Artful Dodger
07-24-2003, 06:08 AM
Standard Clamp- The standard clamp may be boring, but it is an essential move that should be mastered before you start trying other more gimmicky moves (think of it as learning to throw with your left and right hand before learning behind the back moves). If you have a good, fundamentally sound clamp you won’t need many other moves. A good clamp is a few different motions all in one, and once you have mastered these movements, you can modify them so that you can adapt better to certain match-up problems you may be having (I will talk about this later.)
(1) Once you have the proper grip and stance, the motion that you want to make with your left hand is a punching motion. Essentially, you want to extend your left arm (but still keep it low to the ground) and roll your wrist forward (remember it should be cocked under the shaft) all in the same motion. The rolling of your wrist will cause the stick to turn over (clamp) and the punching will cause your head to knock the top of the head of your opponent backwards.
(2) The motion that you want to make with your right hand is a strong but firm flick of the wrist (remember it should be cocked under the stick), which will cause the stick to clamp over the ball.
(3) The third motion that you want to make with both of your hands is the “shooting the line” motion. Basically, during your clamp you want to shoot both of your hands right down the direction of the mid-line.
When performing this clamp you want to do all of these motions simultaneously, not one after the other. It may seem awkward at first, but with practice it will become more natural and you will start to win a lot more face-offs.
Modifications of The Clamp – Once you have mastered this standard clamp. You can modify some of the motions so that if you are having trouble with
Quick clamp – If someone is beating you with just sheer power, but does not seem to be too quick to cover the ball, then modify your clamp so that it is a quick clamp. You can do this by basically turning your left hand very quickly (but with little to no punching motion this time) and just leaving your right hand still, but loose so that it does not slow down the motion. When you are doing the quick clamp, it is often helpful to be lined up off the ball a bit so that the edge of the head that is not on the ground just barely covers the ball. This saves wasted motion and causes you to cover the ball quicker. If you think about it doing this is the same philosophy as the quickest route between two points is a straight line.
“Shoot the Line” Clamp – If you start winning a lot of face-offs, then your opponent will probably start trying new things like a rake. The best way to beat a rake is modifying your clamp so that you begin to over-emphasize the “shoot the line” method. So, for this clamp, you do not need to punch with your left hand, but you should still turn your wrist over. With your right hand you want to turn it over slightly, but not too much. More importantly you want your right hand to lead the stick in “shooting the line” motion (essentially, pushing the stick down the mid-field line). Also, while your are shooting the line, you do not want to turn your stick over 100%. ½ to ¾ way turned over works better because usually it will allow your opponent to rake right into your stick. So, if the stick is already turned over, then the ball will bounce off the stick and the opponent will win. So, keep the face slightly open until the ball is under your stick. If done right, this move will almost always beat a rake.
Punch Clamp – If an opponent is just plain quicker than you (and you cannot beat him with your quick clamp), or you both seem to be clamping and struggling for the ball each time, then modify your basic clamp so that it has more punch to it. For this clamp use all the same motions of the basic clamp, but emphasize and extend the punching motion. During this clamp there are two important things to emphasize. (1) covering the ball while you punch (as in all clamps) and (2) extending the top of your shaft and head so that it gets in the way of his clamp and knocks his head off the ball. Basically, this clamp is one that you use when need to dig/fight for the ball and it will help you get under his stick and to the ball. If you use it because he is quick, then the first motion will be to slightly push the ball into his stick so that your stick interferes with his and he can not cover the ball properly, then you want to really punch your stick forward that motion will help you get under his stick. If you use this clamp because your are both clamping and struggling with each other. Than emphasize this motion right away and get as low as possible because in situation like these the low man will almost always win.
(1) Once you have the proper grip and stance, the motion that you want to make with your left hand is a punching motion. Essentially, you want to extend your left arm (but still keep it low to the ground) and roll your wrist forward (remember it should be cocked under the shaft) all in the same motion. The rolling of your wrist will cause the stick to turn over (clamp) and the punching will cause your head to knock the top of the head of your opponent backwards.
(2) The motion that you want to make with your right hand is a strong but firm flick of the wrist (remember it should be cocked under the stick), which will cause the stick to clamp over the ball.
(3) The third motion that you want to make with both of your hands is the “shooting the line” motion. Basically, during your clamp you want to shoot both of your hands right down the direction of the mid-line.
When performing this clamp you want to do all of these motions simultaneously, not one after the other. It may seem awkward at first, but with practice it will become more natural and you will start to win a lot more face-offs.
Modifications of The Clamp – Once you have mastered this standard clamp. You can modify some of the motions so that if you are having trouble with
Quick clamp – If someone is beating you with just sheer power, but does not seem to be too quick to cover the ball, then modify your clamp so that it is a quick clamp. You can do this by basically turning your left hand very quickly (but with little to no punching motion this time) and just leaving your right hand still, but loose so that it does not slow down the motion. When you are doing the quick clamp, it is often helpful to be lined up off the ball a bit so that the edge of the head that is not on the ground just barely covers the ball. This saves wasted motion and causes you to cover the ball quicker. If you think about it doing this is the same philosophy as the quickest route between two points is a straight line.
“Shoot the Line” Clamp – If you start winning a lot of face-offs, then your opponent will probably start trying new things like a rake. The best way to beat a rake is modifying your clamp so that you begin to over-emphasize the “shoot the line” method. So, for this clamp, you do not need to punch with your left hand, but you should still turn your wrist over. With your right hand you want to turn it over slightly, but not too much. More importantly you want your right hand to lead the stick in “shooting the line” motion (essentially, pushing the stick down the mid-field line). Also, while your are shooting the line, you do not want to turn your stick over 100%. ½ to ¾ way turned over works better because usually it will allow your opponent to rake right into your stick. So, if the stick is already turned over, then the ball will bounce off the stick and the opponent will win. So, keep the face slightly open until the ball is under your stick. If done right, this move will almost always beat a rake.
Punch Clamp – If an opponent is just plain quicker than you (and you cannot beat him with your quick clamp), or you both seem to be clamping and struggling for the ball each time, then modify your basic clamp so that it has more punch to it. For this clamp use all the same motions of the basic clamp, but emphasize and extend the punching motion. During this clamp there are two important things to emphasize. (1) covering the ball while you punch (as in all clamps) and (2) extending the top of your shaft and head so that it gets in the way of his clamp and knocks his head off the ball. Basically, this clamp is one that you use when need to dig/fight for the ball and it will help you get under his stick and to the ball. If you use it because he is quick, then the first motion will be to slightly push the ball into his stick so that your stick interferes with his and he can not cover the ball properly, then you want to really punch your stick forward that motion will help you get under his stick. If you use this clamp because your are both clamping and struggling with each other. Than emphasize this motion right away and get as low as possible because in situation like these the low man will almost always win.