Correct Body Checking - HOW?

[spring-break]

Hey there,

I have been searching for a thread that covers that topic, but to no avail.

So, title says it all:

How to you correctly bodycheck? Sometimes I wonder if I do it right because my wrists hurt.

Arent there basically two types of body checks?

1. Body check with gloves
2. Body check using your shoulder/body

especially the second type: what do you guys do? what's illegal?

Thanks for any info.

Bastian

[tiplax]

here's what i do, and i never get hurt.
1) First off, if the guy is running full speed ar you, don't use this king of check. i only use it inclose to force my attackman one way or another. i feel it's most effective when they try to come from X and you check them back, or into the crease. The problem with the glove body check is that if you miss in the open field you're screwed,cause you are to close to trun around and chase your guy

2) The only time i use a full on body check are in the 3 folllowing situations:
-My guy is coming down on a fast break and he hides his stick well so i can't get a clean check. so i run at him and bury him
-When i'm playing crease D and i see a passed lobbed at soe one. i jump and try to hit/blind side them
-Like the previous 1, when someone is sliding and they don't see me or maybe they do, i'll play the body

i don't know official rules but here are the unwritten rules of how to hit.
-The harder you hit, the less it hurts
-"Dig in" and get a good base
- Always watch your man's waist. he can stick fake and stutter step, but his waist indicated where he is going

[West Genny lax9]

When you hit try not to extend your arms to much cuz if you do most refs will call you for a push. So try to get more body into it then actually useing your arms. And make sure the kid dosn't see the check coming, because it's very easy to get by someone when you know thet are gonna try to body check you.

[ccslax6]

I use my shoulder alot when running with someone to a ground ball. I just hit them hard enough to make them stumble or fall. It works best when both of you are running side by side at full speed.
I agree with tiplax, hips don't lie.

[XLaxClipper]

As a middie, I'm used to dropping the shoulder like in football and coming right through on ground balls. I'm not sure if it's correct, but when they're going for a ground ball, hit them from the side as low as legally possible. (Which I believe is the waist.) Just keep running through the hit.

[faceofflax15]

I use my shoulder for open field hits, it puts them down. For body checking, like playing good defense, I extend my arms, have my hands spread like.. 7inch apart [rough estimate] on my shaft, and push them off.

[LiquidMercury16]

I lead with my shoulder lowered. Keep your head up or you can get called for unnecessary roughness. I had same problem as you do so I just started leading with the shoulder instead. Also another thing you can do is spread your hands at the last instance and cross check....illegal but effective and easy to pull off. Generally save the body checks when you can't get at their stick or when they are going to bull dodge you or when they just don't see it coming. Nothing gives me more pleasure to see an attackman airborne due to me.

[BigguhPlease25]

I hit them dead on. In my opinion, it is the best way to just level someone, it least close range, like within 10 yards of the goal, the thing with the shoulder is that you don't have as much range to hit them if you used your full body.

[spring-break]

thanks for all your answers. now lets get into a little more detail:

when you use the shoulder, how do you turn?
because, when I practice it against a boxing sack in the gym (one of those reallly heavy ones) I practically hurt myself with my own arm/elbow.

Do you go in there like a football player as xlaxclipper? or do you turn a little and thereby squeeze your arm in between your body and the victim? ;)

thanks.

[faceofflax15]

thanks for all your answers. now lets get into a little more detail:

when you use the shoulder, how do you turn?
because, when I practice it against a boxing sack in the gym (one of those reallly heavy ones) I practically hurt myself with my own arm/elbow.

Do you go in there like a football player as xlaxclipper? or do you turn a little and thereby squeeze your arm in between your body and the victim? ;)

thanks.
i go football style generally if I really want to hit the kid only, if I'm splitting him and the ball I use side of the shoulder.

[LiquidMercury16]

I usually lead with my right shoulder and lower it turning my body between 30-45 degrees inwards. If it's a really small kid I probably won't turn my body at all and litterally just run him over full body frontside take down. And remember those boxing sacks are usually denser than a person. I don't mind running into a person, running full speed into a boxing sack could result in me popping my shoulder out or something like that.

[MACDADDY]

the most effective way is to hit your man's hips. because that is where a person's center of gravity is when they are standing/running, taking that away from them will cause them to fall over, aka decking your man.

[ccslax6]

the most effective way is to hit your man's hips. because that is where a person's center of gravity is when they are standing/running, taking that away from them will cause them to fall over, aka decking your man.

How do you hit their hips? If you hit them with your gloves, it'll look like you're trying to grope them. How do you hit their hips with your shoulder?

[MACDADDY]

How do you hit their hips? If you hit them with your gloves, it'll look like you're trying to grope them. How do you hit their hips with your shoulder?
get low.

when they come at you, and you stop them, have your hands towards their stomach/hip area. and push off. thats what i meant. if you push there hard enough, they cant shug it off as if you hit higher towards the shoulders. the reason i dont use my shoulder as often as id like to is the refs around here will call it. (donno why but they will).

[LiquidMercury16]

stay in a low stance and if anything you can push off with your gloves in their hip and shoulder their chest

[buckslax]

i dont know about your legues but around here our refs are really strict and wont let us hit i with a sholder lowered unless its from a close distance (not coming cross field to lay the hit is what i mean) although i have done it when we play with more leanent refs

just as a guestion and has anyone else ever been in mid air and get a hemet in their back from a 275 lb kid....let me tell you one thing i had a bruise for 3 weeks and could hardly stand up the next day

[LiquidMercury16]

no but I came in low on a check and clipped a kids feet to send him airborne and one of our other defenseman came in high and destroyed the kid midair. It was awesome....had to get the smelling salts