Air Hockey > 101 > Stance
Setting the Proper Air Hockey Stance
Air Hockey Stance Overview
Just like in almost every sport, having the proper stance can greatly impact your technique. In baseball for instance, simple changes to your stance technique can be the difference of a pop fly and a home run. The same theory applies in air hockey because when you stand at the right angle, you can greatly impact your reaction time and shot speed.
Just like in almost every sport, having the proper stance can greatly impact your technique. In baseball for instance, simple changes to your stance technique can be the difference of a pop fly and a home run. The same theory applies in air hockey because when you stand at the right angle, you can greatly impact your reaction time and shot speed.
Proper Defensive Standing Position
You are standing in the right position if your dominate foot is closer to the table than your non-dominate foot. Your feet should not be parallel the same distance from the table or you will end up limiting the movement of your body as you move your arm to the left and right during game play. It may sound silly but you should also be wearing athletic shoes with comfortable soles. When switching to offense, your back leg can step closer to the table so your entire body comes forward for the most accurate shots. |
How to Lean Over the Air Hockey Table
Understanding how much you are supposed to lean is one of the top things you will need to learn about air hockey. The amount you lean actually changes when you are on offense and attacking the puck versus defense where you are staying back and monitoring your opponent's every move. For defense, you need to be on the front balls of your feet with your body at a 90 degree angle not leaning forwards or backwards. On offense, you should be leaning forward so there is more pressure on your dominate leg. You will also need to lean forward enough because 90% of your shots should be taken from the shooting zone, just behind the centerline on the table. Ultimately, you should be comfortable and balanced, so make sure you are not leaning too far forward where it is uncomfortable for you to take your shot unless you are simply trying to retrieve a puck that is drifting towards your opponent. |
Proper Air Hockey Stance Video
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