When is a stick too whippy?

[Bengerm77 11]

I just replaced a 75 flex shaft that was broken with a 65 flex intermediate shaft, and I played with it for the first time this morning. IT WAS WEIRD. I could feel the stick bending around slightly while I was stick handling, and my shots were unpredictable. Granted, I'm a terrible puck handler and a bad shot, but this was a new a different kind of poor performance. Can I finally blame my stick for my terrible playing?

What is your too flexy?

[XveritasX 13]

I just replaced a 75 flex shaft that was broken with a 65 flex intermediate shaft, and I played with it for the first time this morning. IT WAS WEIRD. I could feel the stick bending around slightly while I was stick handling, and my shots were unpredictable. Granted, I'm a terrible puck handler and a bad shot, but this was a new a different kind of poor performance. Can I finally blame my stick for my terrible playing?

What is your too flexy?

I would say you can blame not being use to the stick. Kessel used 65 flex when he was drafted and Brett Hull also used 65. So grown men can for sure use 65 flex sticks. I currently use 75 flex sticks, I'm comfortable with them so that's what I stick with. I however wouldn't mind picking up 65 to play around with, but like you, I don't think I would end up liking it.

[romdj 26]

I would say you can blame not being use to the stick. Kessel used 65 flex when he was drafted and Brett Hull also used 65. So grown men can for sure use 65 flex sticks. I currently use 75 flex sticks, I'm comfortable with them so that's what I stick with. I however wouldn't mind picking up 65 to play around with, but like you, I don't think I would end up liking it.

depends on your height & weight but I would personally hate having a 65flex stick. feels too much like a spaghetti imo

[Souldriver 64]

personal preference, it sounds like for your shooting style youre putting it under too much torque and its going off from where you want it to be. either lighten up when shooting around and see how it goes or that stick may not be for you.

[Chadd 916]

I don't like to stickhandle much with a whippy shaft. I don't mind shooting with them, but I do have to alter my form and make sure my motion is smooth.

[mcne0101 16]

stiff sticks = better shot in warmups....lower flex stick = better shots in games~

[Souldriver 64]

stiff sticks = better shot in warmups....lower flex stick = better shots in games~

what? the only logic to this would be that at the end of the game youre so tired you c ant flex your stick but tats a stretch.

[TeamHonda401 54]

When you are fresh you can obviously put more into your shots, and you have time to do so. When you are tired or don't have time to put everything you have into a shot, you won't be utilizing the flex of the stick as much.

[mcne0101 16]

what? the only logic to this would be that at the end of the game youre so tired you c ant flex your stick but tats a stretch.

In warm ups you have 5 seconds and 10 feet of open ice to crank up your shot right in the sweet spot. In games where time and space are at a premium, you need to be able to shoot quickly with minimal effort. If you need to bare down on your stick (even a little bit) to get it to work for you, that's going to be a problem in games.

IMO the success of functional shots in games is more about your release than the velocity of the shot. This is why I think most would have better results going down a flex level. Some people have super strong hands/wrists and can flex a stiff shaft with relative ease, they do not need to go down a flex.

I think too many people get seduced with how hard they can shoot it in warm ups with a stiffer flex. This is just my opinion (obviously).

[AIREAYE 248]

I agree completely and all of your points are bang on. This approach and explanation is what I give to people who do not seem suited to the flexes they are using.

[Souldriver 64]

yeah but wouldnt a stiffer flex get the shot of quicker bc its not doing as much flexing to begin with?

either way i think people should be getting flexes that suit their natural motions and not how hard can i rip this with all the time in the world motions.

[A2rhino 62]

what? the only logic to this would be that at the end of the game youre so tired you c ant flex your stick but tats a stretch.

I actually thought someone said Hull would go to a lighter flex shaft in the 3rd period of games

[mcne0101 16]

yeah but wouldnt a stiffer flex get the shot of quicker bc its not doing as much flexing to begin with?

either way i think people should be getting flexes that suit their natural motions and not how hard can i rip this with all the time in the world motions.

Sure but its probably going to be a terrible shot if you cant get your stick into it.

[mrruin 0]

Sure but its probably going to be a terrible shot if you cant get your stick into it.

which is why you need the "right" stick flex and not the softest (or stiffest for that matter). Balance is the key here.

[mcne0101 16]

which is why you need the "right" stick flex and not the softest (or stiffest for that matter). Balance is the key here.

Yes, I'm not saying everyone should use the softest flex stick available. I'm simply stating, by in large...I believe most people could benefit by going down a flex. For example, I think the vast majority of forwards should be using 75-87 flex sticks. Too many forwards are using 100-102 flex sticks IMO.

The outlying group would be those individuals with very strong hands/wrists.

[z1ggy 81]

Anyone finding 75 flex senior sticks? I really want to try out 75 flex, but I can only find them in Int. I'm thinking of buying a Warrior Int stick because they come 60''. Generally I use a 59'' long or so stick.

[romdj 26]

How about one timers? I haven't had a good experience with low flexes in that aspect

[Law Goalie 147]

How about one timers? I haven't had a good experience with low flexes in that aspect

Apply 'Chadd's Law': the lower the flex, the slower your hands should move through the shot, especially on slappers and one-timers. (Smack me if I'm paraphrasing poorly.)

Put it this way... lower flexes do present some challenges, especially if you've adapted your game (puck-handling, various shots, stick-on-stick battles, etc.) to stiffer sticks, but they offer definite, well-established advantages for effective shooting in prime scoring areas.

It is also way, way easier to shoot, so if you're going to go out and shoot a few hundred pucks, a lower flex will be much more comfortable.

My real bugbear these days is with kids using pointlessly stiff sticks. 25 flex is probably too stiff for most tykes and novices to get a proper shooting motion, but good luck finding even those... 15 and 20 would be ideal, I would imagine, but I've never even seen them. I'm actually considering a massive stick order for my association's tyke program just so we can hit the minimums for a custom lay-up.

[Souldriver 64]

get those little guys on a summer workout program i say!

but thats a good point to bring up about "Chadd's Law". Im usually in more crowded areas and ive developed strong and fast wrists and forearms to aid in my shot. That could be a good reason why i like a stiffer low kickpoint stick for my shooting. my hands bring things around faster and i usually have the puck more inward near my body.

[Chadd 916]

At least I'm being cited in a "law" that has nothing to do with criminal activity. A big part of using lower flexes is feeling the stick load and adjusting your motion to the frequency of the stick. There isn't one right or wrong answer when it comes to flexes for people, as there are pros and cons to each side of the equation. You can certainly take it to an extreme that has little, if any, benefit for you.

[Souldriver 64]

Chadds law is better than chadds error.