Use the Bongo Board to Improve your Hockey Balance While Away from the Rink!

I recently had the chance to test out a number of new products from HockeyShot’s balance line. I’m a big believer that developing balance and coordination off the ice can lead to improved performance on the ice. The first product I tested out was the 20″ Wobble Board. The next product I checked out was the Bongo Board, which is shown in the video above.

Construction:
At first glance, the Bongo Board looks like a skate board without wheels. It’s made of solid maple plywood, and has a non-slip surface on the top. The underside of the Bongo Board has the track, with the bungee cord, which fits with the double ball bearing wheel system. The construction is durable, and able to withstand the rigors of regular usage.

Usability:
The Bongo Board will take some practice before you’ll be able to use it effectively. Although once you’ve figured it out, it’s a lot of fun (and a great workout too!). Athletes with a skateboarding background will likely pick it up faster than I did.

Once you’ve got the hang of it, there’s a lot of stuff you can do:

• Kick Flips
• Ollies
• 180′s
• etc…

Obviously… for hockey, you’re going to want to “Bongo” while stickhandling!

Benefits:
The benefits of using the Bongo Board are pretty obvious for hockey:

• Improved Balance & Control
• Increased Coordination
• More Strength in Calves and Ankles
• Variety of Power Exercises that Executed
• Great way to develop “independent” Hands & Feet (hands and feet are active together, working on different things)

Technorati Tags: Ankles, Balance And Coordination, Balance Control, Believer, Bongo Board, Bungee Cord, Calves, Different Things, First Glance, Flips, Hands And Feet, hockey balance training, Maple Plywood, Off-ice Training, Plywood, Power Exercises, Rigors, Skate Wheels, Usability, Wheel, Wheel System, Wobble Board, Workout

Use the 20″ Wobble Board to Improve your Hockey Balance and Coordination!

I recently had the chance to test out a number of new products from HockeyShot’s balance line. I’m a big believer that developing balance and coordination off the ice can lead to improved performance on the ice. The first product I tested out was the 20″ Wobble Board, as shown in the video above.

Construction:
The platform of this Wobble Board is made of birch wood with a slip-resistant top. The birch wood gives it a nice feel, while still maintaining it’s durability. “Feel” is an important feature with balance products. I’ve used plastic wobble boards in the past that don’t hold a candle to this one, mainly because of the feel.

The spherical base is made of durable plastic, that is sure to withstand any reasonable amount of abuse you’ll throw at it. The base is adjustable, which allows you to change the level of difficulty as your skills improve.

Usability:
The wobble board is easy to use, although it will take some practice to get good at it. I recommend setting the base at the easiest level while you work on your balance and strength. The base is well-designed, and easy to adjust.

Benefits:
The benefits of using a wobble board are pretty obvious for hockey:

• Improved Balance & Control
• Increased Coordination
• More Strength in Calves and Ankles
• Variety of Power Exercises that Executed
• Great way to develop “independent” Hands & Feet (hands and feet are active together, working on different things)

Technorati Tags: Ankles, Balance And Coordination, Balance Board, Balance Control, Balance Products, Believer, Birch Wood, Calves, Different Things, Durability, Durable Plastic, Hands And Feet, Lead, Power Exercises, Usability, Wobble Board, Wobble Boards

The Rick O’Shay gives an alternative perspective to the conventional “Shooter Tutor” style, roll-up canvases.

The Rick O’Shay is a great hockey targeting system that gives an alternative perspective to the conventional “Shooter Tutor” style, roll-up canvases. Since it’s a 3D mold, there are endless rebound possibilities, which makes for a much more realistic scrimmage experience.

Construction:
The Rick O’Shay is made of super durable plastic, which will hold up to your hardest shots. In addition to being durable, it is also very light weight, and can be separated into halves, which makes it easier to transport. The Rick O’Shay is fastened to the net with bungee cords that fit between molded channels, which provide a shield against shots.

Design:
The most obvious difference between the Rick O’Shay and most other hockey targeting systems is the fact that the Rick O’Shay is a 3-dimensional model. This design gives a more realistic shooting experience, and provides for infinite rebound possibilities. One of my favorite design features is the glove pocket. If you’re trying to go upper right, and miss, your puck might land in the goalie’s glove, stopping play while you fish it out. The Rick O’Shay also features a more “up-to-date” hole set-up, which more closely resembles the open areas you’d see against a butterfly goalie.

Usability:
All in all, the Rick O’Shay is a great targeting system, and is especially useful in drop-in situations where goalies can be scarce. It’s not quite as portable as a roll-up target, but it’s much more realistic. So it could be a great option if portability isn’t a huge deal to you.

Technorati Tags: Bungee Cords, Butterfly, Canvases, Design Features, Dimensional Model, Durable Plastic, Favorite Design, Hockey Shooting Drills, hockey targeting, Mold, Off-ice Training, Open Areas, Portability, Possibilities, Puck, Rebound, Scrimmage, Shay, Shooter, Target, Targeting System, Targeting Systems, Tutor

Develop Stickhandling Abilities with the X-Deviator

I’ve mentioned this before, but there are a number of skills that can easily be developed off the ice. I’m a strong believer that players who don’t take advantage of off-ice training time are leaving precious skill development on the table. Stickhandling is one of the easiest skills to work on at home. XHockeyProducts has put together a great line of hockey training aids that is both fun and effective, which means players will be more motivated to work on their skills off the ice!

The X-Deviator:
The X-Deviator is a new take on hockey stickhandling aids. The biggest difference between the X-Deviator and some of the other stickhandling aids out there is that the X-Deviator is adjustable. Each joint on the X-Deviator swivels, this feature opens the door for increased creativity by allowing for an endless variety of configurations.

Size Options:
The X-Deviator is available in two sizes; Standard – 7 segments, and Mini – 3 segments. Either can be used on or off the ice. Pick the one that fits your needs and matches the space you have available.

Integration with the X-Line-up:
The X-Deviator is part of the X-Line-up. All of the products in the X-Line-up are designed to be used together, and can be configured to work on whatever skill you’re looking to develop. If you already have (or plan to purchase) the X-Tiles, make sure you pick up an X-Pocket to go along with your X-Deviator. The X-Pocket will allow you to hook up your X-Deviator right into your X-Tiles system.

Conclusion:
I’ve been a big fan of XHockeyProducts’ X-Line-up for a long time, and the X-Deviator didn’t disappoint! The concept is fantastic, and the product is well put-together. One minor word of advice would be to make sure to tighten the nuts that hold the segments together from time to time. They can get loose from using the X-Deviator and changing configurations. If the nut falls off, the segments come apart. Not a huge deal, but just something to watch out for. All in all, another great product from XHockeyProducts!

Technorati Tags: 7 Segments, Aids, Believer, Conclusion, Configuration Options, Conversion, Creativity, Design Features, Design Flaws, Doors, Endless Variety, First Impressions, Full Speed, Hockey Training, Integration, Long Time, Minor Word, Nuts, Puck, Pucks, Rebounder, Rebounders, Rebounds, Screws, Size Options, Skill Development, Spikes, That Fits Your Needs, Tiles, Training Aids, Word Of Advice

The Dangle Glove Encourages Proper Stickhandling Technique by Forcing Players to Use their Top Hand

Every once in a while, a product comes along that just “makes sense.” The Dangle Glove is one of them. This special glove helps to “force” players to use proper technique while stickhandling.

Dangle Glove Overview:
I’m sure at some point you’ve seen players stickhandling using a piece of PVC pipe, or a toilet paper tube on their bottom hand. This old training technique has been around for a long time, and is used to help players develop the habit of using their top hand to control the stickhandle, while their bottom hand acts as a stabilizer. The Dangle Glove takes this training method to a whole new level, allowing for more flexibility in drill types.

Problems with PVC Pipe Method:
Although the old PVC Pipe method is a good start, there are some major limitations to this training method.

1. You can’t let go of your bottom hand. If you do, the pipe drops to the bottom of the stick, and the device is useless.
2. You can’t do on-ice, contact drills. Obviously, there’s no padding around a piece of PVC pipe. In theory, you COULD wear your glove, and hold onto the PVC pipe, on the ice… But then you run into the same problem we mentioned above; you can’t let go of the stick without the pipe dropping to the bottom.

The Dangle Glove:
The Dangle Glove fixes the problems with the old, PVC pipe method. Here’s how they’ve done it:

• Dangle Glove features an HDPE insert that mimics the effect of the PVC pipe, except it’s the shape of a half cylinder. This design lets you let go of the stick, then re-grab it, without losing the insert.
• Dangle Glove has attached their plastic insert into the palm of the glove (via velcro), which allows players to wear the glove in on-ice, full-contact situations.

Conclusion:
The updated design of the dangle glove let’s players develop their stickhandling skills in a multitude of situations. It’s great for off-ice use, as well as for use on the ice. It’s a fantastic tool, and one that I definitely recommend!

Technorati Tags: Acts, Bottom Hand, Conclusion, Flexibility, Full Contact, Habit, Hdpe, Long Time, Multitude, Padding, Palm, Plastic Insert, Pvc Pipe, Shape, Stabilizer, Toilet Paper Tube, Velcro