Slide Board Exercises for Hockey

A slide board is a tool that can be used to improve your hockey skills. It is roughly 2 feet wide and 6 to 10 feet long. The length of the slide board that you use depends on your height and the activity in which you are participating. It is laminated on one side so that you can slide back and forth on it. It has bumpers usually made of wood on both ends to keep you from sliding off and it has a hard-surface bottom to keep it from sliding.

  1. Stationary Skating

    • Place your slide board on the floor and stand on it as if you were standing on the ice. Push off with your dominant foot just as you would do on the ice. By doing this you are "skating" on the board without the benefit of ice. This exercise will help strengthen the muscles in the leg and help you work on your balance and core strength, which are important parts of being a successful hockey player.

    Mountain Climber

    • This exercise will help you build up your speed as a skater, improve muscle strength in your legs and help with your ability to push off faster. Place your slide board on the floor and stand facing one end of the board. Reach down and grab hold of the bumper on one end of the board. Bend down, tucking your legs under your body, and push off with one foot at a time, sliding it back behind you. Alternating your legs and the speed at which you do this will give you a good work out and improve your skills.

    Slides

    • Sliding is the best exercise you can do with a slide board. Incorporating some things into your slide as you work out will give you a strong workout and improve your overall skills and abilities. You can add a ground touch to your slide work out. When you slide each leg out, reach down and touch the ground on the side that is closest to the bumper. This will increase your knee bends, giving you greater flexibility and control. You can also turn your slide workout to include lunges. When you slide out to the side, take the opposite leg and step off the board and turn it into a lunge. Repeating this with each leg as you slide will give you a satisfactory leg muscle workout.

    Tips

    • Always make sure that you stretch before beginning your workout to avoid injury. Make sure you are cleared by a medical professional before beginning any exercise routine. Also make sure you are wearing proper footwear to prevent slippage and injury on the slide board.