I will start out with a disclaimer: the most important thing for improving your shot is…you guessed it…shooting. Find a net, get a bag of balls and just start shooting. The repetition will help expose any flaws with your technique and strengthen the muscles involved, not to mention improving accuracy and consistency.

After your technique improvements, you will be limited to your physical abilities.   The only way to improve speed from that point is increasing the force your body can output.  Here’s four exercises that will help increase force.

1: Rotational Med Ball Throws

One common flaw in a lacrosse shot is doing too much with the shoulders/arms. Focusing on actively contracting the core muscles to twist the upper body will immediately add some speed. Rotational throws are a great way to increase strength in this particular area. There are numerous variations of this exercise but the most applicable one places the athlete standing sideways (perpendicular to the wall) in an athletic stance.

The explosive core twist begins the movement followed by the acceleration of the upper body to propel the ball forward and the actually motion of the arms should be a punch as opposed to a throw to reduce the likelihood of shoulder injury.** Adding this exercise to your routine will help build not only a faster shot, but a quicker shot as well to catch those pesky goalies off guard.

2: Chin-Ups

Now that the core portion of the movement is out of the way we move higher up the torso. Assuming that correct overhand shot form is being used, before the stick actually moves forward the arms should be far behind you to create maximum extension with the lead elbow cocked up for additional range of motion and accuracy.

Once the core contraction has begun, the back muscles on the lead side of the body must engage and forcibly pull that lead elbow over and down. Adding chin-ups (or focusing more intently on them) to upper body days will also add power to your shot.

3: Forearm/Wrist

The wrist snap is perhaps the most challenging area of a shot in lacrosse. Too little snap and the shot is underpowered and leaves the stick slower, a snap that is blazing fast but wild will result in dreadful accuracy. A combination of forearm/wrist strengthening exercises and shooting practice will develop a strong, consistent snap that will be the “cherry on top” that takes your shot to the next level. One of the best exercises for the forearms is wrist rollers. Make sure you perform the roll both ways (turning the implement towards/away from you), and DO NOT just let the weight fly back to the floor once it’s up to your hands. Maintain tension during the eccentric portion of the exercise as well.

BONUS: Developing your forearm strength will not only help for shooting, but in just about every other aspect of the sport from face-offs and the power cradle to checks and stick control.

 4:  Thick Rope Grappler Throws

Grappler throws is an exercise we use here and Synergy Athletics that will improve all of the above.  The thick rope will activate and strengthen the muscles in the forearms and hands.  The exercise requires rotational core strength, correct foot pivot, and the lats to slam it to the ground.

Grappler throws are one of the best sport carry over exercises to bridge the gap from strength training to sport skill.

Conclusion

Add these four exercises to your normal workout programs, then watch goalies cower in fear after your newfound shot velocity rips a hole in their mesh.

…not convinced? I have been clocked at 98mph…in my beloved reef flip flops…without any warm up…and ripped goalie mesh….twice (not in the flops*).  Strength development is a key component to becoming an elite athlete.

- Aaron Zajac

PS.  Come join us for a free trial workout packed with exercises to improve lacrosse skills!