Using Mini-tramps for Hockey

A while back I shared a post on social media called “17 Benefits of Trampoline Exercise”, while at the same time suggesting that I might someday write a post of my own on using mini-tramps for hockey training. What I didn’t expect was an onslaught of friends messaging me, and suggesting I “go for it”.

Okay, so up front, I highly recommend that members look into this unique training gadget. I’m talking about finding lots of scientific info, and some unbelievable ideas when it comes to the health benefits of “bounding” (for mom and dad and other non-playing family members, as well).

I’ve actually mentioned various ways of using mini-tramps for hockey in the past, and I’ll suggest some others a little later. However, I think it’s a good idea that I consolidate much of my past work in this area in a way that might be easier for members to apply right now. Actually, with this being the off-season in most parts of the world, it’s also a great time for most players to be looking into new off-ice training ideas. And, my hope is that coaches, parents and adult rec players will see the benefits to using mini-tramps for hockey training, and maybe find a way to get some time in on them.

I might also mention that Brenda and I have a mini-trampoline in our home, and it take up no space at all — to either store or to pull out jump on. That’s the kind of gear I tend to like, since it doesn’t require a half-hour drive to a gym, or whatever.

Okay, so first on my list of ideas is that of improving body control… In other words, just bouncing on the mini-tramp includes unbelievable benefits. More than that, I’m talking about an athlete being tossed this way and that way, and teaching his body and inner signaling devices to deal with such. I like to further challenge my players by having them bounce on one leg at a time, raise and lower into and out of squats for a time, jog on the trampoline, and do just about any other crazy thing that forces the body to adapt.

My second way of using mini-tramps for hockey training is to add a ball (or two or three)… Imagine the challenge of a player’s eyes bouncing up and down while needing to stay focused on a ball he’s tossing up in the air and trying to catch. Really, it’s an awful lot like what happens on the ice — for any skater, and it’s especially what happens to a goalie who is bobbing and weaving to peek through all the traffic out front.

To be honest, I have my goalers practice juggling — two and then three balls or pucks — away from the trampoline at first, mainly because that’s quite a challenge in itself. In line with the idea of constantly increasing the challenge, though, I like my goaltenders to eventually continue their juggling while skipping a long rope or while bounding on a mini-tramp.

Then again, upping the challenge even more, I’ve had my netminders block one eye while bouncing and playing with a ball. (Eye patches are extremely inexpensive, and they can be found at most pharmacies — like CVS or Walgreen’s, for only a few American dollars.)

From there, I want my skaters to start using mini-tramps for hockey specific exercises… I mean, it’s time to grab a stick and ball, jump on the mini-trampoline, and start to jumping and dribbling at the same time.

In the beginning, just that is a challenge. However, I’d say the sky is the limit once an athlete gets comfortable with basic jumping and dribbling. In other words, I’ll suggest a member go through all the various stickhandling drills included in this site, and have a player or players eventually try combining more and more challenges.

Really, my mind is racing, thinking about even more ways of using mini-tramps for hockey training. And, I hope member coaches, parents and adult rec players are also thinking of new ideas.

Still, there are numerous ideas that can be borrowed from within this site, if one just browses the skating section, the puckhandling section, the passing and receiving section, and even some of the others. Oh, and I’ve found our search engine to be pretty dawgone good for finding special terms on this site. So, please do give that a try.

PS: While I’ve left this post free to non-members for now, first-time visitors ought to consider how many more great training ideas are hidden within the site.