Using the full face of the OBO HR RHP on high shots

Hi, I’ve asked the same question on FHF, but wondered if anyone esle on here had a view or indeed OBO had some specific “official” advice as this seems fairly funderrmental bust isn’t covered in the user guide on this site:
I’m having a bit of bother with my new OBO high rebound RHP (same I’m assuming applies to similar models from TK, monarch etc).
I’m quite keen on attacking the ball with my hands (as camel and Spartan advises), trying to move towards the lifted ball and to control the rebound either by deflecting or slapping the ball away where I can. Mostly I’ll bring my LHP across as it is just easier, but I’m making a conscious effort, since my Spartan coaching in the summer, not to reach too far across my body and over rotate, putting me off balance.

In the summer  I swapped to the Obo HR RHP due to its increased blocking area for this kind of stuff. However I’m still really struggling to get the flat face of the RHP to the ball. In my ready position I have both hands held identically (as I believe is correct) which means the LHP is flat side out and the RHP is flat side towards my body.

The problem is that as I reach forwards and out towards a wide ball to my right, stick vertical, the face is never flat to the ball in the way the LHP is and I often end up saving the ball with the smaller area designed for penalty corners or deflecting the ball back across my-self with the angled face? It is not such a problem for balls that are below the waist, (as it is flat to the ball when the stick is horizontal) or very wide, as I’m generally not taking these as far in front of myself due to the dive.

I know it has been suggested previously to drop the hand guard back in your stance and hold it wider, but I don’t really want to change what I think it one of the only areas where I am technically correct to accommodate my equipment! On the other hand (pun intended) I don’t want to go back to the HC RHP as it is so much smaller and I really like the HRs extra something in slide tackles (which is surely  the wrong way round)!

Sorry for length of post, wanted to give as much detail as possible. Advice appreciated?

4 thoughts on “Using the full face of the OBO HR RHP on high shots”

  1. http://www.obogoalkeeping.com/resources/2009/12/01/making-the-robo-hr-right-glove-even-more-perfect/

    have a look at that article. I also have the HR RHP and know exactly what you mean. What I did was to (like you said you dont want to do) is adjust my style of play to hold my right hand lower, just above my waist. Im fortunate that I have a faster left arm, so anything that is coming high to my right, I can get my LHP across to use. Like I said, have a look at that article, and see if adjusting your kit will help. If not, changing the style of play might well be in order.

  2. hey, i don’t know if this is what you are looking for, but i have the pad and I don’t keep the stick vertical if I am saving with the pad, that way you can keep the full front of the pad in contact with the ball. This allows me to keep the same stance with my hands high.

  3. In ‘ready stance’ you should have your both hands in front of you both of them 45 degrees ‘open’ for the shot… When you have ‘RHP near’ shot just extend your arm and try to put the foam where you need. Good and controlled reaction. If you initially do this on fast shots probably you’ll end up with lot of shot that could be saved but went by… Just be patient and work your way up… You could also try to ‘box’ the ball with the round heavy duty part… Just for juggling… I won’t do that in match but it could help you feel the ball and the foam.

    But use your LHP for shots as far as your elbow. It’s best to do ‘both hands’ save right of your axis…

    One hand saves to the right are always great! 🙂

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