NHL Veteran Jason Smith demonstrates medball technique
Before we get into the issue of proper training to improve your shot, remember that having proper form and technique on the ice is important! Keep practicing, taking 50-100 shots per day off a piece of synthetic ice in your basement, garage or driveway if you do not have access to ice. As you master the technique of the hockey shot, you should work on fitness training to improve your ability to shoot harder and faster. As you develop as a player, know that goalies are constantly working on techniques to cover more of the net as quickly as possible. If you cannot shoot quickly, accurately and with good velocity, you probably will not score very many goals.
A lot of players believe that a fast, hard shot comes solely from arm strength. This is not correct. A good shot is the coordinated effort of the hips, trunk and shoulder/arm swing. Many of the hardest shots in the NHL don’t necessarily come from the biggest and strongest players, but from the players that have a well-executed shot that is a result of a highly coordinated effort of the entire body. As a result, fitness training for a better shot requires complex movement patterns that involve the entire body and not isolated training of specific body parts.
On the hockeyot.com site we have multiple exercises that will help improve your shot power. Here are a few of our favorites:
1) Slap shot throw: Take medball across body similar to path for slap shot. Once at fully loaded “slap shot position” push off back foot driving back hip forward creating twisting motion through trunk and then quickly swing medball back down across body and then upward to release ball with maximum torque through trunk. This is a highly coordinated exercise that will take some practice to perfect but will drastically improve your shot power. For appropriate medball weight and sets/reps prescriptions please see www.hockeyot.com.
2) Repetitive side throw: Stand facing sideways to sturdy wall. Take medball straight across body as far back as you can reach. Once at fully loaded rotation position push off back foot driving back hip forward creating twisting motion through trunk and then quickly swing medball back across body with maximum torque into wall. As the ball bounces off wall catch it while letting momentum take you back into next loaded position and quickly repeat next throw. This exercise will help you generate a greater rate of force production that will allow you to get your shot off quicker with more power. For appropriate medball weight and sets/reps prescriptions please see www.hockeyot.com.
3) Plate chop: Standing with weight-plate securely in hands outside right knee, explosively lift plate up over left shoulder by first pivoting right foot so that right hip drives forward. Make sure to keep back flat by engaging trunk muscles throughout exercise. Repeat on other side. For appropriate weight-plate load and sets/reps prescriptions please see www.hockeyot.com.
These exercises will help you put more power and torque into your shot by teaching your hips, trunk and shoulders to work together to generate power.
Dr. Chad Moreau is the President of HockeyOT.com, an online training site dedicated to improving the fitness level of hockey players of all levels. He was the former Strength & Conditioning/Nutrition Consultant for the Edmonton Oilers (NHL) and the Long Beach Ice Dogs (ECHL). For more information please visit hockeyot.com.
