Summer Lax Practice Dodges

# Lacrosse @kyleharrison18 @Easton Summer Lax Practice -- Dodges

Summer is winding down and there are only a few more weeks of lax camps. In Nor Cal check out www.lacrossecampfinder.com

There is plenty of time before Fall Ball to work on your own.

A great idea is to work on your dodges — you do not need to be in a formal practice to work on this. Alone or with a buddy is perfect for practicing your different dodges. In fact, the more you work on this alone without the need to beat a d-pole the more control you can gain — muscle memory will help you in the long run if you let it develop.

Just as we have been suggesting doing your shooting practice at game speed and practicing with your gloves on — do the same for practicing dodging.

Watch the video below by Kyle Harrison. Listen to what he says about selling the fake. A very key concept is taking a big step and using the compression in the quads to make your speedy next step. The most important message, however, is using the first encounter with the opponent to set-up future dodges.

http://youtu.be/4FtbvLt_LpE

Sean Morris gave the best answer I have ever heard to the question of “What is your favorite dodge?” Sean replied “Variety!” This great reply underscores even if you are best at one or two dodges use them with a mix of other dodges or your opponent will know what to expect and you will not be very effective.

Here is a video of Sean that is more about shooting, but for this article look how he is practicing his dodging while working on shooting; the two should go hand in hand. Standing still and shooting does very little for you. Running and shooting is a much better way to practice, but adding in your dodges will be even more game- like.

One last thing to work on — notice how Sean is really focusing on where his feet are relative to the back of the goal, GLE and goal face. Think about this when you are alone so it becomes second nature in a game.

http://youtu.be/DP_LkvMzYc0

One last thought. There is an important reason to practice at full speed A point about dodging from Easton Lacrosse’s Doug Appleton is that you do not want to dodge too late. If you wait too long to dodge then the opponent will have a much better chance. If you practice a low speed you will have a hard time in games knowing how to time your moves. Practice at speed.

For more thoughts on how to practice during the end of summer please checkwww.lacrossecampfinder.blogspot.com

There is still a lot of time for lacrosse practice and fun this summer.

End of summer fun lacrosse practice.

There have been a lot of great lacrosse camps this summer — still a few weeks more to checkout www.lacrossecampfinder.com to find the last camps of summer. Another very important way to improve your lax skills is to practice by yourself or best of all with a buddy.

We have posted some ideas/videos on shooting and the need to practice while moving.

Another important ability to work on is learning to feel where the ball is in your stick. Stick tricks will help with this ability as well as hand & eye coordination. Most importantly this is a fun thing to do. You can practice your stick tricks when you have a few minutes here or there.

One important point to get maximum benefit —- USE YOUR GLOVES!

Stick tricks are both fun and practical, but just like practicing shooting on goal while standing still you will benefit but much less than if you put yourself in a more game-like situation. So you will benefit much more if you do your STICK TRICKS WITH GLOVES!

Also read these ideas from lacrosse-information.com:

The Indian Pickup: This is a really fun one to learn, and almost everyone knows what it is. With the ball on the ground, you want to hit the ball with one side of the lacrosse head, while flipping your stick over, and catching the ball.

I remember when I was younger, and stupider, I tried this in a game. I was unsuccessful. The next practice, I had to run a mile and do 100 push ups. Needless to say, I never did that again…Ever.

Baton Twirl:

Note that this is called many different things. This lacrosse trick is very easy to do. Just put the ball in the crosse, and spin the lacrosse stick as you throw it into the air. It looks pretty hard, but it is actually really easy.

As the sticks comes down, try to catch it with one hand, and with the ball still in your stick. You can either look cool while you do this, or like a complete chump.

Backside shaft hit:

OK, I’ll admit, I have no clue what this trick is called. But it is pretty cool, and semi difficult.

Using one hand on the stick, throw the ball out of your pocket, hit it with the back side of your shaft, and then make it land back in the pocket.

I personally never liked doing this one, because when ever I hit it with the shaft, I either broke something, or hit someone. Use with caution.

Sidewall Balance:

This one is fairly simple for lacrosse players of all ages to do. Using two hands (or one when you get good) toss the ball out of your pocket and make it balance on the sidewall of your stick.

I have always really liked this lacrosse trick because you can you both hands, one hand, toss the ball from sidewall to sidewall, etc.

Sidewall Juggle:

Similar to the Sidewall Balance, the Sidewall Juggle occurs when you toss the ball out of your stick, and keep hitting it on the sidewall.

Do this for as long as you can to try to break my record: 107 (yeah, I have no life). You can do this with one hand or two hands, and either one of the sidewalls.

Beware of running balls. HAHA.

Most of the things you see here are for practice, and fun time only. NEVER do these things in a game. You will probably get made fun of, and your coach will definitely scream at you.

The Upside-down Sidewall Spin:

Start by balancing the ball on your sidewall. Then, place your right hand on the butt of the stick. Your right hand should be palms up, and the thumb should be pointing away from the head.

Raise your hand and spin in a circle. As you spin faster, the centrifugal force will take over, and keep the ball on the sidewall.

*Note: A pinched head works better for this trick.

Check out some of the following links. Some are funnier than others, but use all of them to get ideas. Some are better for beginners.

http://youtu.be/N_7OrCuJFQk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3nxd94MSck&feature=fvw

http://youtu.be/-_YYVLc97YQ

http://youtu.be/-SMu2TQnE2I

http://youtu.be/a66Ra4TCNDc

http://youtu.be/Pgfm3bCuABI

Note this video has some young ladies — note girls that sticks tricks are for you too! No gloves needed for the ladies. Boys — if no time don’t worry, but gloves will really help. Boys and girls the more you switch hands the better!

http://www.schooltube.com/video/e02613a7e2b5fa44ba3e/PE-Lacrosse-Stick-Tricks

Below are some of the videos from the links above:

A great discussion with Kyle Harrison; I want to focus on two points.

We at www.lacrossecampfinder.com really think lacrose camps are great, but there will be times when you are alone. Listen to this great interview with Kyle Harrison; he has a lot of great thoughts on the sport, but in the middle he makes two really great points for kids working on their athletic abilities and also lacrosse specific skills.

One point that I have heard from college coaches and here from Kyle is until you are playing college ball, do not specialize in one sport. Kyle is coming at this from a have fun and a be coach-able point of view. I come at it as a scientist point of view — you want to avoid over use injuries.

Funny enough a major point Kyle is making here is a point I made in the past week is the need to practice like you play. Kyle’s example here is shooting. Standing in front of a goal is not going to help you. (Okay fine for a few warm-up shots or for a beginner trying to figure out how to use a crosse.) You need to be moving — at game speed — when you are taking your shots.

Here is Kyle’s great video:

http://youtu.be/_2FKIr0q_5M

Kyle Harrison Video with his thought on shooting drills.

I thought it would be helpful to follow up Paul Rabil's videos with some from middie Kyle Harrison.

I really like how Kyle stresses that you need to practice your shooting like you would do it in a game. In short, not standing still and shooting, but moving at game speed and shooting. The body mechanics are different when you shoot while moving -- SO MOVE.

Note -- the best players of any sport get that way by practicing -- not just when the team says so but by so many hours on there own.

Here is Kyle working on his shooting.

When you have less time and no field handy -- you can still get the stick in your hand and get a feel for where the ball is in your head. Do stick tricks when you have only a few minutes or need a short break from some hard shooting.

Watch pro Paul Rabil and then go practice your lax shooting!

Summer is a great time to work on your skills and all most everyone loves to practice shooting on goal. There are many other skills we hope you work on, but it is important to have also have fun.

Watch these videos of one of the very at best pros lacrosse has for scoring -- Paul Rabil.

Not only is he a good player, more importantly he can explain what he is doing very well.

Check out he warms up, think about what he says about shooting and then watch him in game situations and then go practice!

Paul's warm up :

Listen to what Paul says about shooting:

Watch Paul in action:

Our thoughts -- standing in place is great for a few minutes to warm up but then you need to practice by moving and shooting.

Go have fun !

Have fun in the summer working on your shooting.

Some camps and private lessons are great to help you get on track for next season during the summer. Check out www.lacrossecampfinder.com We list some great camps and for those in the SF Bay Area I really suggest checking out the private lessons page. We have some really great coaches/players that can help you with your game.

Summer is a also great time to practice on your own and shooting is really a great way to improve.

If you do it properly you can make huge strides during the summer. By experimenting you can really get a better feel for the ball in your crosse.

This is just like a b-ball or soccer player messing around with dribbling and shooting.

For kids just trying the sport for the first time this summer or maybe with one season, we suggest working on overhand shots only. Especially, at this stage you really are best off if you force yourself to use both arms. As hard as it seems using your “off-hand”, which is your left arm if you are a right-handed person, you will become a much better player down the road.

For variety and to make your practice fun try some stick tricks. (I will post some soon). Stick tricks are a terrific way to get a better feel for where the ball is in your crosse head.

As you get better the next step is to work on shooting while you are moving. Standing still and shooting is only good for a real beginner. Next try to go from cradling and/or switching hands as you transition without stopping into your shooting motion.

More advanced players should really think about their skill. If they still have a dominant hand they really should focus maybe 60 to 70 % on their “off-hand”. Make sure you move when you practice your shooting.

For some fun and awareness of ball position in the pocket/head do more stick tricks, cradling in different positions and a wide variety of dodges leading into your shots.

Lastly, try some of the behind-the-back, sidearm and underhand shots. These will really help you if you use them as a way to improve your “hand-feel” for the ball in your crosse. MAYBE, a few times they are appropriate in a game — if you have practiced then you can use them effectively. If you over do them, you will hurt your development and most likely have a really mad coach.

Keep in mind most of the time you are running in a game. Overhand shots work well for this. The other shots generally need time and room. They are less accurate, leave you more open to checking and are harder to do while on the run. This is the Fastest Game on Two Feet, so train to be moving as you shoot and most of these shots in personal practice, team practice and games are going to be overhand.

Enjoy summer!

A great tips on passing practice.

Finding camps is helpful. Playing in summer leagues and tournaments is terrific, but there is a whole summer to learn and there are times when you have only yourself (and a wall) of a buddy.

Here are some great thoughts from howtoplaylax.com

Watch and read their thoughts and then go have fun experimenting. Keep good form, but have fun trying new things.

Watch the video and read:

From the website How to play lax howtopalylax.com

http://howtoplaylax.com/ADVANCED/ADVANCED/HOW%20TO%20PLAY%20LACROSSE%20ADVANCED%20THROWING.html

ADVANCED THROWING INSTRUCTION

It is important for an intermediate player to continue to work on his throwing everyday. Using the drills that this manual outlines for a beginner is a good way for an intermediate player to warm-up or practice on his own every day. One-armed passing is a great way for an intermediate player to continue to strengthen his forearms for shooting and overall stick control.

There are a few more advanced throwing techniques that an intermediate player can learn. The first is throwing with a three-quarter-arm motion. This means that instead of throwing with the stick head straight up in the air and throwing with a completely over the top motion, the player will drop the stick head slightly off his shoulder and throw with the stick pointing to the sky at a 45 degree angle.

Many players at the top levels shoot with their stick at a 45-degree angle because it gives them many advantages. First, it hides the ball from the goalie much like an overhand shot, while also allowing the player to get more velocity on his shot. Also, throwing with a three-quarter motion is easier to do on the run than a direct overhand throwing motion. Intermediate players can begin to incorporate three-quarter motion into their wall-ball, passing with a partner, and line drills.

The next throwing technique that an intermediate player should learn is sidearm throwing. Many coaches tell their players to never throw sidearm. While at times, throwing sidearm is unnecessary and can be a little less accurate, it can still be an important skill for a player to have. It makes it easier to throw around defenders, can add some extra power to a player’s shot, and can be a good change-up for a shot on the run. Instead of yelling at players and telling them not to throw sidearm, coaches should help them learn how to do it correctly and encourage them to use it in the right situations. Make sure they practice before using the sidearm throw in game situations. Like learning overhand, they should practice throwing sidearm with a friend or against a wall with one and two hands. When throwing sidearm, players have to understand that it is more a flick of the wrist than anything else. This is why it is extremely important for them to extend their arms and have their hands away from their body when they throw sidearm.

The final throwing motion that an intermediate player should learn is the underhand throw. Learning to throw underhand can come in helpful when making a quick pass off of groundballs. It is also a great shot for a player to have in his repertoire. Like three-quarter and sidearm throwing, it is important to practice throwing one-handed with one and two hands against a wall or with a partner. Much like throwing sidearm, throwing underhand is mostly just a flick of the wrists with the hands extended away from the body. The head of the stick is dropped below the waist and can almost turn completely upside down depending on how good the player gets at throwing underhand. The underhand shot can be highly effective for fooling goalies. Dropping your stick and shooting a low to high shot is a great way for a player to change it up on a goalie.

With all of these throwing techniques the player must learn to always start with his stick in the “ready position”. Most intermediate players will try to begin their throwing motion with the head of their stick starting at the wrong point. Whether throwing three quarters, sidearm or underhand the head of the stick should always start up by the player’s head and execute the same push/pull motion described in the beginner section.

The further a player gets away from throwing overhand, the less accurate he becomes. Coaches should not discourage players from using these techniques because all of these throwing motions give him more options and make him a well-rounded lacrosse player. The fact is that to be good at them, the player has to practice frequently. Players do not miss the goal or throw the ball out of bounds because they throw underhand or sidearm. They make these mistakes because they do not practice these throwing motions enough. Encourage them to work on these throwing motions in practice and on their own and help them understand different situations when it is advantageous to use them. If they understand that over-hand is the most accurate way to throw, but sidearm is a good way to throw around your defender, then they will use sidearm sparingly with good judgment. Remember, the more players can do with their sticks, the more fun they are going to have playing lacrosse. Encourage them to experiment and have fun with the game. And don’t forget to have them practice these skills with both hands

After you learn how to throw well utilizing these fundamentals, then you can move on to some of our more advanced skills featured in our VIDEO section.

KEYS

1 | Always start from the ready position

2 | Practice without a ball first, then with one hand, two hands, and so on

3 | Bad Habits: dropping the head of the stick before passing

Summer is a great time to work on your stringing skills.

How your crosse is strung can have a big affect on how you shoot and cradle. A great person to follow so you can learn about the effect of different ways of stringing is Greg Rose from the Rose School of Stringing.

Check out a bit of his teaching:

http://www.lacrosseplayground.com/sidewalls-interlocking-floating-andor-both/

Note that this summer he is holding classes in various locations and online classes. Really worth checking out Greg's thoughts.

Note: Greg can be followed on Twitter and FB.