If you have never ice skated across synthetic ice, it is time that you give it a try. Since the days of the pandemic, more and more skaters have taken the plunge and built skating rinks that allow them to ice skate in the comfort of their own homes. Synthetic ice flooring can be so similar to real ice that it is hard to tell the difference unless you really know. The truth is that whatever kind of practice that you can do on a real ice rink, you can do it on synthetic ice. All you have to do is give it a try.
Figure Eights
Believe it or not, practicing figure eights on synthetic ice will increase agility and stamina. There are a couple of ways that you could go about skating figure eights as practice. You could skate a figure eight the whole top or bottom of the rink without using any kind of guide, or you could set out cones to go around and use as placemarks. Either way is a great method for practicing your agility skills.
Side to Sides
Alternately changing your direction while you ice skate is a great way to build your stamina and your core. Whenever you balance yourself, your core becomes activated. When you exercise your muscles to balance while shifting your body in different directions you not only keep the core activated but alternate the activated muscles kind of like flexing a bicep. Skating from one side, then back to the other repeatedly can help improve your game and build your agility skills.
Full Length
Skating back and forth the full length of the rink is a good way to expand your cardio and build strength. Where short bursts of movement can build muscle with quick flexes and releases, skating the rink from top to bottom makes you push your strength in longer increments making the practice session more aerobic than anaerobic. Skating full length back to back increases your heart rate enough to build endurance and long-lasting muscle strength.
Zig Zag
Much like the side-to-side exercise, performing zig-zags up and down the entire rink non-stop allows you to flex different parts of your body as your core is engaged. With the zig-zag exercise, you get both the benefits of the full-length and the side-to-side exercise. As you alternately engage your core, you stay in motion which gives you a full-body exercise, core, cardio, and muscles.
Synthetic Ice and Hockey Training Aids
Artificial ice flooring is versatile in a number of ways. Not only does it allow a skater to ice skate across it in a way that is very similar to real ice, but you can also practice shots and passing easily with a hockey passer and a hockey shooting tarp.
The hockey passer allows you to shoot pucks at it and rebound them so that you can hone in on your passing and receiving skills. The shooting tarp allows you to practice hard-to-hit shots while rebounding off of the passer just like you would receive a pass and take a shot in a real game.
Synthetic ice makes great flooring for hockey training aids because it allows the puck to slide across the surface similar to the way it would on a real ice rink.
Consistent Practice
By continuing to practice on a regular basis you will be able to keep your game sharp for when it comes time to get back out on the rink. While the rest of them are sitting on the couch playing video games during the pandemic, you will be making the most out of the situation and staying strong. Keep pushing and practicing because that is what it takes to be a champion.
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