Practicing hockey is tricky because most of us don't happen to have an ice rink in our back gardens. This article suggests ways you can get around that problem by improving specific abilities, practicing other sports or even using visualisation and computer games.

How to Practice Hockey Without Space or Equipment

                Getting better at dancing or football is something you can do relatively easily. All you need is some space and you can relatively easily practice kicking a ball around or practicing your moves. Even if this isn't quite the same as dancing in front of a huge audience as part of a troop, or playing football with a team, you'll still be able to practice the basics and your performance will benefit as a result.

                With ice hockey though, things are a little more difficult. Here you'll have to practice a sport that requires you to have not only enough space to swing a hockey stick around, but also an ice rink which is something most of us don't have easy access to.

                The good news is that there are still ways you can train relatively easily - you just need to know how. Here we will look at some of the best ways to get around a lack of space and ice and still get a chance to perfect the game you love.

Individual Elements

 

                One way to practice hockey without actually playing it is to simply practice individual elements of the game and improve specific abilities. For instance by improving your balance, your reactions and your strength you can improve your hockey game and these can be improved by just using a balance board, playing computer games and going to the gym. Likewise your general fitness is also very important, and this is something you can improve easily if you have a treadmill or space to try jogging outside.

Theory

 

                 You can actually also improve your hockey game by reading and this is true of any sport. In fact, by reading this article you are learning things that will help you to improve your game and the same goes for reading about technique, formation or anything else related.

Visualization

                  You may not be able to play hockey, but just imagining it can help you in many ways. Did you know for instance that when you imagine taking a shot, the very same neural networks fire as when you actually take that shot? Likewise, by visualising success you can improve your confidence and you can encourage yourself to remember things regarding your technique even when you're under pressure.

Technique

                Even better than just visualising your technique, is to practice going through the motions. You don't need to hit a hockey puck hard to improve your technique though - you can practice just gently swinging the stick in your back garden and going through the motion perfectly. Then when you have to speed it up on the day you'll find you're much more effective.

Computer Games

 

                There are a few hockey games out there and while none of them are perfect they can all help you to keep thinking about the game. Better yet are motion sensor games that allow you to practice shooting - though they aren't terribly accurate as a rule.

Other Sports

 

                A range of other sports can help you to improve in hockey as they have transferable skills. For instance, playing golf can help you to get better at swinging and aiming and it can help you to improve your aim, while practicing roller blading may help you to be more confident on the ice. Even something unrelated like soccer will help you to develop more fitness and strength in your legs.