Slideboard - off ice lateral training

A simple tool that has been around international ice hockey for many years and is seen all over the States, Canada and Europe is a lateral (side to side) exercise machine that best simulates a skating stride.

With limited ice time (no matter where you play) this tool allows you to best practice your power-skating stride and assists with correcting a running stride to a much more powerful lateral stride. Just to clear things up, a running stride is when a skater has the blade of the skate facing forward and using the same forward running style motion to propel forward, this not best utilizing the blade as a cutting too into the ice.

Ideally the hips are to open up and with the blade of the skate turned close to 90 degrees (over exaggeration to practice) this then offers a much more grip of the ice and ends in a powerful push.

The general consensus throughout the online hockey community is that you can make your own Slideboard for a fraction of the price without reducing the quality of the end-product, and this is what I have done here.

Starting off, and the most important part of this item is the material used for the main surface. I have gone with the ultimate, white-board (dry wipe board). I managed to get my hands on a 2.5m x 1.2m white-board that i cut down the middle with a jigsaw to create (2) 2.5m x 60cm surfaces.

I then purchased a 2.5m angled skirting board which was cut into lengths of 55cm and mounted onto the ends of the white-board with washers, long bolts and wing-nuts. For the second slideboard, I drilled additional holes approximately 35cm inward from the end of the board which allows you to shorten the sliding surface when used by younger skaters or novices.

Finally, lycra booties are needed to cover the soles of your shoes to ensure a smooth gliding experience. Now that you are ready to begin your off ice training and have some fun, polish the surface with basic furniture polish and slide your way to strong, powerful legs.

You can view photos of the slideboard below. Training videos to come.