Defensive Footwork?

[dunitlongpole]

Everybody says how important footwork is on defence. Any tips or techniques to help me out? Any videos demonstrating great footwork?

[WezAlmighty]

Honestly, no videos that i know of.

But as far as I see it, footwork is another name for positioning. Your body position is the most important defense.
Its all about staying goalside of your man and being able to keep up with your attacker.

Try keep your hips square with your attackman, which means sidestepping rather than just running alongside.

[MaddxLax]

well i play attack, but i can give u a basic idea of how to move on defense. you want to shuffle with your man while making checks and using your body. if you cant get the ball, at least try to make it so he cant get to the goal(make him get rid of the ball). if you do this your probably doing your job. you really have to do what works for you after that...make sure to not ball watch because then you are giving your guy a chance to back door cut. you also want to get in the passing lanes. dont be in too much of a rush, the guy your are playing will probably change speeds and directions constantly to throw you off.

[raykessler]

im an attackman and i hate a dman with good footwork. If theres a defenseman that always stays ahead of me and dosn't let me body up or get too close to them it really makes me angry.

[stegmakk]

3 basic steps for D are the shuffle, drop step, and what we called hiptohip...
get fundamentally sound with these...no crossing over...as you get better technically you can then work on stepping quicker and faster...
usually when i say footwork i mean work on the technical stuff (boring yes but you want it to be second nature so you dont think about it in a game) as well as foot speed and how quickly you can step (many different drills for this)

[laxlover8]

3 basic steps for D are the shuffle, drop step, and what we called hiptohip...
get fundamentally sound with these...no crossing over...as you get better technically you can then work on stepping quicker and faster...
usually when i say footwork i mean work on the technical stuff (boring yes but you want it to be second nature so you dont think about it in a game) as well as foot speed and how quickly you can step (many different drills for this)

When do we shuffle, drop step and hip to hip?
Am I correct?
Shuffle when your man is moving slowly.
Drop Step when your man sprint towards you face to face.
hip to hip meaning that you run in the same direction with your man.

But I am not sure about what my upper body should do when I shuffle, drop step and hip to hip...

[MaddxLax]

shuffle-you want to be checking your opponent, keep your stick in front of him, and keep him at a distance.

drop step- (drop back with right foot) you put your stick in your left hand and keep it to the left of the attackman
(drop back with left foot) put the stick in your right hand and keep it to the right of the attackman
----with a drop step whatever foot you move back, your stick is in the opposite hand and on the opposite side of the attackman

hip to hip-im not positive about this one because i cant think of anything a good player couldnt get out of if you were playing him hip to hip. (you dont want to get ahead of him because then he will just change direction, but you dont want to be behind him because he will just sprint or dodge to the cage, and if your right next to him trying to keep the same pace...its hard to keep him covered so he cant pass or so anywhere)

[chippie]

theres a bball site called coaches clipboard, it has really good stuff which can be easily adapted for lacrosse....including thisngs on footwork!!

[dta06]

i just have one quick question. whats the best thing to do when your attackmen cuts in, other than just running with him?

[BeaverFondu]

i just have one quick question. whats the best thing to do when your attackmen cuts in, other than just running with him?

Lift for a second, poke, lift agian, mix it up. But if they get topside on you and are going one handed, lift their off hand up past their head quickly and let it go, you should be able to catch up then, no one can run fast with their arm near their head. And they can't shoot well that way.

[NDKnights157]

i know this is off topic but are there any good videos on the market that work on defense?

im a middie and i'd really like to improve my defensive skills..