Practicing With Hockey Shooting Tiles – Pro Tips
One of the great things about hockey shooting tiles is that they are so versatile and lightweight you can install them virtually anywhere. This makes training for hockey at home possible and even kinda fun. Whether you are using dryland hockey flooring or synthetic ice tiles you can use these tools to push your hockey skills beyond the next level. If you would like to know how to do this, keep reading.
What Are Hockey Shooting Tiles?
“Shooting tiles” is a generic term coined to describe a type of tile flooring that will allow people to practice shooting hockey shots. When you practice hockey shooting it is important to do so in an environment that mimics real ice as closely as possible so that the pucks will slide across the surface much like they would on ice. Shooting tiles can be made out of various materials, depending on the type of flooring that you choose. There are also shooting pads that you can put on the ground and use to shoot from. Shooting mats are smaller, usually about the size of a beach towel, but they have a slick surface and allow for great practice.
The Difference Between Slick Tiles and Synthetic Ice
Before we go any further it is important that you understand the difference between synthetic ice and dryland hockey flooring. Synthetic ice is made out of a unique polymer that allows people to ice skate on the surface. Technology and science have evolved enough for developers to construct a type of flooring that is almost like ice. It is slick, it is durable, and it is made up of tiles or panels that are easy to install and uninstall in need be. Slick tiles, on the other hand, are made of a special polymer as well, but they are not designed for ice skaters. Although both surfaces act much like ice in their own ways, only synthetic ice will allow for ice skating.
Practicing Shots
The best way to practice shots is to use a high-quality hockey shooting tarp that you can install in your garage, or wherever you have the room. You can also use an ultimate goalie aid, but the tarp will protect your walls, appliances, and vehicles from fast-flying pucks. When you practice your shots it is a good idea to have a good stockpile of pucks within the reach of your stick blade so you can continually shoot your shots in rapid succession for quick shot training. Sometimes it is best if you take your time and aim carefully for the spot you would like to plant the puck, but remember how often you get the chance to slow down and take it easy in a real game. Train yourself to be quick, accurate, and strong.
The Passing Trainer
Knowing how to pass effectively is a great way to be an asset to your team. Sometimes you really have to watch the way that you slap the puck because it only takes a little too much heat or too little of heat to put it in the opposing team’s possession. With the help of a high-quality puck-rebounder, you can train yourself to be the ultimate deke master and fellow teammate. Passing, receiving, and shooting are all part of the game. The better you are at all of these, the more of a weapon you can be against the team you are up against. Take the time to set yourself up with a puck rebounder and practice hard shots by slapping the puck to the rebounder, allowing them to come back to you, and slapping them into the goal for a snipe shot.
Practice is King
While the rest of the players are at home playing video games on the couch you can be practicing daily in your home getting ready for when we all get to go back to our regular lives. Stay sharp and continue to practice. If you don’t, the ones that are will beat you.
