How to Take a Slapshot - Tips and Drills to Rip Bombs

Coach Matt of the Hockey Players Club and Quest Hockey demonstrates the four-step process of taking a slapshot along with some tips and drills to help improve your slapshot technique.
Slapshots are the most powerful hockey shot, but take the longest amount of time and aren't very accurate.
One of the main reasons elite players are able to generate much faster slap shots is that they are able to flex their hockey stick much more during the slap shot, which in turn increases the puck- and stick-contact time duration.
The Four Stages of a Slapshot Performed in One Fluid Motion:
1. Wind up the stick to shoulder height or higher. Don’t forget to slide your bottom hand along the stick.
2. “Slap” or strike the ice slightly behind the puck. Use your body weight and a strong bottom hand to bend or flex the stick - storing energy in the stick like a spring. The stick’s tendency to return to being straight is transferred to the puck, giving it much more speed than just hitting it could.
3. Transfer your weight from your back leg (95%) to your front leg (100%). Finish completely on your front foot so that the energy stored in the stick is released through the puck.
4. Follow through → point your stick at the target and stare down "the barrel of the gun."
Drills:
- Pause at each step drill (no puck)
- Pause at each step drill (add puck and shot)
- Rip some puppies
- Clappers down the line (emphasize quick wind-up and follow-through)
If you have any questions, shoot us an email at [e-mail].
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[@HockeyRecap]

Thanks for checking out our video! Let us know if you have any questions in the comments below.

[@anthonypaolini6879]

Awesome breakdown Matt

[@HockeyRecap]

Thank you, Anthony!

[@jerrymalinowski9736]

I found this video to be very helpful. Im working on my boys slap shot and there are good tips here and some food for thought. Good job!

[@shermanatorlee3549]

Nothing was mentioned about the most important aspect of a slap shot is YOUR ARMS, INITAL STARTING POSITION !!!! Seriously Bro the straightening of your arms on the initial takeaway or take back is paramount for accuracy and power. Without both arms primarily your front arm or forward arm initially starting out in a straight position will significantly reduce your accuracy and power to drive through the shot with power. Your lower hand has to slide down to lock out before the wind up. Bent arms equate to inaccuracy,. Shots the find their target outside of the pipes.

[@tompyle8601]

How does this channel only have 1k

[@HockeyRecap]

While we've been active on our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for years, we just started creating regular KZbin content a couple of months back. Thanks for watching and commenting :)

[@tompyle8601]

Of course I love this content

[@berrab68]

Same as golf, move the weight from the back to the front. Somehow most people play golf the other way than you do hockey, bandy etc. But its all about generating speed

[@whitsolfhusband8988]

The guy takes more ice then Weber and Chara combined.

[@HockeyRecap]

:))))

[@Rock19621962]

Where can I get a back drop, like that to shoot against

[@HockeyRecap]

We had this one custom made through a friend as it's a lot larger than the normal hockey tarps found on the market. We know HockeyShot carries a couple hockey tarps you might want to consider.

[@eugwong]

How come some people recommend keeping the bottom arm straight and others recommend keeping it bent?

[@HockeyRecap]

Maybe they're talking about different times in the process of the shot. During the wind-up, I could see how your bottom arm could be straight, but at impact and follow-through, I suggest it being bent (google "Alex Ovechkin slapshot").

[@shermanatorlee3549]

Has to be straight on the initial wind up. Nothing was mentioned about the most important aspect of a slap shot is YOUR ARMS, INITAL STARTING POSITION !!!! Seriously Bro the straightening of your arms on the initial takeaway or take back is paramount for accuracy and power. Without both arms primarily your front arm or forward arm initially starting out in a straight position will significantly reduce your accuracy and power to drive through the shot with power. Your lower hand has to slide down to lock out before the wind up. Bent arms equate to inaccuracy,. Shots the find their target outside of the pipes.

[@jasonjhpark5367]

The echo tho 🤣😂

[@hvm85]

Catastrophic audio quality

[@HockeyRecap]

Tell me about it! I typically wear a wireless microphone and was wearing one in this video; however, for whatever reason, the recording on my iPhone stopped after a couple of minutes. Amateur hour on the technical department, lol. We'll continue working to improve our audio quality, so you can better understand what we're saying. 👍

[@shermanatorlee3549]

Nothing was mentioned about the most important aspect of a slap shot is YOUR ARMS, INITAL STARTING POSITION !!!! Seriously Bro the straightening of your arms on the initial takeaway or take back is paramount for accuracy and power. Without both arms primarily your front arm or forward arm initially starting out in a straight position will significantly reduce your accuracy and power to drive through the shot with power. Your lower hand has to slide down to lock out before the wind up. Bent arms equate to inaccuracy,. Shots the find their target outside of the pipes. PLEASE COMMENT IF ANYONE DISAGREES??? Teaching someone the slap shot without discussing initial arm position will make it tough to correct a flawed slaps shot after bad habits have been developed. Untrained habits and now retraining a player primarily a defenseman all over again will be a challenge for any player Ehhh.

[@rm6021]

Horrible audio quality...

[@HockeyRecap]

True! This is why we've since purchased proper mics. Albeit shoddy audio, we believe the video still provides valuable instruction and tips. Follow along and opposing goalies might learn to dislike your clapper as much as your ears hate this video.

[@andersborum9267]

@@HockeyRecap great comment - spot on. You could btw. counter a lot of the echo from the hard walls by getting some cheap styrofoam and cover it with some sort of blankets. It makes a great difference and comes really cheap.