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Everyone looks forward to being the fastest skater, and having hockey slide boards is one of the best solutions. These slide boards help improve strength and speed by incorporating various slide board drills in your workout. Here are a few insights into why you should use these hockey slide boards and which options are suitable for you.
Why You Should Use Hockey Slide Boards
A slide board is a hinged piece of wood attached to two bumpers and a piece of plastic. It is lubricated and slippery, allowing hockey players to mimic their on-ice skating stride while at the gym.
This board comes in handy in improving your lateral hip angles and strengthening the abductors and adductors. These muscles are critical during the stride, and training them will help enhance your agility, speed, and strength.
Its role in enhancing hip stability is astounding. These slide boards ensure that the hip joint is flexible enough o improve your strides. It engages the glutes, making sure that you do not expend way too much energy when working out.
Top 7 Hockey Slide Boards
Here are the best slide boards for any hockey player.
i. Hockey Revolution Adjustable
This adjustable hockey slide board will significantly improve your performance, thanks to its adjustability. Its design mimics real ice, which means you will effortlessly glide when using it. Each side features sturdy stoppers that provide you with enhanced comfort and durability.
This slide board is relatively compact and portable. For this reason, you can use it both indoors and outdoors. It provides you with enhanced convenience, meaning you do not have to travel elsewhere to complete your training.
Pros
- It is relatively easy to install and use
- This can stay in place
- Its compact design enhances portability
- It helps strengthen hip muscles
Cons
- It could be a little pricy for some people
ii. Light Beats 3G Ultimate
This product assures you of enough room to train. Its surface comes coated with a frictionless dry lubricant, allowing you to glide effortlessly. This board features pine wood, which is durable and less susceptible to cracks. Its dual-layer nature assures you of unmatched longevity. This double bond enhances stability too.
Pros
- It comes with a free training DVD
- These dual layers assure you of enhanced longevity
- It is roomy enough to allow you to train freely
- It provides you with substantial stability
Cons
- It costs about $139, which is significantly costly for some young professionals.
iii. SPRI Slide Board With End Stops
This slide board is an excellent choice for minimal impact exercises. This allows you to carry out balance training, improving your balance and stability.
It comes with a PVC surface that provides you with a smooth glide. It comes with bumper ends that ensure you do not fall over.
Its compact design implies that you can comfortably travel with it. This design is minimalistic yet appealing.
Pros
- Assures you of a smooth glide
- Its compact design is suitable for portability
- It is relatively long-lasting
- Fairly priced
Cons
- The surface abrades easily.
iv. American Lifetime Slide Board
This slide board is designed to allow for effortless minimal impact and height performance exercises. Its design ensures that there is minimal impact on your knees and legs, enhancing high performance.
It comes with soft and flexible material, making sure that your performance is at its best. Besides, this aspect allows the board to fit your bag comfortably. This way, you can travel with it anywhere.
Pros
- It comes in multiple sizes from which to choose
- This minimalist design enhances portability
- It comes with smooth, flexible, and durable material
- Assures you of protection on both ends
Cons
- A little too pricy for some people
v. Balance 1 Super Smooth Slide Board
Here is an option you will readily want to add to your home gym. Its extended size allows you to slide without too much hassle. Its non-slip bottom ensures that the board remains steadfast at all times. With this, you are confident of unrivaled safety at all times.
Its PP material assures you of longevity and smoothness. As long as you have the right footwear, you will have no reason to worry.
Its design makes it suitable for core training, leg training, and hockey training.
Pros
- It assures you of enhanced durability
- This provides you with the smoothness you desire
- Its maintenance is straightforward
- It comes with a free mesh carry bag
Cons
- It might not get flat on the floor.
vi. ProSource Fit Slide Board
From its versatility to its reliability, this option is an excellent match for different hockey players. Its design helps improve your balance and athleticism. It plays a significant role in improving your core, balance, strength, and leg muscles. Typically, it is a low-impact, high-intensity slide board.
It comes with a reliable and non-slip base. This PVC bottom ensures that there are better grip and protection against sliding away. It also comes with Lycra booties and a bag. With this, it will be much easier for you to travel with it.
Pros
- It provides you with improved longevity
- This is suitable for balance and strength training
- Its non-slip base enhances your safety in the long run
- This comes with booties and a bag
Cons
- It could be way too flexible for your liking.
vii. Powerslide 10 Foot
If you are looking for a relatively long slide board, this will be your ultimate choice. Its 10-foot length makes it a unique choice, providing you with enough space to work out. However, it is also adjustable, allowing you to choose a more comfortable size when exercising.
This product comes with heavy-duty end stops. With this, you are cushioned against falling over or getting injured. Its non-slip base ensures that the board remains steadfast during the exercise. It also provides a sense of tautness.
Its design allows you to travel with it. It can be adjusted to fit your car trunk or even bag.
Pros
- It provides you with exceptional length
- This features heavy-duty ends for better protection
- It boasts a reliable non-slip base, ensuring that you do not fall over
- This is adjustable.
Cons
- This might not be slippery enough for some people
- Its shoe covers might be extra large
Hockey Slide DIY
There is no denying that DIYs tend to save costs. As long as you understand how to do it best, you will have no reason to regret it. Here are a few insights into how to come up with the best DIY slide board.
• Have all the relevant materials
The first step is to gather all the materials and tools you need for the job. Ensure that you have one sheet of melamine board, round head machine screws, fender washers, and nuts. You will also require a screw gun, drill bit, and pliers. Having a blue camping foam could again come in handy.
• Put the slide boards together
Take the time to join the slide boards. Ensure that one side has blue foam. This blue foam comes in handy in protecting your feet.
Ideally, you will cut the 1*2 wood into half, cut the foam to cover the three sides of the wood, and spray the foam.
• Drill
Ensure that you make holes towards the side of your slide board. This approach ensures that the fender washers do not stick out. Measure where the foot stopper will be and drill one hole. Insert a bolt and washer into this hole. Tighten it before you move to the next spot beside it.
• Try it
Once you have tightened the nuts and your board is in place, allow it to rest on the wall. This position will enable you to spray it correctly. Feel free to try it out. However, you are also open to considering adding a puck passer. It helps enhance your safety at the end of the day.
Hockey Slide Board Workouts
It is almost impossible to overstate how significant slide boards can be to hockey players. They help improve their balance, strength, and athleticism. As long as you have the right panel, there will be no reason not to try these exercises. Here are some of the workout options you could consider.
• Speed Skaters
This exercise comes in handy in engaging various muscles in your body, improving your endurance on the rink. This exercise requires you to stand on one side of your slide board and one foot near the bumper. You will then push off the bumper and slide across this board. Keep gliding until the other foot meets the second bumper. You could also swing your arms to improve balance.
• Side lunges
This exercise plays a critical role in engaging the large leg muscles that allow hockey players to move quickly and with power. It requires you to stand with one foot on one end-side and start lunging forward with the other foot. Keep repeating this until you get the balance and power you need.
• Reverse One-Legged Exercises
If you are looking forward to developing your agility, strength, and speed, this will be the ultimate exercise for you. It ensures that you have the strength and ability to move on ice while focusing on the game. You will need to start in the middle of the slide board while facing the bumpers. Ensure that your hands are clasped around the chest and one foot slid backward. This knee needs to be slightly bent too. Repeat the lunge.
• Gravity Push-Ups
This exercise helps challenge the upper part of the body muscles. With these exercises, it will be much easier for the players to handle the stick. It works with the arms, chest, and shoulders. As long as you do it right, you will be sure of much better results during exercising.
FAQs: Hockey Slide Boards
Q: How Can I Choose a Slide Board?
Often, it would be best if you had a slide board with reliable material and flexibility. Your chosen item needs to provide you with enhanced durability and a non-slid base. This way, you will be sure of much better safety in the long run.
Q: Are Slide Boards Good for Hockey?
Yes. These slide boards come in handy in improving agility, speed, and strength. It happens by incorporating slide board drills into your everyday workouts.
Q: Is a Slide Board Good Exercise?
It all depends on the exercises you take. Often, you will need to consider exercises that provide you with unrivaled benefits and are suitable for your situation.
Q: How Long Should a Slide Board Be?
There is no one-dimensional answer to this. However, it would be best to consider something that can comfortably accommodate your height when you lie on it. Most boards are about 6 feet tall. Feel free to consider something bigger than this too.
Q: What Workouts Can Hockey Players Consider When Using Slide Boards?
The exercises you choose will depend on the goals you want to attain. However, the most suitable workouts would be gravity push-ups, side lunges, mountain climbers, and speed skaters. Each of these exercises comes in handy in improving specific facets of your game performance.
Q: How Much is a Hockey Slide Board?
Prices will always vary with the brand, size, and quality of the hockey slide board. You could spend between $49 and over $750.
Q: Should You Wear Shoes When Using a Hockey Slide Board?
Yes. I would be right to use shoes when on the slide board. It comes in handy in boosting your performance in the long run.
Q: How Do You Make a Hockey Slide Board Slippery?
The best approach to make your slide board slippery would be to spray it with armorial or even furniture polish. It ensures that you slide smoothly.
Q: What Muscles do slide Boards Affect?
Using slide boards has proven to be a worthwhile venture. Its impact is often on the core, hip, hamstrings, quads, and glutes, strengthening the muscles.
Q: How Do You Clean a Slide Board?
Maintaining and cleaning a slide board is relatively straightforward. All you have to do is wipe it with a towel whenever necessary. This towel has to be dry.
Final Verdict
In conclusion, hockey slide boards will always come in handy for any player. The insights provided above ensure that you get what suits you best. As long as you consider everything, you will be confident of getting the best.