If you are considering using a balance board for hockey so that you can improve your game, you might be doing yourself a bigger favor than you realize. If you don’t know already, whenever you activate your core muscles for an extended period of time you allow them to get stronger and grow. When you strengthen your core,  you strengthen your whole body at the same time. This could be one of the biggest reasons why working out on a balance board is so effective. If you are considering strength training on a balance board hockey, read on and see why it works so great.

Strength Training

The term “strength training” can mean a lot of different things, so let’s clarify what we mean. Usually, you would associate strength training with weights, but this is not always the case. Using your own bodyweight to gain strength is a type of strength training that not only builds strength but also trains the body to rely on its own body weight. For example, if you do exercises like pullups and pushups, you are still training for strength. Pullups can be very difficult for some people, but when people keep working on them, they become easier. It doesn’t take long before you become accustomed to your own body weight. When you are strong enough to maneuver your own weight you are in good shape. This is where training on a hockey balance board can help tremendously.

Balance Board Squats

Balancing on a balance board for an extended amount of time does build strength. However, when put more exercises into the mix you can incorporate different strength training exercises that not only blast the core strength but the other fundamental muscle groups that help to enhance balance, speed, and agility. If you position yourself upon the balance board and steady yourself, then do a set of 10 squats you not only blast your core, but you strengthen your legs, ankles, and calves as you do so. When you do the squats while balancing yourself on your tippy-toes you increase the amount of energy that it takes to complete the exercise and ultimately force yourself to become stronger. The best thing about using only your body weight for strength training is that you lessen the risk of injury from using heavy weights.

Balance Board Pushups

Using a balance board to do pushups on is great. You can either put your toes on the board and balance your pushups with your feet inclined, or you can push up from the board while your toes are on the ground. An inclined pushup will take more strength because most of your body weight will be supported by your arms and shoulders while you push up. Either way you do the exercise on a balance board, you will build both chest and shoulder strength while you activate your core muscles. When you do regular pushups, your core is activated, but when you do them as you have to strategically balance your body it intensifies the workout and allows for more energy to be called upon in order to do the reps.

Conclusion

Using a balance board for your strength training exercises may not seem like much of a challenge, but go ahead and give it a try. You will see for yourself that the extra amount of balancing that you need to do will bring on that extra burn that we all love. Keep it up and push yourself above and beyond. This is the way that champions are forged.

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