The Present-Moment: Achieving a Completely Blank Mind
February 8, 2026
The off-stick hip save is the most technically difficult save in lacrosse. The good news is that it can be broken down into just 3 simple steps that any lacrosse goalie can learn with some practice. Use this blog as your guide to make these saves effortless and seamless.
Step 1: The Step
With an off-stick hip shot, just like any other shot, you want your lead step to be wider than the path of the ball. This forces you to get your body in front of the shot and cut off its path in case your stick can’t get there in time. You can practice this by having a shooting partner take shots with a tennis ball (50% speed from 6–8 yards) toward the off-stick hip side. Practice making the save without your stick by stepping to the ball and blocking it with your chest.
Step 2: The Hips
One of the most common mistakes I see with off-stick hip shots is goalies turning their hips away from the shooter. Make sure that your hips stay square and pointed at the shooter, taking up as much cage space as possible. When you turn your hips away, you cover less of the goal and force yourself to reach for the ball. This not only reduces your coverage but also decreases your ability to consistently get your hands to the ball.
Step 3: Hands Out in Front
An error I see time and time again with off-stick hip saves is goalies letting their bottom hand drift behind their hip. This is often done in an effort to control the rebound, but it severely limits your range of motion and your ability to see the ball go into your stick. To control the rebound with your hands out in front, simply drive both hands to the ball and perform a small half-cradle once the ball makes contact with your mesh.
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The Present-Moment: Achieving a Completely Blank Mind
February 8, 2026 | by connor@adaptivegoaltending.com
The Present-Moment: Achieving a Completely Blank Mind February 8, 2026 The off-stick hip save is the most technically difficult save…
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