Improve Hockey Skills with Outdoor Activities

Every young hockey player wants to be a good hockey player, one who has truly mastered the most important skills of the game. This, of course, is not something that can happen overnight. Basic skills like stick handling, skating, passing, pass reception, and more all take time and consistent effort to develop fully. And, while a lot of hockey’s most important skills can be honed and developed on the ice, in games and in practices, some skills, surprisingly, can be developed outside of the realm of hockey, in common (and fun!) outdoor activities.   

Biking

One of the best ways to create a conditioned, strong body, ideal for young hockey players, is through biking.   

Biking is beneficial to hockey players in many ways. It can:

·         Help to build stamina, especially when resistance is altered and increased as needed

·         Increase cardiovascular strength

·         Build leg strength, which can, in turn, aid in proper skating

The best way to bike and build these skills is through high intensity “bursts” of biking followed by periods of less-intensive biking.

Rollerblading

Another great outdoor activity that can be beneficial to hockey players is rollerblading. Rollerblading can be useful to hockey athletes in various ways.

To start off with, it greatly helps with skating ability by improving balance. And, as balance and stability are gained, this helps to get rid of some of the fear that people often have when they’re first starting out with hockey and with skating in general. This, in turn, will lead to greater confidence on the ice.

Rollerblading also helps with building leg control and overall agility, as well as the ability to transition without losing speed, all skills that are important in the game of hockey.

As you can see, there are many outdoor activities- these are just a couple of many- that can be used to build hockey skills. Not only are they effective, but they’re also a nice change from the usual on-the-ice practice, so encourage the youth hockey player in your life to give these and other similar activities a try.