Ways to improve shot speed & accuracy off-ice?

[n1kthequick 0]

Hows it going everyone,

So summers coming up and that means lots of off-ice training, gym time etc. Unfortunately this time I have work so I cant spend THAT much time practing and im looking to improve my shot speed and accuracy as ill be playing in a pretty competitive ACHA team come fall. I already go to the gym and do hockey-specific exercises but im looking for a cheap and effective way to make my shot faster/with a quicker release off the ice. I dont have a hockey net, but I am going to buy some roller blades for the summer.

What are some good ways I can get some shooting practice in and with what equipment? I dont mind spending....lets say up to $60 for materials/pucks etc so im open to all suggestions.

[Chadd 916]

Get a piece of synthetic ice or other smooth surface and shoot at a sheet of plywood in your driveway, garage, basement or backyard. The plywood is cheaper than a durable net and nothing is better for practicing shooting that just doing it.

[n1kthequick 0]

Interesting, sounds like a good idea. I live in a apartment complex though so I dont have a driveway I can really shoot at. Where would I be able to get some synthetic ice though? I can most likely get a piece of plywood and go to a local tennis court or empty lot and put the plywood against a wall.

[ndlancer95 0]

http://www.hockeyshot.com/Hockey_Shooting_Pads_s/70.htm

I bought a pad off of these guys,very quick shipping and great slide on the board

[hoonking 0]

If you have a Lowe's near you, look for something called a Thrifty White Board. It is basically a 4 by 8 piece of whiteboard material covered with a smooth top, and it only costs about $12. It should be in the wood area, not too sure exactly where. You can cut it to make it smaller for easier transportation as well. So for costs it should look like;

Shooting Board - $12

Plywood - $10?

30 Pucks - $30

Allows for a lot of good shooting practice for less than $60.

[kr580 2]

If you have a Lowe's near you, look for something called a Thrifty White Board. It is basically a 4 by 8 piece of whiteboard material covered with a smooth top, and it only costs about $12. It should be in the wood area, not too sure exactly where. You can cut it to make it smaller for easier transportation as well. So for costs it should look like;

Shooting Board - $12

Plywood - $10?

30 Pucks - $30

Allows for a lot of good shooting practice for less than $60.

Seconded. The Thrifty White Board is great stuff. I have a sheet in my backyard and it works very well. Find a brick wall somewhere and fire away.

You do need a plywood sheet under the white board unless it's on very flat, hard surface, otherwise the white board will bow and crack from the impact of your shots.

My setup:

[flyers10 57]

I have a pad from Hockeyshot already for shooting but how well does the puck slide on the Thrifty board? If it slides well I'd pick one up for cheap just to have a big area to practice stickhandling.

[hoonking 0]

The puck slides pretty well on it. Before it gets all marked up from slapshots that is... If you spray some Pledge or other lube on it, the board would most likely slide well enough to stick handle. At $12 for such a huge surface I think its worth a shot.

[SteveM 5]

How far will pucks bounce off the plywood? Will I need to worry about pucks flying back at me or does the plywood pretty much kill the momentum?

[Chadd 916]

How far will pucks bounce off the plywood? Will I need to worry about pucks flying back at me or does the plywood pretty much kill the momentum?

If you shoot straight at it, the pucks will die pretty much on the spot. If you shoot at an angle, it will slow but deflect.

[dayroc 0]

i have a shooting board that i purchased from a LHS and it was about $60. 2 weeks ago i went to home depot and bought a Acrylic board that was twice the size and for $30.

I then bought silicon spray and sprayed it on the acrylic board, needless to say, i do not use that shooting board anymore.

I too live in a condo during the week, and have a shooting set up on my balcony. lol.

picture:

From the net to where i am is about 18feet, no more.

As you can see, missing the net is not an option.

click on picture for full view.

[bostonjuniorblackhawks 1]

Is there not enough room to use something like this

http://www.ezgoal.net/puck_stopper_rebound_net.html

[kr580 2]

I have a pad from Hockeyshot already for shooting but how well does the puck slide on the Thrifty board? If it slides well I'd pick one up for cheap just to have a big area to practice stickhandling.

It slides decently as-is, but probably not like a shooting pad.

I use this silicone lube spray. $3 a can at Home Depot. The plastic coating on the board makes the lube bead up when you spray it, so I spray then wipe down gently with a rag so it smears the lube to a nice thin film instead of puddles. Makes it slicker than snot (see: ice) and doesn't leave much of anything on teh pucks.

http://www.blastergroup.com.au/silicone-lube.html

[5holeflyby 0]

would those shooting tarps sold at hockeyshot be better than the plywood? Do you guys paint a "goal" on the plywood to give you shooting targets? Just curious. Thanks all.

[Nalso 0]

I'm personally super-broke and try to horde what little cash I have to spend on ice-time, I used the suggestion above and put together the 4'x8' whiteboard($13 including tax @ Loews) and Blaster silicon spray($3.27 total @ Home Depot), and just shoot at a rug duct-taped to the wall(the wall is concrete btw, obviously not such a good idea on drywall), used the duct tape to make a little 4x6 space to shoot at. I don't think the tarp really would give any extra significant amount of protection for a wall if that's a concern, not for the money at least.

[flyers10 57]

would those shooting tarps sold at hockeyshot be better than the plywood? Do you guys paint a "goal" on the plywood to give you shooting targets? Just curious. Thanks all.

I have the Snipers Edge tarp from Hockeyshot. It works well. Puck hits it and just drops down. No rebounds hitting your other walls, cars, etc. You just want to make sure you mount it about 12-18 inches from a wall(especially drywall).

[Tailboard Jockey 25]

I have the Snipers Edge tarp from Hockeyshot. It works well. Puck hits it and just drops down. No rebounds hitting your other walls, cars, etc. You just want to make sure you mount it about 12-18 inches from a wall(especially drywall).

I just ordered the 8'X 16' Sniper's Edge tarp, 4'X 8' roll-up shooting pad, one timer passer, and 50 ice pucks from Hockeyshot. I don't think I'll be getting much done around the house, once that stuff gets here.

[shotty 7]

one time passer!? sweet!

[dumbpolak9 1]

any good feed back on this:

http://www.hockeyshot.com/HockeyShot_Dryland_Training_Flooring_Tiles_p/flooring-001.htm

any good feed back on this:

http://www.hockeyshot.com/HockeyShot_Dryland_Training_Flooring_Tiles_p/flooring-001.htm

[5holeflyby 0]

I'm personally super-broke and try to horde what little cash I have to spend on ice-time, I used the suggestion above and put together the 4'x8' whiteboard($13 including tax @ Loews) and Blaster silicon spray($3.27 total @ Home Depot), and just shoot at a rug duct-taped to the wall(the wall is concrete btw, obviously not such a good idea on drywall), used the duct tape to make a little 4x6 space to shoot at. I don't think the tarp really would give any extra significant amount of protection for a wall if that's a concern, not for the money at least.

I feel your pain there. That's kinda what I was planning on doing. I have some exterior windows I'll have to cover and protect from rebounds.

I have the Snipers Edge tarp from Hockeyshot. It works well. Puck hits it and just drops down. No rebounds hitting your other walls, cars, etc. You just want to make sure you mount it about 12-18 inches from a wall(especially drywall).

I was looking at that tarp and wondering how well it worked. I was wondering about the tarp since it has the net and goalie on it to give you a "target" to shoot for versus shooting against a blank wall.

[Leafsrok 0]

i have a little set-up in my basement using the plywood shooting surface. i've been shooting at it for probably about 2 years now and i have only had to replace the plywood once. my shooting alley we'll call it, is only about 15 feet from the plywood, so slapshots and such do tend to fly back at me on occasion and i have the bruise on my ankle to prove it lol. i'll have to check out one of these white board surfaces because, although the concrete in my basement is very smooth, its hell on tape and blades.

would those shooting tarps sold at hockeyshot be better than the plywood? Do you guys paint a "goal" on the plywood to give you shooting targets? Just curious. Thanks all.

i made a regulation size net out of duct tape on my drywall... looks pretty sketchy to say the least but it works well for me!