Off-Ice Hockey Training Gear for Goalies – Useful During Summer & Year-Round
When you watch an elite hockey goalie like Braden Holtby from the Washington Capitals, Frederik Andersen of the Toronto Maple Leafs, or Carey Price from the Montreal Canadiens, you know those guys hone their skills all year long. Goaltender summer training - or any off-ice conditioning program - requires specialized equipment which can be used at home, or on the go.
If you are a goalkeeper during the season, there are three good reasons you want quality off-ice hockey training gear
- You want to impress your friends, so they will train with you more often.
- It’s best to train with equipment which will keep you safe, and simulate an ice rink experience, while sharpening your skills in the off-season.
- You want your gear to last as long as possible, and stand up to wrist shots, slap shots and wicked backhanders.
Thinking of gearing up like Casey Jones from the Ninja Turtles and challenging local kids to a game of road hockey to enhance your skills? Think again! Strap on some real pads, and enhance your workouts with some of these awesome off-ice goalie training tools:
G1 Extreme Slide Board Goalie Kit
At the beginning of most hockey games, goalies like to get comfortable in their crease by pushing back and forth between the posts in front of their net. Not only does it look cool, but it’s an effective way for goaltenders to enhance their technique at gliding across the crease to stop the puck. The G1 Extreme Slideboard Goalie Kit, with its slippery surface, sliding booties, push off stoppers, rotating blocks and leg pad sleeves are a great way for goalies to train their side shuffles, butterfly poses and other puck control maneuvers.
Goalies know that on a surface like concrete or asphalt, they are impeded by friction and fear of road rash. The Slideboard is a close simulation to rink ice, and is great to practice stacking the pads, cutting off a rushing forward or closing that five hole. Remember that the Slideboard is quite slippery, so use caution and protect your head in case of a fall. A few sessions on this equipment is sure to make you a better hockey player.
HockeyShot Reaction Ball
Most off-season hockey training is pretty predictable. Your buddy takes a shot, and based on his or her foot alignment, body positioning and your knowledge of their habits, you can often telegraph where many shots will go. The Reaction Ball makes off-ice goalie practice less predictable, and is sure to keep you on your toes.
Looking like a cross between a molecular model and a stress ball, the HockeyShot Reaction Ball can be used like a game of handball against a wall, like a bouncing game of catch off the ground by taking advantage of the six “sides” of this bumpy ball. It’s no standard sphere, and the Reaction Ball is sure to improve your hand-eye coordination, reaction time and generate lots of laughs in the process.
Slide Board Pro
As a goalie, you may not skate far beyond your crease too often, unless you dare to challenge a pesky forward, or need to revel in the accolades of the post-game “3-Star” selection. Yet skating ability, and the muscles the Slide Board Pro builds are great for building up the strength and skill necessary to excel as a goaltender. Great for practicing that important post-to-post shuffle-slide, or cutting off angles during a penalty shot.
Where the G1 Extreme Slide Board - Goaltender Model tends to be ideal for home, on a tennis court or in the garage, the Slide Board Pro can be used just about anywhere, like in a hotel room on vacation, during a slow church service or while waiting for an opening in the men’s room at a concert.
Off-Ice Hockey Training for Goalies is a great way to keep fit, stay sharp and ware off that off-season bloat from barbecues and beach beers. Many of the components from the goalie training tools mentioned above can be purchased separately. Use them safely, but you’re sure to have fun while you build up speed, skill and strength for next season.
If you need help finding the perfect goalie workout gear, you can use the chat function on our website, or contact us through the information on our web page.
