One of the best things a hockey player can do for his/her development is to practice at home. Just as shooting free throws in the driveway is to a basketball player, or hitting balls off a batting tee is to a baseball player, off-ice hockey training at home offers a player the extra repetitions they need to elevate their game. Even just 10-15 minutes a day creates a cumulative effect over the course of weeks, months and years that will really help a player elevate his/her game.
If you live in a northern climate like Minnesota or Canada, the summer months present a great time to train outdoors at home while enjoying some fresh air, soaking up some rays, and getting together with friends and neighbors. Training on the driveway, street or concrete is often the most cost-effective option, since almost everyone has access to one of these either at their house or a nearby park. Set up a large rink in cul-de-sac or park, or shoot pucks into a backyard goal, targets, or sauce kit.
However, there are several factors that a player needs to consider to protect his/her expensive stick and get the most out of summer training. First, you need stick protection, otherwise the gritty asphalt or concrete surfaces will chew up and ruin your sticks. Second, regular pucks don’t work well on hard outdoor surfaces. Next, prepare for permanent scuff marks on concrete floors from tape and/or pucks. Lastly, expect the surface hardness to impact the stick. Even if you use a stick protector, if you’re applying flex to your stick while shooting on a hard outdoor surface, then you’re still more prone to break the stick than if you were shooting on a “softer” plastic surface.
Fortunately, Snipers Edge sells multiple products that are specially-engineered to help athletes get outside and train this summer, all while protecting sticks and providing a superior training experience, suitable for any budget. Here are our top-five favorites:
- Stickhandling balls. Available in multiple weights and colors, our stickhandling balls are perfect for simulating puck touches and helping develop hands on hard flat surfaces such as concrete or driveway. Work on top hand control, wrist strength, vision training, or toe drags. You might still want to use a stick protector depending on your surface, but these stickhandling balls still remain the most cost-effective home training tool.
- Shooting pads. These pads have a slick surface, you can carry to and from your training site, you can use real pucks, and no additional stick protection is needed. Perfect for shooting or stickhandling practice anywhere. Use a single shooting pad, or put multiple pads side-by-side to create a larger training area.
- Slick tiles. The most versatile of our products, the slick tiles are designed to protect your stick and floors, and work great with real pucks, or with biscuits or balls. You can carry handful or more tiles to a training area and assemble in seconds, or leave in place for a semi-permanent training space. Use one box of 20 tiles in a square pattern, or use more tiles to create a larger area and/or create your own pattern for shooting, passing or stickhandling. The tiles are engineered from UV-protected HDPE, can withstand rain and other elements, and can support vehicle weight if someone needs to drive or park on them.
- Synthetic ice. Our skateable synthetic ice is special-engineered to allow for players to train while wearing skates, while also providing stick protection, floor protection, and a slick surface for shooting, passing, or stickhandling. Wearing skates allows a player to perform drills at the same an eye height as they would on-ice, plus develop his/her ankle strength and balance. But synthetic ice works great with shoes as well. Start with just one box (30 SF), or invest in multiple boxes for more patterns and home training potential. The synthetic ice tiles can theoretically be disassembled and moved between training areas, but given the assembly time and product we recommend just leaving them in a dedicated space. Lastly, the products are also UV-protected and designed to withstand the elements; just use a broom to clear off debris as needed before your next session.
- SKABOOTS. Yes, wearing skateguards in the summertime can be a great way to allow you to train while wearing your skates. You’ll get the same benefit of wearing skates while training (i.e. being higher off the ground, plus work on that ankle strength and weight transfer), but you can wear SKABOOTS on multiple surfaces and with any of the stick protection options.
Snipers Edge is committed to helping our customers train at home and unleash their potential. We have been the market leader in hockey training products for twenty years, and proud to sell high-quality products that are rugged, battle-tested, versatile, and simply fun to use.
We hope you enjoy training outdoors this summer. Just don’t forget the sunscreen.
