One of the main reasons that a hockey balance board is an essential off-ice training tool is because it is more than just a skills trainer. Don’t get us wrong, it’s a great skill trainer too – one that will take your stickhandling and reflexes to the next level – but that’s not all.

A hockey balance board also provides a killer workout that will work the muscle groups that are most important to your success in the sport. It will provide a great leg workout, a great core workout, and even give you some great upper body exercises. Here are a few of the best exercises for a hockey balance board.

One quick note: The reason hockey balance board exercises are so good is that they force you to engage your muscles more because of the instability of the balance board. This also makes it more difficult and makes a slip more possible. Be careful and go slow, especially at the beginning.

Legs

Hockey Stance

All you have to do for this one is balance on the board in a hockey stance – legs bent, stick down – for as long as you can. When you master this, go back and forth on the board for as long as you can to really maximize your leg workout. Adding a stickhandling drill is a great idea too.

Squats

When balanced, slowly go into a squatting position. When you get to the bottom, hold it as long as you can then slowly go back up. Keep you back as straight as possible while you do this. Hold on to dumbbell weights while you do this for a more advanced workout.

Mountain Climbers

Hold onto the board in a pushup position that alternate pumping your legs to your chest like you are running up a mountain. This will strengthen your legs while also engaging your core for more explosion when you get back on the ice.

Core

Front planks

Hold yourself in the pushup position with arms and back straight while holding onto your hockey balance board. Start by trying to do it for 10-15 seconds and see how long you can work up to over time.

Backward planks

Assume the same body position – pushup position with arms and back straight – but instead of holding onto the balance board, balance your feet on the board instead. The same idea applies here, start small and work up to longer planks.

Upper Body

Push-Ups

Like with the planks you can do pushups with a hockey balance board forwards and backward. You can also do an exercise called a roll press. Here you hold the board in pushup position, roll it to one side and do pushup then, roll it to the other and do another pushup. Once you get the hang of it, you can do sets of 10, 12, or even 20.

Triceps Dips

Get into a crabwalk position and put your arms behind you on the balance board. Use the board to push your whole body up and slowly let yourself back down. When your bottom is almost to the floor, repeat the motion.

Conclusion

The hockey balance board will make you a better stickhandler but it will also give you the exercises to make you an all-around better player. You can train your upper body, lower body, and core on this one piece of equipment for a total body workout that is designed to train the most important hockey muscles. Whether you are training your body or your skills, Snipers Edge Hockey has you covered for all the off-ice training equipment you need.

***Sniper’s Edge Hockey loves Canada! We proudly ship all of our products to Canada and offer the same return policies as we do for everybody else. We realize the exchange rates for the Canadian dollar are not the best right now, so we’re trying to help by giving you free shipping and no customs/duty.***