Hockey players should often practice their shooting and stick handling. However, finding a proper surface to stickhandle and shoot off is the issue that most hockey players run with.
The main issue is the greater friction that results from shooting and stickhandling on concrete or asphalt. The pucks move more slowly and flop all over the place due to the friction which players find extremely annoying. If you continue to play on rough surfaces, your stick blades will soon lose their sharpness due to the high friction. And it is not convenient nor affordable to keep buying blades or sticks.
Hence, finding a nice and smooth surface to shoot and stickhandle on is a fantastic solution. Hockey dryland flooring tiles can help in this situation. Hockey dryland flooring tiles are an excellent method to organize your hockey practice. These tiles offer a smooth surface, are often simple to install, and safeguard your hockey gear, including skates.
What are Hockey Dryland Flooring Tiles?
Although it is constructed of the same unique polymer as synthetic ice flooring, the flooring used for dryland hockey has different characteristics. Slick tiles often referred to as dry flooring, are designed to allow hockey pucks to slide across them just like they would on ice. But they aren’t designed to be worn with ice skates.
Dry hockey tiles are excellent for use with a shooting tarp or a hockey rebounder to practice passes. Good caliber Dryer flooring frequently has weather-resistant coatings and UV protection to endure the heat and cold outdoors. A more flexible, lightweight design that better handles uneven terrain while still being sturdy enough to support parking cars on it. Hockey rink tiles are made of thick, resilient plastic.
Read More: How to clean dryland hockey tiles?
Can You Skate on Dryland Flooring Tiles?
In short, no. For dryland tiles, tennis shoes and rollerblades work well. Dryland Flooring can be used while wearing shoes, inline skates, socks, or even bare feet. However, ice skates cannot be used on dryland floors and must only be used on natural or artificial ice.
Difference Between Dryland Tiles and Synthetic Ice
Tiles for dryland flooring and synthetic ice are frequently confused by people. The use that you can put each form of flooring is where the two types of flooring diverge most. Synthetic ice tiles are constructed of a unique, long-lasting polymer that enables the application of a self-sustained lubricant as skaters go around the surface. Although they are fake, these tiles behave like a real ice surface.
There are a few significant distinctions besides the obvious one—dryland flooring cannot accommodate ice skating—between the two types of flooring. Usually, synthetic ice costs more than dryland tiles.
It takes a little more engineering to create a form of flooring that can consistently handle ice skates and be able to make its lubrication, even though both are excellent hockey flooring options.
Setting Up Dryland Flooring Tiles
You can install dryland flooring tiles quickly and easily. The most popular flooring style is the puzzle piece design because it makes assembly simple. And because these new tiles are simple to assemble and can be stacked in any arrangement, you can wave goodbye to loops and hooks.
Place the clip over the ringside of most dryland flooring tiles, then push them together. The number of tiles in each box can vary depending on the package size and the retailer you choose. As a result, different tile sizes and quantities cover different sized square feet.
For instance, around 4- 5 boxes would be sufficient for most spaces, such as a garage or basement, if each box has 10 tiles, every 18 inches by 18 inches.
Benefits of Hockey Dryland Flooring Training
There are a variety of benefits of training on dryland tiles. Hockey dryland training is a fantastic way to increase your acceleration, agility, conditioning, and overall skills without ice or gym equipment. Dryland training is an off-ice exercise that can be performed in any field or backyard and complements weightlifting and ice training.
The most crucial factor to consider is that you need drills directly transferrable to on-ice abilities if you’re a coach looking to do hockey dryland training before or during the season. A hockey shift often lasts less than one minute, necessitating high-intensity anaerobic conditioning, whereas running five miles will assist you in enhancing your aerobic conditioning.
Conclusion
One of the finest methods to design a superb hockey flooring solution in your home, basement, or garage is definitely with dryland hockey tiles. They are adaptable enough to make almost any flat surface used as a training area. Due to their one-foot by one-foot dimension, they are simple to move and set up a flooring place in a little area. You can transform a portion of a bedroom or living room into an excellent stickhandling practice area.
