In order to excel in the game of hockey, you need to take your off ice training seriously and there is a ton of innovative ways to accomplish this. One of the simplest tools to do this is incorporating a hockey balance board in your off ice training. The balance board is a tool that can yield drastic improvements on the ice in only a short amount of time using it, and one of our top suggestions to use in your off ice training program!
Best Hockey Balance Board
This is the best hockey balance board to really challenge yourself with and take your hockey training to another level!
With heavy duty engineered wood and grip tape to keep your feet in place, this is our top choice for the best hockey balance board! The solid roller is designed to work on almost any surface so you can use it at home or at the rink for a pregame warm-up. Lightweight and extremely durable, this hockey balance board is the perfect addition to your hockey training regime!
Runner-Up Hockey Balance Board
The Revolution 101 is our runner up and very similar to the Hockey Shot Training board but with a slightly longer and wider board, which makes it a bit heavier!
The Revolution 101 balance board is a two-piece balance board with the roller and the board separate for increased difficulty. It is constructed with a heavy wood and soft grip tape on one side to improve traction, and the other side has rubber stoppers to prevent the board from rolling too far in either direction.
Best Hockey Balance Board for Beginners
A great starter balance board for beginner or youth hockey players, with one-piece construction this is a great training tool that is slightly easier than the Hockey Shot Training Board.
The hockey shot balance board is perfect for beginners, with a wide 40″ diameter platform and a ball on the bottom so it tilts in every direction. The great thing about this balance board is that it never completely tips over, so its perfectly safe for kids of all ages to practice on! It is a great beginner balance board to start using in your stick handling and strength training drills!
Our Recommendations
Best Balance Board for Beginners
Buying Options
Looking to improve your shooting accuracy? Check out our guide on the Best Hockey Shooting Targets!
The Best Hockey Balance Boards
1. Hockey Shot Hockey Training Board - Best Overall Balance Board
Specifications and Features:
- Extremely Durable – The heavy-duty engineered wood gives you the perfect mix of strength and stiffness so it won’t wear down over extended use
- Dual Sided Board – There are two sides to the balance board, one side has grip tape while the other side has rubber strips and no grip tape so you switch up the difficulty
- Dimensions – 29″ Long X 10.75″ Wide X 7/8″ Thick
BOTTOM LINE:
This balance board is built for hockey players, so it is going to be more challenging than the standard “workout” balance boards. With a heavy duty board that’s built to last and a lightweight two-piece design, this is something you won’t regret having to carry around for a few seasons! You’ll notice immediate results after training for just a few short weeks on a hockey balance board in your core strength, balance, and reflexes. It is a perfect tool that you can make noticeable strides on with a short amount of work each day working on your stick handling! This Hockey Shot product is our pick for the best overall balance board on the market today.
2. Hockey Shot Balance Board - Best Balance Board For Beginners
Specifications and Features:
- Starter Balance Board – This is the perfect balance board for hockey beginners or senior players looking to improve, as the circular design is easier to get the hang of
- Works on All Surfaces – This board doesn’t have a roller like the Hockey Shot Training Board, but a ball on the bottom so you can use this in the grass or on carpet easier
- Dimensions – 15.5″ Diameter
What players are saying:
BOTTOM LINE:
The Hockey Shot Balance Board is the perfect option for beginner hockey players, as the tilt and skill required is a lot less than your standard board on a roller. The circular design allows you to quickly recover in any direction if you lose your balance, and the better you become you can start to use one foot for a greater challenge! You will quickly build up your balance and core strength and we can almost guarantee you’ll notice the difference after a couple of weeks. This is comes in at an amazing price point and is definitely worth checking out!
3. Revolution 101 - Runner-Up Best Balance Board
Specifications and Features:
- High Strength – The high strength composite board and roller have a weight rating of 400 lbs
- Durasoft Grip – The top of the board is lightly cushioned with Durasoft grip and is great to use with or without shoes
- Dimensions – 30″ Long X 11.5″ Wide
What players are saying:
BOTTOM LINE:
The Revolution 101 balance board is a great option for hockey players of all calibers, as it is a little more forgiving that the Hockey Shot Training Board! It will challenge your core strength and balance right off the bat, and it isn’t easy to master. Working with this balance board during stick handling drills is a must and you will feel your reflexes improve on the ice in a hurry. This board is a bit on the heavy side but it is very durable and easy to carry!
4. PACEARTH Balance Board
Specifications and Features:
- Square Design – Instead of the roller or circular balance board, this is a more traditional design that is the easiest to get used to
- High Strength Design – Constructed with high quality Beech wood, this is built to last with a weight rating of 400 lbs
- Dimensions– 17″ Long X 13″ Wide X 3.7″ Thick
BOTTOM LINE:
Balance boards come in all shapes and sizes, so we had to include a rectangular one as they are the best balance board for youth hockey players. This balance board is must easier to use and more forgiving than the ones reviewed above, but you may find it doesn’t challenge you enough after a few months of use! It is a great option for kids looking to work on their balance, or even senior players looking to regain their peak form! This is a solid choice for a hockey balance board and one that won’t break the bank either!
5. StrongTek Wobble Balance Board
Specifications and Features:
- Versatile Balance Board – With the design, you can easily incorporate this into strength training by doing pushups or planks
- One Year Warranty – This balance board is extremely durable with non-slip TPE surfaces on the top and bottom
- Dimensions – 16.5″ Diameter weighting 3.5 lbs
BOTTOM LINE:
The design is similar to the Hockey Shot Balance Board but it has a wider surface which makes it more forgiving, and the tilt angle is also shallower at 15 degrees. The one advantage this board does have is the handles that make it easy to carry and also easy to do pushups on. This is a great option if you’re looking for something the entire family can use besides just the hockey player in the house hold. This isn’t the most challenging product but you’ll get a great core and balance workout regardless!
How to use a Hockey Balance Board
The easiest answer on how to use a hockey balance board, is to incorporate it into every fitness and skills training activity possible! When you are first getting started you’ll want to just practice on the balance board alone, challenging yourself to stay balanced as possible with the board not hitting the ground.
Once you get comfortable on the hockey balance board, you want to start using it in other training drills as well. A must is using it while you do any kind of stickhandling drills that don’t require you to be moving. This will translate to better overall puck control on the ice and the results will be quick to see.
If you’re at the point in your hockey career where you are doing strength or acceleration training, using a balance board for things like squats, shoulder press, and all sorts of other strength training workouts will take your training up another notch! This will keep your core engaged and you will be forced to consider your balance while working through the exercises.
Why use a balance board for Hockey Training?
Improves Balance – The most obvious of the reasons is it improves balance, by ensuring you never have a solid foundation and you are constantly kept off balance. This simulates a hockey game as you are constantly dealing with getting hit while you have the puck and shooting/passing off balance. Improved balance not only helps offensively, but also allows improves your ability to dish out the hits!
Core Strength – A key component to improving as a hockey player is to strengthen your core, and a hockey balance board will keep your core engaged the whole time. This translates to a better and quicker shot, and also better balance on the ice.
Reaction Timing – How your body reacts to a hit or even getting hooked will be enhanced through using a balance board for hockey training. If you are practicing stick handling on a balance board, you will get used to the feeling of having to react to changes in your balance while still keeping control of the puck!
Conclusion
We reviewed a bunch of great hockey balance board products and hopefully you found this useful. These are a great tool for the beginner looking to improve his balance, or the high caliber player looking to take his skills and strength training to the next level. Drop us a comment if you have any feedback or if you feel there are additional products that should be on this list.
