What is follow-through in inline hockey?

Follow-through is the continuation of the stick movement after the puck leaves the blade. It has 4 phases: contact, full extension, weight transfer and final freeze. Without correct follow-through, the puck trajectory is unpredictable.

Why does accuracy disappear in inline hockey matches?

Accuracy loss in games is mechanical, not mental. Under pressure, technique that isn't yet automated breaks down. The solution is deliberate practice with feedback and specific targets, not just shooting repetitions.

How many shots should you practise to improve accuracy in hockey?

Quantity matters less than quality. 100 shots with full follow-through, a 3-second freeze and evaluation of each shot are worth more than 500 mindless shots. Deliberate practice with specific targets and immediate feedback is the key.

Feb 09, 2026

Mechanics of the Perfect Shot in Inline Hockey: Follow Through and Effective Practice

Technique · Shot mechanics

Doussoux Hockey Follow-through · Deliberate practice

Part 2 of 2 · Accuracy series

You applied the visualisation and goal-reading techniques from part 1 and noticed a 15–20% improvement in training. But under match pressure, that accuracy disappears. The problem isn't mental — it's mechanical. Your technique isn't yet automated.

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Part 1 · Accuracy series

Mental Visualisation and Goal Reading

The most common mistake

90% of players stop the stick right after contact with the puck. Without a clear final destination, the trajectory becomes unpredictable and accuracy breaks down under any kind of pressure.

01· Follow-through

The 4 phases of the perfect follow-through

Follow-through is the continuation of the movement after the puck leaves your blade. Your brain plans the entire motion, not just up to the contact point. Stopping it early destroys accuracy.

Golf

Swing hasta el hombro

No professional golfer stops the club after striking. The swing continues all the way to the opposite shoulder.

Tenis

Raqueta por encima

Every full backhand or drive finishes with the racket crossing the body.

Hockey línea

Stick apuntando al objetivo

The tip of the stick must end up pointing exactly at the point you chose as your target.

Contact · firm but not rigid wrists

The blade strikes the puck with the right tension. Think of squeezing a tube of toothpaste without it exploding — enough firmness to direct, enough flex for the snap.

Full extension · point at the target

Arms fully extended towards the target. If you aimed for the top right corner, the tip of your stick must end up pointing exactly there. This phase lasts a split second but makes the difference between a goal and a save.

Weight transfer · 90–100% forward

90–100% of your weight on the front leg. The back leg barely touching the floor. Players with a 50-50 split produce shots that are weak and inaccurate by definition.

Final freeze · records the motor pattern

Hold the position: stick pointing at the target, weight forward, body balanced. This freeze is what records the correct motor pattern in your muscle memory. Without it, the training session is wasted.

The punch-through technique

Aim at an imaginary point 50 cm behind the net, aligned with your target.

This mental technique guarantees your blade keeps moving towards the target even after contact. Instead of aiming "at the goal", you aim through the goal.

Drill: 100 shots with freeze

Empty net

100 shots at empty net · full session

Speed at 70% · accuracy over power

Freeze for 3 seconds after each shot without moving the stick

Evaluate: Arms extended? Stick pointing at target? Weight forward? Balance?

Rule

If when you stop you're off-balance or your arms aren't extended, that shot doesn't count. There's no point reinforcing a bad pattern.

02· Deliberate practice

Quality over quantity: the system that actually works

90% of players arrive at the rink, fire 50 pucks as hard as they can and leave. They improve nothing — they only reinforce bad habits 50 times over. There is a fundamental difference between practising and practising well.

Regular practice

Repetition without intention

No specific target per shot

No immediate feedback

No adjustment between reps

Reinforces existing bad habits

More shots = more error automation

Deliberate practice

Repetition with intention

Specific target before each shot

Immediate feedback (did I hit it?)

Conscious adjustment between reps

Builds new motor patterns

Fewer shots, far more real learning

Anders Ericsson studies · deliberate practice

Experts don't practise more hours than amateurs. They practise with more intention and structure. The difference isn't in volume — it's in the standard applied to every single repetition.

The truth about accuracy Accuracy is not innate talent. It's a trainable skill any player can master with the right system.

Correct follow-through and deliberate practice are the two pillars that convert your training accuracy into match accuracy. Without automation, technique breaks down under pressure. With it, the shot becomes a reflex.

Get on the rink. But this time, shoot with purpose.

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Back to Part 1 · Accuracy series

Mental Visualisation and Goal Reading

Language

The 4 phases of the perfect follow-through

Quality over quantity: the system that actually works