents who insist their kid is right or left and force their kids to play with a curved stick. A poster above said it best. Drop a stick on the ground and let the kid or you pick it up. Whatever feels best. That said, I am right handed and shoot left. My two kids are lefties and shoot right.

Andy in Peoria

[Iron Mike 1]

I think the problem a lot of people have if they're right handed and shoot right is that they grip a little too strong with their bottom hand. Trying to do more work with their "dominant" hand.

My stickhandling was abysmal until I learned how to loosen up my bottom hand and use it as more of a guide for stickhandling.

I think I have this problem. It makes sense that you will lack control if you are controlling from the middle of the stick because you are essentially stabbing with your stick rather that controlling the whole stick by using two points of control.

One pro for having your dominant hand low I would think is that it helps with your follow through on shots and passes. Any sport that requires swinging or throwing something requires quality follow through. Since the low hand is responsible for the finer parts of the follow through, I think the dominant hand would do a better job.

[hunterphfr 12]

A former coach of my kid who is an ex NHL player would put a stick on the floor and ask for a first time mite to pick it up, most kids will pick it up to what feels comfortable not which hand is dominant. I always suggest little kids just learning use a straight blade, they can switch around and will find what they like, good luck finding a straight wood stick now.

So would the kid that picked the stick up put the hand he picked it up with on the bottom or top of the stick, I kind of like this idea on how little kids should choose what hand they are in hockey.

I basically did what was mentioned above with my son, because that was how I learned. A friend of mine that works with my son 1 or 2 times a week switched him from a R to a L handed stick when he was 5. I consider it to be one of the most important things to have occurred in my sons hockey development.

Ironically I was a Canadian product of 60/70s let the kid do what he wants parenting and shoot R. I also have no hands and now when I screw around in the driveway with one of my sons L stcks I realize it's all my parents fault. Ok maybe not really, but I definitely can see how the dominant hand on top can give you more control and finesse.

Depending on how long you've been playing the game I would say the opportunity to retrain your brain and change sticks has closed. I know my window of opportunity is long gone.

My PERSONAL opinion, with anecdotal, reading and some SLIGHTLY scientific support is that allowing the child to pick up and decide which way he shoots is not a good decision. The problem is that the child's decision can be prejudiced by previous exposure to other sports, geographic region and incorrect tendencies. A right handed individual who has been exposed to golf, baseball, lacrosse, even an axe or a shovel is far more likely to want to hold a R handed hockey stick. Depending on ones geographic location amongst other socio/economic factors that predisposition can have an improper influence. This is pretty obvious when one looks at the fact that 70-80% of Canadians shoot left and in the US the numbers are the same but they shoot right. Most people would not debate the fact that one's dominant hand should be the power hand on a baseball bat or golf club. Yet Team Canada's baseball team in the last World Baseball Classic had a starting lineup that featured 13 players that throw right, but bat left. The US had one and Mexico two. The speculation is that they had all been exposed to hockey first, thus predisposing them to a desire to bat left, even at the risk of sacrificing some power. The loss of power is probably minimized somewhat by the fact that they are world class athletes, as well as the fact that much of the power comes not from the arms but from the legs and core.

A baseball bat or golf club is pretty much an instrument of brute force with minor adjustments to ensure proper contact, the most power is obviously derived by having the dominant hand in the middle. Lacrosse and hockey while being power sports also require a great deal of finesse. In lacrosse this finesse is controlled by the hand closer to the head while the bottom hand grips the stick loosely for stability. Hockey should be the opposite, the hand at the end of the stick should control the finesse and the hand in the middle should provide stability by gripping the stick loosely. In my case where I have my dominant hand in the middle of the hockey stick, my upper and lower hands work against each other for control of the stick. This battle can be seen by watching individuals who look like they're trying to chop wood as they stick handle. While this hand placement should in theory help my shooting strength it is at the expenditure of my finesse and control. A tradeoff I wish I hadn't been allowed to make for myself at the age of 4. Especially since studies have shown the majority of power comes from the legs, core and spine and not an individuals arms.

By allowing the child to decide, one is allowing the child's minds predisposed tendencies to attempt to overcome the laws of neurology, kinesiology, biomechanics, fine motor skills and physics.

[Iron Mike 1]

That makes a lot of sense hunter. Could you, or someone, explain how the top hand does most of the controlling?

[hunterphfr 12]

That makes a lot of sense hunter. Could you, or someone, explain how the top hand does most of the controlling?

These guys do a better job of explaining it than I could without visual aides and like I said earlier I don't have the best of hands.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPrYe0-ZX0Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZ12ii2pfk8

and a lacrosse one, just to reinforce the similarity and the difference

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfpD9X9kPes

Ironically the lacrosse player shoots left and the first hockey player shoots right. They both explain in their videos how the top hand is the one that controls the movement of the stick. maybe they're both lefties....

And for good measure an article on Baseball Canada's struggles to overcome the predisposition of hockey on batting preference in Canada;

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/baseball/canadian-baseballs-lefty-leanings-linked-to-national-game/article9490807/