What Are The Best Hockey Training Aids?
Everybody that plays hockey knows that the only way to get better at it is to practice and to train regularly. Finding the best hockey training aids for your unique skills is crucial in order to be the best that you can in the hockey arena. Constant training with the right tools is something that every champion needs to do consistently. But, what are the best kinds of aids for people that want to become great? You don’t want to waste money with knock-off brand gimmicks, you want to make sure that when you invest your money and yourself that you are getting a product that will make you better at what you do. Here are a few of the best training aids out there that will help you achieve your goals.
Synthetic Ice Hockey Flooring
One of the greatest inventions to hit the planet for hockey players is synthetic ice. With this kind of flooring, you can create a hockey-playing rink right in your backyard or garage. It is made with a special polymer that allows for ice skates to glide across the flooring a lot like it would if it were on ice. Although there is a bit of a difference in drag, and it is not cold, synthetic ice is as much like real ice as it can possibly be. With this kind of flooring, a player can practice ice skating, shooting, and stickhandling drills right at home. You can make a smaller area just for skate practicing, or install a whole arena in an area the same size as a real hockey rink. Synthetic ice flooring allows people to practice and play in the same manner as if they were on an ice rink.
Dryland Hockey Flooring
Dryland hockey flooring, also known as “slick tiles,” is a great training aid for hockey players. Much like synthetic ice, it allows the pucks and sticks to glide across the surface just like ice. The dryland tiles usually come in smaller tiles of one square foot. This way they can easily be assembled in a small area and allow for hockey practice in places without a lot of room. Although you can not skate with ice skates on this type of flooring, you can rollerblade on it. Although you can’t use ice skates, roller blades work great on it.
Hockey Shooting Tarp
Another great training aid is a hockey shooting tarp. They can be 16 feet wide by 8 feet tall and fit in larger or smaller areas. The tarp can be hung from the ceiling and helps to protect the walls from flying puck damage. They are made out of an incredibly strong and durable vinyl that is meant to last even after the most aggressive training sessions. Another strong luxury that the shooting tarp has is the goaltender in the center with target holes so you can practice precision sniper shots.
Hockey Passer / Rebounder
A hockey rebounder is an excellent way to practice shooting and passing skills. You can spend hours in your hockey training area working on your precision passing and receiving skills. The great thing about the passer is that you don’t need another person to help you train. You can set the rebounder on the floor as far or as close as you want to, then train to find your perfect pace and speed to hit the passer and put the puck exactly where you want it. You can position it at an angle from you, pass the puck at it, then catch the puck on the upside of the rink and make one-timer shots all day long.
Training Is Great
Different people will need different training aids. Pick the ones that work best for you, that you will actually use, and go with those. What matters most is that you keep training and practicing while the rest of them are sitting on their couches watching TV. Training is how you become great at what you strive for.
