When facing off against an opponent over an air hockey table, a beginner’s most basic problem is the inability to hit an accurate shot towards the opponent’s goal. This dramatically reduces the chances of winning. This guide will show you how to perform one of the most basic, and effective attack shots in the sport of air hockey, called the “Cross-Straight”.
1.Preparation: Before learning how to perform the Cross-Straight, you would have to learn how to do a basic drift on an air hockey table. A drift is a low powered shot which is used to get the puck into the correct position before you strike it towards your opponents goal. Spend some time practicing gently pushing the puck towards the center of the air hockey table until you’re confident that you’ll be able to predict its location.
2.The first step: The first step of the Cross-Straight is to gain control of the puck close to your goal and perform a simple drift to get the puck towards the center of the air hockey table. The power of your push should not be too much because you are supposed to strike the puck in the next step.
3.The strike: Once the puck gets close to the center line, you would have to strike it towards your opponent’s goal. The movement of your arm should be similar to a backhand drive which is used in Tennis. This shot has to be quick, powerful and accurate so that your opponent has very little time to react.
4.Refine the technique: The angle at which your mallet comes in contact with the puck has a large effect on the direction of your strike. You would need to develop a comfortable speed of drift and an accurate strike to make this shot effective.
When practicing this shot, try to aim towards the corner of the opponent’s goal post as this area of harder to defend. Putting more power into the shot makes it much faster, but ensure that you do not sacrifice accuracy to attain a faster puck, as this would be detrimental to the rest of your game.
