Practice Checks

[woodlax3]

What is the best way to practice checks (poke, lift, slap, one hand, gate) during the summer when I don't have teammates to play against? (I play d-pole/LSM)

EDIT: How do you guys practice your ground balls too?

[Konkordmusk]

http://www.lacrosseforums.com/showthread.php?t=122574
And I sometimes like to put a ball under lawn chair to simulate an opponent covering it, for ground balls.

[ShazamLax25]

well if you have a friend close by that plays, tell him to come over and you can practice on him. other than that im not sure.

If you want to practice groundballs, i would just throw a couple out in your yard and run back and forth getting reps. It would be kinda like line drills.

[Bruno.]

I never throw one handed or gate to begin with, its a great way to look like a fool. If i ever to practice my poke slap lift i do it on trees, rows of them near me. But I usually just play 4 games every wed and practice every monday and that suffices, other than that I play wallball with my pole

[mercenary]

i had a zipline thing in my backyard and i tethered a lax stick to it and tied another piece of rope and attached it to the ground. i just poke and lift, slap and wrap it. its a cheap aluminum stick so my stick wont get all dinged up. it works really well. groundballs.... get one ball and place it 5 yards from you. sprint full speed at it and pick it up and contiune to run another 5-10 yards (While running throw in some dodges or change direction slightly to simulate real play). slow to a jog and then toss the ball over you shoulder without looking where the ball goes (part of the art of GB's is finding them in as little time as possible, because you don't always know where they are going to end up after a check). repeat 25 times straight, water for a minute and stretch, then get back to it. try 4 sets of this, 25 right, 25 left, 25 right, 25 left. add in an extra 15 for your off hand after the 4 sets, thats what i do.

[lillaxmiddie36]

hey im not that big of a kid, only 5'5 120lbs, im good on offense but terrible on defense. it seems when i play D the only thing i do is push the opponent away, dont really use checks an pokes. seems to work most of the time. is it bad that i dont do slap checks or pokes? an how can i get better at these checks.

[Konkordmusk]

hey im not that big of a kid, only 5'5 120lbs, im good on offense but terrible on defense. it seems when i play D the only thing i do is push the opponent away, dont really use checks an pokes. seems to work most of the time. is it bad that i dont do slap checks or pokes? an how can i get better at these checks.

Depends on the attacker. You should always have your stick out ready for the attackman anyways. Depending on where he's coming from, you should hold your stick out, poke, slap, body, and then just continue body until you see the opportune takeaway check.

[lillaxmiddie36]

thanks, ill try it at practice