Best Basic Checks?

[PerryvilleLax93]

This is going to be my first year playing lacrosse, I'll be playing defense most likely. So I was wondering since I was just starting out, what would be the best basic checks to learn? I don't want to be over complicating things, I should start with the basics and work my way up right? If you guys feel like it, an explanation how to execute the checks would be helpful. Thanks in advance.

[EGLC02]

Pokes and lifts will do you fine.

[laxwill11]

poke, lift, slap in that order - and the biggest thing to remember is never ever ever sacrifice good body position to throw a check. If you do that, you're already beat.

Get your coach or a teammate to demonstrate each check - or there's plenty of video tips on sites like insidelacrosse.com or e-lacrosse.com

[Mort rotu]

There is probably something on Kudda as well, altho i havnt looked....

...there is,

http://www.kudda.com/clinic/Defensemen: ... ndamentals

shows a poke check, a slap check and a trail check. under another section it shows some stuff on positioning and footwork. have a look through the whole site:

http://www.kudda.com/sports/boys+lacrosse

the biggest thing to remember is never ever ever sacrifice good body position to throw a check.

none of the checks you learn will be of any use to you if youve got the wrong body position, as the attacker will burn right past you and leave you walking to behind your restrainer for a face off, wondering where the hell he went. i confess i sometimes need to remember this on the pitch...

[EGLC02]

Have a look through some of this http://www.eglc.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=263 loads of links, pics and advice for the budding D man

[PerryvilleLax93]

Thanks for all the help, I look forward to using this.

[kjk20]

Footwork.

[the pom]

the overhead flying but end

[kjk20]

The psyche out.

[SuperStar #11]

if you can get your stick inbetween the arms they cant do anything so that can help in a game

[BenDownton]

Something that took me a while, and it's such a simple thing to graps, is not chasing after the stick.

The bottom hand (usually tight against their body) is your key target. It's not as obvious if you've always played long pole, but that bottom hand is key too all the control of a short stick.

By throwing pokes at their bottom hand it requires them to strengthen their stance to keep their stick stable, and puts them into a position where they're likely to either push further out or pass the ball off.

Secondly if you can get your head underneath their hand (even better locked under the butt of their stick) and 'lift' you have a good chance of making them drop the ball out of their stick. At the very least having their bottom hand held up somewhere around their neck means they are certainly not in a shooting position.


By all means check sticks when passes and feeds come in, but that bottom hand really is key (plus if you have an atatcker who's remotely proficient at changing hands and you chase his stick, chacnes are you'll get dodged or called for a head check)

[kjk20]

Something that took me a while, and it's such a simple thing to graps, is not chasing after the stick.

The bottom hand (usually tight against their body) is your key target. It's not as obvious if you've always played long pole, but that bottom hand is key too all the control of a short stick.

By throwing pokes at their bottom hand it requires them to strengthen their stance to keep their stick stable, and puts them into a position where they're likely to either push further out or pass the ball off.

Secondly if you can get your head underneath their hand (even better locked under the butt of their stick) and 'lift' you have a good chance of making them drop the ball out of their stick. At the very least having their bottom hand held up somewhere around their neck means they are certainly not in a shooting position.


By all means check sticks when passes and feeds come in, but that bottom hand really is key (plus if you have an atatcker who's remotely proficient at changing hands and you chase his stick, chacnes are you'll get dodged or called for a head check)

Getting on the bottom hand is all well and good, but how about just keeping a good pressure on the hip with your bottom hand. Body over checks.

[Princess]

i totally agree body over check everytime

[Nikon]

Its old skool but a P.C knacker slapper will slow down a lot of people.

[BenDownton]

Body over check only when it's appropriate.

You do not go out and body someone the second they take a step towards you, don't let an attackman draw you out of position.

Secondly, who says you can only choose one or the other? Keep your stick on that bottom hand, follow up along the shaft and then body them. Particularly in a 5-man zone sliding from say back-left to back-right with the ball carrier coming from behind: lead with the stick, throw that poke check on the move to stall him, then follow up with the body to take him down.

[kjk20]

Body over check only when it's appropriate.

You do not go out and body someone the second they take a step towards you, don't let an attackman draw you out of position.

Secondly, who says you can only choose one or the other? Keep your stick on that bottom hand, follow up along the shaft and then body them. Particularly in a 5-man zone sliding from say back-left to back-right with the ball carrier coming from behind: lead with the stick, throw that poke check on the move to stall him, then follow up with the body to take him down.

No! Don't say body check if you mean trying to take them out! Bodying simply means using your body to prevent your opponent from progressing in the direction you don't want them to. You only step to your attacker when you slide... Poke's good to start off with, but your overall focus should be to keep your man from invading your high-percentage space. Throw checks when you can, but the priority is to stop your man from being able to get into that space (push down the sides, preferably on their weak hand). Only throw the stick check when your man is begging for their stick to be hit, aside that, push them out of space.

[petegriffin]

Yeah, don't get confused between using body positioning and attempting to hit the guy into next week.

Teaching checks is obviously required but more important is to emphasise that you should never give up positioning to throw any check, when you poke/lift/slap you should do it with no hip or feet movement and be able to do it on the move. No lunging into the attacker throwing your positioning out the window. Any decent attacker will spot it and next time run down your weak side before you can get back in position.

When the attacker comes into you, pushing them where you want them, down the side channels as Ken said or depending on you slide package where ever you want them. If they roll, push and bounce back infront of them so they either need to re-dodge you or pull back out.

[BenDownton]

Of course Probably a poor choice of words on my part

[Wingswin]

Yo boss. Are you on Perryville, MD's team? I used to coach that team until work commitments made me leave. If you are let me know. If I can help you I will. If you mean Perryville, MO, never lunge, you will get beat.

[cheekylaxstuff]

Knacker slapper gets two votes