Throwing in lacrosse is not just restricted to tossing the ball, but knowing the mechanics is essential as well to get a hold of the game. From the perfect grip to the throwing motion, everything counts.
Correction of some small moves can make a huge difference to the game. In this article, you will learn about those special techniques along with the drills that can make your debut in the game marvelous.
How to practice throwing in lacrosse for a beginner?
Throwing in lacrosse requires power and the right stance. The combination of both takes the ball to the desired target. Here are some important tips that can help you to begin lacrosse right.
#1: Grip
The first and the foremost thing to throw the ball is to hold the lacrosse stick correctly. You need to place your dominant hand above the non-dominant hand. The top hand should not be very high as it will not throw the ball forcefully, and not very low as it will make handling difficult. Grip the stick from the middle and adjust up and down slightly to have better control. The lower hand should be placed on the butt of the stick.
To master the game, a lacrosse player must have the ability to throw with both hands. Switching the dominant and non-dominant hands provide great benefit in the field. Although it appears to be a difficult task in the beginning, it is doable with time and practice.
#2: Position
Generally, the opposite foot of the dominant hand is the lead foot and the other one is called an anchor foot. For the left-handed players, the right foot is the lead foot and the left one is the anchor foot; the reverse is correct for the right-handed players. Having the lead foot at the front helps in throwing the ball with the right force.
#3: Throwing
When it comes to throwing, you should be present perpendicular to the target. Your eyes should focus on the target with your legs bent a bit to provide extra momentum to the shot. During this, you should put more weight on the anchor foot and move towards the target slightly to create maximum power.
Lift your arm with the stick in a way that it comes in line with the target when you are about to throw. When you initiate throwing, your stick should be parallel to the ground and your elbows should be leading the direction of the ball.
The rule of lacrosse throwing is to start slow and then gradually increasing the speed to throw the ball in the forward direction, otherwise it will drop right away. To make the throw, bend your elbows a bit and take the stick at the back of your dominant hand. During the whole time, the stick should be parallel to the ground.
Then, the dominant hand will push the stick to take it forward while the non-dominant hand will pull the stick back while controlling the stick and stabilizing it. The dominant hand wrist should snap as well. When you are making the move with the stick, remember to put your lead foot forward.
While throwing, all the movements work side by side to make your throw efficient.
Which are the best exercises for throwing in lacrosse?
Many throwing drills can take your game to a whole new level but the key is to practice daily to master them. For the beginner, the best is to start with the basic throwing drills.
The Most Basic Throwing Drill:
Ask your friend to stand a few feet away from you on the ground. Using the position and method stated above, throw the ball using the lacrosse stick to your friend and ask him to return it using his stick. To add more fun, you can increase the throwing speed gradually while maintaining the right stance.
You can also practice this using the net. Use the right size net as it is used in the real game because as lacrosse involves throwing the ball above the head, many times, the new players throw the ball above the net. In the real game, when the players are moving so fast, throwing the ball in the net becomes more difficult.
Moving Throwing Drill:
Take 9-10 balls with you and stand in a selected position. Ask your friend to run in a semi-circle around you but at the distance. Start throwing the ball to your running friend one by one. In the real match, the situation is not always ideal and you are not always perpendicular to the target, this drill helps you to throw the ball at different angles.
Change your positions after a while so that both can practice the same. You can add a challenge to the game by adding time to this drill. It will improve the reaction time as well.
Running Throwing Drill:
In this drill, you and your partner both have to pass the ball while running. You can mark your running path. Try not to keep the ball while running and throw it as soon as possible. You can also do it with three players.
Non-dominant Hand Throwing Drill:
Warm-up a little by throwing a ball at your friend or wall using both of your hands. Now hold the stick to your non-dominant hand and throw the ball to the wall or a friend and practice with this hand.
You can initiate by doing a simple throwing exercise and then complicating it with different positions and speeds. At the start, it will feel heavy on your non-dominant wrist, but as time passes, it will get better.
Other Important Drills:
All the above-mentioned drills will improve your muscle memory and make your game efficient, but being a lacrosse player doesn’t mean standing and throwing the ball only. You have to build stamina and add power to your throw. Side by side, you must also do the following:
- Plank: It helps in strengthening your core to shoot the ball with the maximum force
- Squats: It strengthens your legs and also helps with speed and power
- Jump Rope: It will improve the might of your legs, forearms, calves, quads, and many other muscles of the body
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