Kick-Start This Season with Off-Ice Hockey Training
Get a Jump Start to the New Season
With the new hockey season just around the corner, it's time to gear up and get ahead of the competition. The key to a strong season start is the work that you put into your summer off-ice training. This preseason, let’s focus on building strength, agility, coordination, and endurance. Here are some top exercises and drills to incorporate into your training routine, and our equipment recommendations, that ensure you hit the ice in peak condition.
Muscle Building Exercises
Photo courtesy of DMoose
Muscle building training is excellent for developing the muscles that generate powerful, explosive movements. This type of training helps hockey players improve strength, agility, and endurance, enabling quick direction changes and bursts of speed. Here are some plyometric exercises to add to your regimen:
- Jump Squats: These exercises target your lower body, enhancing your ability to generate power from your legs.
- Box Jumps: Increase your explosiveness and vertical leap by repeatedly jumping onto a sturdy box or platform.
- Lateral Skater Jumps: Mimic the side-to-side motion of skating to improve lateral movement and agility.
- Lunges and Reverse Lunges: Strengthen your quads, hamstrings, and glutes to improve stride power.
- Hip Thrusts: Well developed glutes are a must for keeping your endurance high while getting the most out of your strides.
Balance and Coordination Exercises
Photo courtesy of Hockey Shot
Hockey demands excellent balance and coordination, skills that can be honed off the ice with the right exercises. Here are some drills to improve your hand-eye coordination and balance:
- Ball Catch: Throw a ball against a wall and catch it on the rebound. To increase the difficulty, try incorporating a balance board.
- Stickhandling Squats: While stickhandling a ball, walk forward and squat. Control the ball as it moves away from your body when you squat, then walk backward and squat again.
- Stickhandling Wobble Board: Stickhandle while standing on a wobble board. As you get better, try standing on one foot to further challenge your balance.
Off-Ice Stickhandling
Photo courtesy of Bauer
While stickhandling on-ice may be ideal, stick handling on a slippery surface - such as the Bauer practice pad - can improve your game no matter the location. Here are some drills to keep your puck-handling sharp:
- Narrow and Wide: Stickhandle a ball or puck in a narrow pattern, then widen your grip before narrowing again. Mix up the speed to improve quick changes and control.
- Side-Front-Side: Start on your backhand side, move to the front of your body, then to the forehand side. Reverse through the stages to build dexterity.
- Single Leg: Perform the above drill while standing on one leg, then switch to the other.
Off-Ice Equipment
To make the most of your off-ice training, investing in the right equipment can make all the difference. Below we have listed some Skater's Edge Source for Sports favorites, stocked specifically to improve your game during this off season.
Sidelines Practice Hockey Ice
The Sidelines Practice Hockey Ice offers a convenient and effective way for hockey players to train and improve their skills in a controlled and consistent environment, without the need for access to an actual ice rink. Made for any and all aspiring hockey players, this practice ice is the perfect solution for off-ice stick handling practice.
Bauer Reactor Shooting Targets
Enhance your shooting accuracy with the Bauer Reactor Shooting Targets. These durable, high-performance targets are designed to withstand the rigors of intense practice sessions, ensuring you get the most out of your training. Perfect for players aiming to improve their shooting precision, the Bauer Reactor Shooting Targets are an essential tool for any serious hockey training regimen.
Bauer Modular Training Center Starter Kit
Elevate your hockey training with the Bauer Modular Training Center Starter Kit. This versatile kit is designed for durability and ease of use, making it perfect for any training environment. Whether you're practicing on ice or off, this starter kit provides a solid foundation for building your skills.
Bauer Modular Training Center Rebounder
Elevate your training sessions with the Bauer Modular Training Center Rebounder, designed to provide consistent and realistic puck rebounds, enhancing your practice efficiency. Ideal for players looking to sharpen their skills, this rebounder is both versatile and portable, making it a valuable addition to any training setup.
Final Thoughts
Preparing for the hockey season with a well designed off-ice training program is crucial for a strong start over your competition. These drills and equipment can be used periodically when off-ice to make subtle improvements to your game that will pay off in the long run.
All the gear you need to support your training and performance is available in-store and online at Skater's Edge Source for Sports.