So why is pull shot rivalled with the snake? I know snake is good because it can go both ways. I heard that pull shot is better than push shot because you have the view of the goal for the pull shot and you don't have that view for the push shot.
The backpin can go both ways too, but it sucks for most people. What makes a shot good?
1. It should be unreadable--the opponent should not know where you are going to shoot until you are shooting. Lots of tic-tac shots fail this (e.g. they'l do a faster tic before the shot, or the pattern of motion is different for pull-kicks vs push-kicks). Most back-pins fail this (you have to rev up with a back and forth to hit a true straight). Even many snakes and pulls fail this--you'll see rookie snake shooters who rock slightly on one side or the other depending on where they're going to shoot, or "rev up" before the shot, or slow the rock before shooting straight. You'll see rookie pull shooters who flinch before the straight or don't have a smooth takeoff, or who use a different motion for a short/split attempt.
2. It should be unraceable. If you're too slow, even if you're smooth people can just race you.
3. It should have enough options so that defenses can't take away large chunks of the goal. For instance, if your snake always sprays severely to the push side but is pretty square to the pull side, the defense can use a leading 2-rod on the push side (standard pull defense) and they don't have to cover the whole goal. If your pull is fast but sprays a lot, a reverse defense can cut down how far across the goal they have to go to block you.
So why is a pull better than a push? Most importantly, it's almost impossible for most people to hit a long square on the push; the wrist motion to do it is backwards of the natural motion. Really, any square on the push is tough, which causes most people to telegraph when they're going to hit the short split as well.
A lot of people at first have more success shooting a fast spray push, but it's the rare break (Kevin Munroe, Frank Goff, Maggie Strong, Mark Tachell, Matt Keezer) who can get it to a servicable level with a square long and a lot of options without out big tells. And none of those are pro-masters except Maggie, and I'd say all of them have shots well worse than the best pulls out there.
In contrast, the pull shot is a lot easier to square up without awkward motions, so you can more easily get a good repertoire of square long, spray long, spray splits, squares across the goal, and straights without big tells.
For a pull shot, do you always try to raise for the furthest hole (the corner closest to you as the pull shooter)? Or do you attempt to pull then cut the ball back the opposite way.
If you always shoot the same hole, you're going to get shut down if the goalie's not stupid. Of course, if the goalie is stupid and insists on trying to race you, you can just bomb longs all day long. Great fun until they start using a sane defense.
Most good players don't cut the ball back intentionally; they tend to prefer straight shots and longs to set up with, and once they've got the defense pinned with those they hit the 2-hole split or longer splits.
You can easily have a pro-level shot with no cutbacks: square long, spray long, straight, square 2-hole, a spray split to use on reverse defense, and a 3- or 4- hole split will score at a very high percentage when executed well and with good reads on the defense.
You just need enough options so the defense can't camp on anything and can't use angles to shrink the goal.
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