Combo Shooting Exercise For Saves of Wing Shots

Saves of wing shots are one of the most complex kinds of saves for handball goalkeepers.

Before you proceed to see this video and exercise in it, please check out my previous article about saves of the wing shots: How to Save Wing Shots in Handball.

Wing shots in handball are considered among the most complex shots for goalkeepers to save due to several factors that challenge their reaction time, positioning, and decision-making abilities.

Here’s why wing shots stand out in complexity:

Sharp Angles

Shots from the wing come at sharper angles compared to shots from the center. This reduces the reaction time available to the goalkeeper and requires precise positioning to cover as much of the goal as possible. The goalkeeper must quickly assess and adjust to these angles to block the shot effectively.

Limited Visibility

Depending on the shooter’s position and the goalkeeper’s positioning, the goalkeeper might have limited visibility of the ball until the last moment. Defender’s and the shooter’s body can obscure the ball, reducing the time the goalkeeper has to react.

Increased Options for the Shooter

Wing shooters often have multiple options for targeting the goal, including shooting near the post, far post, shooting under feet, or even lobbing the ball over the goalkeeper. This variability requires the goalkeeper to anticipate the shooter’s choice and react accordingly, which is mentally and physically demanding.

Speed and Power

Wing players are typically fast and very good at using their speed to generate powerful shots. The combination of speed, power, and the shot’s trajectory from the wing makes it difficult for goalkeepers to predict and respond to the shot effectively.

Deceptive Shots

Wing players may use various techniques to deceive the goalkeeper, such as changing the shot’s direction at the last moment or using body movements to suggest a different shooting strategy. This deception requires goalkeepers to stay focused and not commit too early to a particular response.

Physical Agility and Flexibility Required

Saving a wing shot often demands extreme movements and save reactions from the goalkeeper. These actions require excellent physical agility, flexibility, and the ability to quickly transition from one movement to another.

Psychological Pressure

Knowing the difficulty of saving wing shots can also put additional psychological pressure on goalkeepers. They have to maintain confidence and focus, understanding that each wing shot presents a unique challenge.

Given these complexities, goalkeepers must continually refine their skills in reading the game, positioning, agility, and decision-making to effectively react to wing shots. Training specifically to address the challenges posed by wing shots can help goalkeepers improve their save percentage against these difficult attempts.

Video – Combo Shooting Exercise For Saves of Wing Shots

In the video below, you can see a combo shooting exercise for saves of four wing shots with 4 different wing shots saving techniques.

Before applying and using this shooting combo with less advanced goalkeepers, please make sure that they are able to perform separately each of these save technique movements properly.

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