How long to get "good"

[MN old and slow 92]

55 years, I have this thing down now.

[sticktime 12]

55 years, I have this thing down now.

Ha! I think I'm progressing at a good rate, stickhandling and skating are becoming a unified motion, fluidity is definitely more prevalent.

One thing I notice more now is how certain players keep thrust going in their skating, whatever moves they're doing. That's what I'm onto next - keeping that thrust for ALL moves. Though, I did read a good point on here on another topic where it was recommended to glide more when coming up to and getting around a opposing player. Oh, and watching the chest instead of the puck, when the roles are reversed.

[MN old and slow 92]

6 days. My new grandson has high potential, looks good in UMD jersey.

Took him 6 days to get good. Took me 55 years. He must be more Swede than Pole.

[johnee90 0]

They say that its 10,000 hours to top levels of anything, that or 5 years... of full time practice! Whoa. This stuff is interesting to me, I think it matters quite a bit when you start too. 5 years of effort starting at 7 years old... ok, 5 years starting at 55... heh, different story.

[IPv6Freely 2092]

There was a dude in the Southwest Airlines magazine of all places about a dude who quit his job to test that theory and put in 10,000 hours of golf practice to try to go pro. He was about halfway or so when the article was written. Cool stuff, but kind of silly.

[Hyounghockeystick 2]

just enjoy the game.

[Vet88 674]

And that 10,000 hours needs to be quality practice time. Scrimmages and games don't really count as this is where you put all those practice hours into use. If you were to really add it up it's more like 20k hours overall to be world class. And you have to start young. But I believe (and have seen) the 80 - 20 rule applies, you can get to 80% of your ability in 20% of the time so if you aren't dangling like Kane after 2000 hours then it just ain't going to happen.....

[MThockeydad 469]

I can't agree more about the powerskating suggestions. You can beat other players to the puck, create more time and space, and win breakaways to make more shooting opportunities.

What my question is, is I'm definitely getting better at all phases, can do almost everything required on skates, but it's the speed at which I want to do things that I can't. Same with stickhandling. Everyone in the league can seemingly do everything fluidly, and with some speed, some alot more so than others. But I still don't do most things instinctively/reactively. Some things yes, but most I have to think about it first. And that hesitation most of the time causes me to have very little to no time and space.

You have to learn to think faster and eliminate hesitation.

Use stick and puck and skills to reinforce skills, but use drop-in and league to reinforce speed and real-time fast decision making.

When you're battling something for the puck, you can't be deciding when you go into the corner. They will win 100 times out of 100. Decide TODAY that you're going to win. Race in there and win that puck 100 times out of 100.

If it's acceptable at your rink, go to the drop-in sessions for the level just above yours and race to catch those skaters. You WILL be forced to speed up your game exponentially to keep up. When you return to your league, you'll find people moving at "mortal" speed.

BS, Caihlen, I have more fun!!!!

[flip12 714]

They say that its 10,000 hours to top levels of anything, that or 5 years... of full time practice! Whoa. This stuff is interesting to me, I think it matters quite a bit when you start too. 5 years of effort starting at 7 years old... ok, 5 years starting at 55... heh, different story.

Take that with a box of salt, considering it's mostly promulgated by Malcolm Gladwell. There are more honest assessments that roundly debunk that claim. Some people are just good the moment they go at it, whatever it is. But the hours and hours of practice can hone that talent, certainly. My favorite contemporary musician, Evgeny Kissin, is one of those immediate talents: before he could walk and talk his parents noticed him humming themes from memory that his older sister was learning to play on the piano.

For some reference debunking 10K-hours: http://www.spring.org.uk/2014/07/the-10000-hours-myth-practice-predicts-only-12-of-performance.php, with a link to the original meta-analysis.

And Kissin: Pictures at an Exhibition. Highlight since the whole thing is too long for most to listen to.

One could argue with what "good" means in connection to the 10K-hour rule. Not everyone will achieve Kissin or Bure or Heiden mastery just because they dedicate 10K or even 100K-hours. That much time could well lead to a satisfactory level amateur-elite "good." On the other hand, this doesn't seem to be the story Gladwell is selling, since his examples include why the Beatles got to be so great. Also, the meta-analysis looks at a more complete slice of achievement levels.

[MThockeydad 469]

Ha! I think I'm progressing at a good rate, stickhandling and skating are becoming a unified motion, fluidity is definitely more prevalent.

One thing I notice more now is how certain players keep thrust going in their skating, whatever moves they're doing. That's what I'm onto next - keeping that thrust for ALL moves. Though, I did read a good point on here on another topic where it was recommended to glide more when coming up to and getting around a opposing player. Oh, and watching the chest instead of the puck, when the roles are reversed.

Yes!

Another thing I worked on this season was keeping my momentum going. Keep gliding, keep your feet moving. If you watch the pros, they NEVER stand still.

I try to avoid stopping altogether unless I'm in a puck battle or someone is deking me (and stopping/restarting to go the other direction). Stopping kills speed and costs energy to restart. You're exactly right about gliding when going around an opposing player. Get away from them faster and avoid the collision, keep going without stopping. Keep your knees bent--you can't stop, turn, or accelerate if you stand up.

On offense, circle to the open ice.

Next season, I'm working on my passing and shooting accuracy. I need to shoot some pucks in the driveway this summer.

I think "good" is a difficult goal. It's not measurable. You will always play against someone better than you. There will (now) always be someone worse than you. You can never be better than everyone else, but you can be better than you were yesterday.

(I just hit 40, started 2 seasons ago. I love the learning curve.)

[moteef17 7]

First off - good for you - and have fun. I started about 5 years ago. I recognize that my overall skating ability has probably plateaued, but I've worked by tail off to develop a solid wrist and snap shot. I also look to pass often in the neutral zone to stretch the play or set up one of my faster teammates. I've learned position play and where to be when better players are on the ice. When the puck does come to me, I can pretty much shoot it where I want and with good snap off the stick.

As for 'garbage goals' in your 1st season of play? No such thing. If you're in front of the net putting in a rebound, you're doing something very right!

[MN old and slow 92]

Just have da fun and don't worry about da good. In my mind I am Bobby Orr and my grandson is da Rocket.

[Znqt 3]

Hey, I think I understand what your getting at here and these are my thoughts.

I played organized hockey since I was 6 (I am now 20), and only in the past 2 years was when I really excelled. I was always a very good skater... I was fast, smooth, and could skate backwards effortlessly. Like you, when I played stick and puck I could control the puck more and I felt like I was significantly better compared to how I felt in my league games. It was almost as if I didn't touch the puck much at all, and when I did I couldn't manage to make a good play with it. It was 2 years ago when I made this realization, and as a result I made it my absolute mission to be one of the most dominant guys on the ice in all of my league games.

Here are a few factors that I noticed during this process.

1. The pressure - this is an obvious one but it is very true. In a league game with a referee and organized teams, there is more pressure due to the fear of screwing up and this can definitely cause your play to be weaker. My advice is to try and be really calm on the ice and extremely confident. Play as if you know your good and your not afraid of screwing up. However if you do screw up, make sure you backcheck... hard.

2. Positioning - this one is huge. In stick and puck there is very little structure to the play so it is easy to find yourself in those areas where the puck just lands on your stick. In organized hockey you have to figure out the areas the puck goes to. For me as a forward I find that in our own end if I stay around the hashmarks by the boards the puck ends up right on my stick constantly. try it.

3. off ice practice - every chance you get practice stickhandling on a smooth pad. even just holding a hockey stick helps.

[canqingz 3]

just have fun

you can never be too good

the most important thing for most people is having fun and teamworking

So I've been skating and playing now for almost a year. Was never on skates until then, played some street stick as a kid. Anyhow, I've been hitting up stick and puck 3-4 times per week since the beginning, always working on skating and stickhandling.

Started in the rec league in May, which was after skating for 4 months, and got around the ice, didn't all much. Scored a few garbage goals, but also had some good looks too. Did some good things in that 12 week season.

The current 12 week season has ended and we're in the playoffs next week. Scored only goal of the season last nite.

What my question is, is I'm definitely getting better at all phases, can do almost everything required on skates, but it's the speed at which I want to do things that I can't. Same with stickhandling. Everyone in the league can seemingly do everything fluidly, and with some speed, some alot more so than others. But I still don't do most things instinctively/reactively. Some things yes, but most I have to think about it first. And that hesitation most of the time causes me to have very little to no time and space.

I don't know....when I'm at stick and puck I can move all over the ice, control the puck, do alot of things, and even think wow I'm getting better. Then during games not so much.

I've always been pretty good at every sport I've tried, so it's kind of an ego shot to still not be as good as everyone else I play with.

SO, I guess my question is should I expect to be better at this point, meaning learning to play at 41? Or is skating and stickhandling things to master individually, and also together as you get better?

It's just that sometimes I have alot of confidence, like as stick and puck, or during games when I do the right things, make a good pass or shot, or other things during the game. And sometimes I get so down that I want to give it up.

Am I expecting to be better than I should be? sorry to everyone's brain who reads this and who responds.