#1    STX Excalibur:
Non-offset, so your hands are very close to the ball which gives you more leverage on a clamp and strength on a tie-up. When this head is pinched, it is very flexible, yet returns to original shape and hardly ever breaks.  It is strong in the right spots, flexy in others.  

#2    Warrior Blade:
The favorite head of more than half of all elite FO men, the Blade offers extreme flexibility for great ability to plunge.  It is stock-pinched, but pinch can be manually added very high up on the head while still maintaining 6.5” across the top.  The Blade 2.0 just debuted in the Fall 2007 collection by Warrior.

#3    DeBeer Shockwave:
A favorite of power-clampers, this head is very strong in most all spots, and can get some flex with continued use.  The extra length of this head can either be liked or disliked by users.  

#4    Warrior Razer:
Excellent for the Plunger, the Razer and all of its variations (Razer Pro, Razer 2.0, etc.) are great field heads as well.  The flexibility is great, but the head often gets mangled after putting pressure on the sidewalls.  The original Razer is notorious for breaking on the sidewall down near the throat.  Not as much of a problem with the newer versions.  

#5    Brine Edge:
A tough find on the stick market these days, the original Edge becomes an excellent FO head when pinched, as you can easily pinch it up high and with the same width.  For non-offset users, the Oz is the same as the Edge just lacking the offset.  The lean sidewall makes this head a favorite for all moves, especially the rake.  



PRIME POSITION:
One man stands in ground ball scooping position, over ball.  Second player is to his back.  Player #1 tries to maintain superior position, while Player  #2 tries to work around his hips and elbows.  No pushes in the back or holds are allowed by Player #2.  They instead should win position by hook-stepping their opponent followed by a hip check.  Player #1 does not scoop ball until 30 seconds is up.  Goal for both is improving box out skill.  Player #1 should not lose his superior position.  Switch roles every 30 seconds with 30 seconds of rest in between reps.  5 sets, each man, each position front and back.  Low man wins.

RECOVERY:
Two players line up for draw.  One is going first for 10 consecutive draws.  Both players are aware that first player is initiating his move, then the second player is reacting to the movement of the first player.  This drill works on recovery on slow starts.  Player to go first should theoretically never lose.  Go 10 clamps vs. 10 jumps, 10 rakes vs. 10 jumps, then 10 clamps vs. 10 rakes.  Try to beat your opponent going early and late with all moves.

HOP SQUAT:
Get in squat position (90 degree knee bend) with feet out wide-stance and toes pointed 45 degrees out.  Explosively jump and land 90 degrees to the right for 10 reps, then 90 degrees left 10 reps, then 180 degrees left 10 reps, 180 degrees left 10 reps, then rest for 120 seconds.  Repeat cycle 5 times.  Make sure form stays consistent during fatigue.  Takeoff should be from heel to toe, landing should be soft and cushioned by leg tension and landing toe to heel.  Train your way up to 360 degree jumps that go in a left-right-left-right fashion without a pause between explosions, but a reset of balance and leverage.

While facing off can get quite complex and scientific at the higher levels, all good FO men have a solid grasp of the basics.  The most fundamental aspects of FO are your stance and grip.  Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Stance
Your stance must be:
•    Athletic
•    Balanced
•    A stance from which you can execute and defend   
     against all moves,  with 360 degree mobility
•    Front foot already planted prior to “down” call

Grip
Things to remember:
•    Right Hand: CONTROL HAND: Up to the plastic, as 
     far as ref will allow you to go
•    Left hand: POWER HAND: 10-18 inches from control
     hand
•    Stick in the fingers, not fingertips or palm
•    Hold stick lightly, just as with ball handling, with
     thumb and forefinger

It is important to note that your setup for all moves and counters should be identical.  Many FO specialists read the details of their opponents prior to the whistle to predict the moves they plan on executing.

The Clamp
Think of the field as a clock:

1) If the mid-line of the field runs parallel with 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock, your first movment off the whistle is to punch your left hand forward explosively such that your butt end goes from 9 to 11 o'clock, giving you leverage against your opponent's stick for strength as well as pulling the biggest part of your stickhead away from his

2) Your right foot should follow your left hand punch so you are now straddling the ball, bringing your body closer to the play in case of a tie-up

3) Immediately following the left hand punch and right foot step, drive your stick down the line to the right so the ball with get lodged down at the throat of the head  

4) Drag your stickhead back to your left foot while you transfer your weight to that foot, and lift the butt end of your stick up to your chest and facing 12 o'clock as you push forward for a break (QUICK CLAMP)

5) You can also ensure your clamp by putting heavier weight on the stick head as you follow through, then pull the ball back through your legs for possession.  The weight and strength you put on your hands will provide leverage to follow through and win the clamp.  When doing this you must remember to properly box your opponent out by staying low and wide so they don't get access to the loose ball as you are turning. (POWER CLAMP)