What do you find more effective:The slap or the poke check?

[defensemanrule]

Hay, I have noticed so many people have their own style of defense, and I am wondering if you like to slap check or poke check, or even mix it up. What do you find more effective? I personally like slap checking, but the poke check comes in handy when you need to cut at a tight angle to cut the attackman off. Slaping the guys bottom hand is great, too...

[BigTony]

Mix it up is always the best. They never know what is comming.

[spenny]

poke check. the slap takes you out of position and risks a slash if you miss

read this thread:
http://www.lacrosseforums.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4177&highlight=spenny+poke+check

[Longest]

Spence, your new name should be Captain Pokecheck.

Dan

[smitt5168]

poke does the best. slap is god from outside or when he's getting a ground ball.

[spenny]

Originally posted by Longest
Spence, your new name should be Captain Pokecheck.

Dan

LOL,

my players start rolling their eyes, but they listen and get beat less because they stay in position longer.

just call me Mr. Fundementals! :)

[AHSlaxer3]

what about the allmighty lift??? ;)

[spenny]

Originally posted by AHSlaxer3
what about the allmighty lift??? ;)

sorry, when i was talking about slashes, i meant with the lift check. slaps just get you all out of position, not to mention that you can do a dozen pokes in the time it takes you to do one slap and reset.

the defenseman's job isnt to take the ball away, his job is to make the guy with the ball make a bad pass, shot or feed.

my .02

[defensemanrule]

Actually, I kinda disagree. A slap check dosen't always put you out of position. Why? Because if you stay in front of your man and throw small slaps to the wrist and hand, it does the same damage, withoutout having to pull back and attack, but it is like a poke check. There is a differnce between slap checking(throwing small, but effective hits)and the slash(where you pull your stick back/up and and lunge for the guy). When you say it throws you off balance, I think you meant when you pull back an slash the one side of the guy.
Not only that, but a defenceman's job can be many things, not just stopping passes or shots. It can be sometimes getting the ball, clearing the ball, PREVENTING passes and shots, and so much more.

[blckout20]

I disagree on the fact that it isnt a defensemans job to take the ball away. I am one of the best take away defenders in my age group and against almost any team I've played against this year. Late in a game wen the attack is trying 2 stall the ball or wen playing the ball behind the net it is an important skill to be able to take the ball away.

As far as checks go, a poke check is def the most important check but you need to be able to throw more check because you are not always in position to throw a poke check and a poke check is predictable and easy to beat. You have to be able to keep an attackman guessing and be able to throw a variety of checks at him. Also, a slap is probably the least effective check but is still important to do correctly and if you get beat you can still throw some slap checks to distract the man with the ball while another defender slides. A lift does draw a slash every so often but it is an amazing check when done well. When an attackman is shooting a lift check is definatley an important check to have as it will completely disrupt his shot. So, while a poke check is very important and should be used most often you do need to mix up your checks and be able to pull of many differant types of checks.

[HdGLaxWarrior]

Poke checking is most effective in my expericences. Slap checking can put you a step or two behind your man. And, if you miss you will most likely get a slashing penalty.

[laxman333]

i think its good to mix it up but poke check is the safest because with a slap your man can just roll off it and get past you

[cbhslacrossemid]

poke is better

[Ghs_Lax25]

I play attack but when we do riding drills in practice our coach grinds it into us not to slap check. Poke checks are more effectvie and your not taking the risk of getting a slahsing call if you throw a poke check.

[Fentruck]

I'm going to have to go with the poke check. However, beginner defensemen think that they're out to eradicate the offenseman from the face of the earth, and therefore they lunge with their stick while pokechecking. Dont do that! I've gotten beat a lot like that. One little trick I learned from Jay Jalbert was this: If you get beat, there is a good way to time your slap to his stick as it comes into range while he cradles (unless he is smart and keeps it close to his body) Right when he brings it to his body and starts to take the stick back outside, start to throw your check. By the time your stick gets there, his will be there and you will have the ball. works all the time...just watch the helmet check.

[smitt5168]

slap takes defenders with poor footwork and youngens out of position to get beat.

[cbadman]

I like the slap, but I use it like a poke. I think the poke can cause you to mess up just as much as the slap.

[Hutch]

Wrap check.

[LaxGoalieLZ]

Spenny's the master at this and hes got it right i would much rather have my D force a bad shot than make a couple good plays and give up a one on one. My defense has this problem they dont know what they are doing and try to take the ball away all the time and get out of posotion.
Blckout is right i think though when it comes to the D trying to stall or something along thoselines its perfectly fine to be agressive with the takeaway

[stegmakk]

Poke is the best...but you can't use ONLY poke...
otherwise your man will know you are one dimensional...
just like all righty shooters who you know will never go left...

[longpole3661]

the best check is a pokcheck.. when ur man is in front of u
a slap when he is running by u and a slap to the head of his stick once he passes u.
also a lift when there about to pass

If u have good fotwork and u [poke it is very hard to get burned
stay with ur knees bent at like 45 degrees and keep movin

[exile lacrosse]

poke is definately important, but so are all the other checks. are coach always tells us to poke check so we hav this saying "poke-checks for coach" and it makes him ahppy when we poke. and that is always good to keep a coach ahppy

[SJBlackstormD]

definitly mix it. different styles of attack call for different checks. if you playing a lower-leveled team, don't be afraid to throw in some other checks too, not just slaps and pokes. personally, i like to practice my kayaks, ice-picks, and wraps.
beware though, refs love to call penalties on you if you do that stuff, so keep it clean.

[exile lacrosse]

Originally posted by SJBlackstormD
definitly mix it. different styles of attack call for different checks. if you playing a lower-leveled team, don't be afraid to throw in some other checks too, not just slaps and pokes. personally, i like to practice my kayaks, ice-picks, and wraps.
beware though, refs love to call penalties on you if you do that stuff, so keep it clean.

please explian to the ignorant novice kayaks and ice picks

[blckout20]

ice pick is using the butt end of the stick...kayak is hard 2 explain not even gonna bother.

[ZeelandLongPole]

Woah, i think i know what a kayak is and im just a newb. Isnt it when you put your hands in the middle and you use both sides (butt end and head) to hit him? for like when he rolls?

[PokeChecksALot]

Poke can be much more powerful as well. I've knocked pkayers over by delivering a strong poke to whatever side (not back) of their body they are shielding with, and merely following through. They fall over, and I luagh. Then i struggle to pick up the gb and cry.

[Spoon's]

undoubtfully mix it up, and dont slap until you know your going to hit and its going to work, or else its a waste of time and the guy is going to burn you. Poking is most effectful because you have more control, and it slows things down, and buys more time for them to make a big mistake, such as leaving a whole open between there two hands and body.

[spenny]

spoon i think your sig is supposed to read:
I have always hated going to weddings, all the old people poke me and whisper "your next" well they stoped once i started saying it to them at FUNERALS.

[Spoon's]

heh, yea.. my bad thank you.

[D4lax]

i like poke checks. ive put people on the ground with pokes in the gut/hip

[lax1234]

the poke check is a defensmans best check but i like mixing up, just make sure you don't get out of position and get beat when u throw a slap check