Breaking in a new lacrosse head is essential for every player– but do it wrong, and you can mess with your release, shorten the life of your stick, or even warp your pocket. Whether you’re getting new gear or just grabbed the newest release from your favorite brand, we’re here to give you tips on how to break in your head the right way– no shortcuts that lead to regrets!
Know Your Head: Materials Matter
Before even thinking about breaking in your new gamer, know what it’s made to do. All heads are designed differently for each player’s specific use. Stiff and structured heads are more ideal for defense and fogos while flexible and pliable heads are built for finesse play and quick release for offenders.
Heads like Warrior Burn FO or STX Hammer are made with tougher plastic with reinforced sidewalls resulting in doing more harm than good if manually flexing or bending them.
In contrast, heads like Maverik Tactik and ECD Mirage are designed with more flex and give allowing for a gradual break-in process.
The point is, know the gear you’re buying. Read up on the break-in process and check the manufacturer’s recommendations with your head’s design in mind. Some patience in the process will go a long way to keep your stick game-ready and legal.
Start With a Proper String Job
One of the biggest mistakes a player can make when breaking in a new head is stringing it poorly, or rushing the stringing process altogether. If you’re using new mesh, try pre-stretching it by gently pulling on it before stringing it.
Not confident in your stringing skills? No shame in that– this is where your head professionally strung can really pay off. At Lacrosse Unlimited, we’ve strung thousands of sticks and know how to match your preferred pocket style.
Use It, Don’t Abuse It
Once your head is strung and ready, it’s time to do the best thing you can: play with it. Natural game-like movements like throwing, catching, and shooting will help form the pocket exactly how it’s meant to perform.
Focus on crisp releases and clean catches with 10-15 minutes of wall ball a day with some gradual live shooting sessions. Most importantly, keep it light in the beginning. Using your stick in real reps will result in your mesh naturally settling and forming into your gameplay pocket.
Whatever you do, don’t try to speed things up by manually bending and folding your head. It might be a cool look for a hot minute on social media, but it’s a fast way to throw off your release point or even worse, permanently warp your head.
Pocket Maintenance
Once your pocket starts to keep shape, don’t forget to keep up with it. After each break-in session, do a quick check-in to make sure your pocket is forming how you want it to.
A classic trick to maintaining that sweet spot of your pocket is by leaving a lacrosse ball sized rock in your stick overnight.
Overall, breaking in a new lacrosse head is all about patience and balance. There is no cheat code or secret short cut that replaces smart maintenance. Taking the time to break in your head the right way will reward you with clean releases, better hold, and more confidence every time you step on the field.
Got a question, tip, or your own break-in story? Let us know or stop by your local Lacrosse Unlimited. We’re always down to talk gear!