Ice hockey players wear ice hockey helmets to protect the head from injury that can be caused by the puck, the sticks and skates of other players, the boards or contact with the ice. Helmets fit the head by gripping the head from inside at the back of the head or the top of the head. The manufacturers will all have charts that relate the size of your head to the helmet of the correct size. The outer shell of a helmet is normally made of a material called vinyl nitrite that dissipates force away from the point where contact is made. The inner padding is normally made of expanded polypropylene or vinyl nitrile foam that absorbs energy and minimizes the chances of concussion. Helmets have been mandatory in the National Hockey League since 1979.

Visors and shields are protective devices that are attached to helmets to reduce the possibility of facial injuries. A visor protects the top half of the face while the shield offers full facial protection. There is currently much discussion about whether visors or shields should be mandatory in the NHL just as helmets are. At present, well over half of all the players in the NHL use visors and, in many countries of the world, visors are mandatory. These visors are made of clear plastic that is resistant to impact and vision is therefore better than the alternative of wire cages which may cause some obstruction. However, because shields and vices do not offer air circulation unlike wire cages, there may be some fogging during play.

The American Hockey League, which is the top league for minors in America, has made the use of shields compulsory while the NHL “strongly recommends” their use. The alternative for full facial protection is called a cage which attaches to the front of the helmet. The change is made of metal wire or composite metal mesh that offers protection for the entire face. The spacing of the mesh allows players to see through the mesh but stops any contact with the puck or the sticks of the other players.

Many manufacturers now offer the best of both types of protection by combining a plastic shield that protects the eyes and top half of the face with a wire cage that protects the lower half of the face. This design offers a high level of protection while allowing air to circulate through the helmet. Facial protection is mandatory in many of the amateur leagues and, in North America, it is compulsory for high school and college hockey as well as for all players under the age of 18.

Bauer is one of the premier hockey equipment manufacturers in the world and their reputation for reliable quality products is second to none. They manufacture everything you might need to play the sport of hockey, including both ice and inline skates, sticks, gloves, blockers, protective gear for both players and goalies, pants, helmets, and face masks. They also have an extensive line of accessories and apparel. Players Bench is a proud dealer of Bauer equipment and has a vast selection of their products in all different price ranges. Players Bench professionals are capable of helping you find the right Bauer hockey skates for your specific needs and price points. You can find Bauer products at playersbench.com or at one of their many locations.

Bauer skates are designed to fit your specific player or goalies’ needs. Let a Players Bench employee help you choose from their Vapor, Supreme, or FlexLite line of skates. Vapor skates are designed for fast players who thrive on speed. The Bauer Vapor APX skate has been released and is in stock now. The Supreme line of skates is manufactured for powerhouse skaters who want to get the most out of every stride. Bauer also has Supreme goalie skates which are built for a superior fit and performance. Last but not least, FlexLite skates are specially fitted to be faster for those players who are looking for out-of-the-box comfort.

Price is often a factor when choosing what kind of hockey skates to purchase. However there are several other things to take into consideration when purchasing ice hockey skates. For example, you should think about your level of commitment to the sport and the quality of the product you wish to purchase. The great thing about Players Bench is that they have awesome gear, great prices, and a fantastic staff. Browse through their stores or search through their website to find one of Bauer’s superior lines of hockey skates and tons of deals with discounts up 50%!

Investing in the sport of hockey is made simple by Players Bench. When you shop at Players Bench for Bauer products, you can rest assured that you are getting the best deal available for a quality product. So regardless if you are looking for low-priced beginner skates for your youth, a medium priced skate for weekend tournaments or professional level high-end skates, Players Bench has something for everyone.

Let’s face it. Some of the best training you can get to prepare for big upcoming ice hockey games involves being on the ice and going through drills. These will strengthen hand-eye coordination, as well as your muscles and reflexes for when it really counts. Not everyone has the benefit of an ice rink with unlimited ice time available though, especially in the summer months when a lot of rinks shut down for basic maintenance and servicing. There are plenty of training exercises you can do off the ice to help prepare you for the time you spend on-ice though. A lot of them even work as compliments to on-ice drills.

If you have a gym membership, why not put it to good use, for one? All of that gym equipment can come in handy when trying to train for ice hockey. Weight machines that focus on quad and calf strength are ideal. The same goes for weight exercises that strengthen shoulder muscles and offer resistance you have to push against.

If you’d rather not use a weight machine or simply don’t have access to one, no worries. There are plenty of things you can do on your own without any additional professional training equipment. One of the best ways to help train for hockey is to play games with hockey-esque skill requirements with a group of friends. Basketball or street hockey are great examples of sports that have a team element to them and are also fantastic for building fast reflexes and hand-eye coordination. Street hockey is somewhat obvious, as it tends to simulate on-ice hockey. Basketball is maybe less so, although if you stop to think about how accurate your shots have to be and how quickly you have to move on your feet to dodge other players, the similarities might become clearer.

If you’re more of a solo kind of trainer, you can improve balance and quad strength by doing squats on your own. There’s no extraneous equipment required here. Another great exercise for muscle toning and balance improvement is a standing lunge. Simply stand upright with both feet together and then lunch forward, bringing your weight over your bent knee at front while the leg that remains behind bends gently to avoid any strain. To intensify the exercise, holding onto a pair of dumbbells (or even just a heavy object if you don’t own your own set of weights) will do the trick. Ultimately, there are a lot of ways to train off the ice when ice time isn’t available. You’re really only limited by your own ingenuity on the matter, so get creative and start having some fun with the process as well.

It’s hard to believe it’s already coming up on Halloween time, isn’t it? Was the Stanley Cup really a few months ago already? While the summer may seem too short for most people, there are some perks to returning to the winter months. One of them is getting a head start on gearing up for the upcoming collegiate and NHL ice hockey seasons by purchasing the latest hockey apparel for your favorite teams. Who knows? You might even find yourself a new team to root for in the process.

As Winter inches ever closer, so too does cooler weather in most parts of the country. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to pull out a stuffy old coat to keep warm. Sweatshirts are a great alternative to cut the cold and look good in the process. Players Bench offers a wide array of hoodies for both men and women that proudly display the logos of many of your favorite hockey collegiate and NHL teams. The hoodies come in all conceivable colors and sizes. You can also purchase pullover hoodies or ones that zip up the front either all the way or halfway, depending on your preference. If you’re more of a hockey brand enthusiast, there are also sweatshirts available with the logos of your favorite hockey equipment manufacturers available in some instances.

Even though the summer sun is a thing of the past, it’s still pretty bright at the beginning of the Fall season. That’s why Players Bench offers a variety of different sets of eyewear. You can get lenses tinted to virtually any shade you like. In addition, the shapes of available frames range from sharp and angular to a fuller, more encompassing design. These will be great even later into the season when it’s possible to play outdoor hockey games.

Licensed souvenirs are also a great way to show your hockey spirit, and Players Bench has a load of them to choose from. Carrying anything from the latest NHL sleeping bag to “hockkings,” which are hockey sock-shaped Christmas stockings, Players Bench offers some great gift ideas for your favorite hockey obsessed kid (or maybe just the kids at heart in your family). In addition, you can opt for a belt buckle with the NHL logo, miniature hockey stick collectibles and even souvenir pucks that bear the logo of your favorite hockey team. Whether it’s back to school time or just time to start looking into holiday gifts for the diehard hockey fans in your family, Players Bench has you covered with merchandise and apparel galore.

If you’re a goaltender on an ice hockey team, you probably already know that a goalie’s needs in terms of equipment and uniforms are different and come with their own tips and things to look out for. For one, the goalie is more heavily padded than most other players on a hockey team. The uniform consequently has to accommodate for this extra padding and is different from the other player’s outfits. It should come as no surprise then that the same general rule applies to a goalie’s hockey stick.

There are two primary features you want to be aware of and look out for when it comes to goalie sticks. The first involves the material it’s made out of. This will affect the feel and often even the longevity of your goalie hockey stick. The second is the brand of goalie stick you choose to purchase. Both considerations come with a set of pros and cons and are definitely worth looking into with the utmost of care before coming to an ultimate conclusion.

First, there’s the material your stick is made out of. Hockey sticks can either be made of traditional wood or of composite material. Composite sticks are often made out of a variety of different, durable man-made materials. They also tend to stand up better to extended and repeated use. Then again, there are some people who swear by the feel of a traditional wood hockey stick. Composite sticks do definitely feel different than wood sticks, so research your options and make sure you’re comfortable with the material you choose before committing to one.

Second, you have to consider what brand of goalie stick you’re going to go with. Players Bench offers a wide selection of the most widely known and respected manufacturers of goalie sticks on their website, making it quite convenient to find your stick of choice. Players Bench carries Brian’s, Reebok, Sherwood, Warrior, and Bauer goalie sticks, and many of the sticks come in different color and design schemes to fit any player’s style preference. You can also purchase sticks based off of the age specifications of senior, intermediate, junior and youth, meaning the size is more closely aligned to the typical height and weight of players within that specific age range. Coaches, teammates and your Players Bench professional are great people to go to for advice on stick preferences, but ultimately it’s up to you to choose the goalie stick that is most comfortable and works best for your own personal situation.

There’s no doubt about it. Ice hockey is an exciting sport. There’s speed, quick turns and loud crowds to get you going and head-on into the action. There’s probably no better feeling than yelling your lungs out for your favorite team and jumping to your feet to pump your fists when they victoriously score a goal. There are also instances of verbal and physical disagreements between players of opposing teams. This is really part of any sport, especially with more advanced level players. Consequently, it’s worth it to learn what is and isn’t allowed in ice hockey, in terms of player actions during games.

Boarding is a good first example of prohibited conduct and with its introduction comes another term to familiarize yourself with – checking. Checking is when you use your body, mainly your shoulders or hips to separate a player from the puck. When a player is cited for boarding someone then, it means they checked a member of the opposing team in a manner that caused him or her to slam violently into the rink boards. In a similar vein, you will also incur a penalty in ice hockey for doing what is known as high sticking. This means that you’re carrying your hockey stick above the level of your shoulders when you strike him or her.

Some other examples of ice hockey penalties include spearing and cross checking. Spearing involves moving your hockey stick in a stab-like motion in order to hit another player with the pointed bottom of your blade. Cross checking, on the other hand, requires both of your hands to be on the stick when you hit an opponent. Here, no part of your stick ends up being on the ice.

These examples of misconduct are only four of many. It makes sense to try to familiarize yourself with as many types of penalties as possible to ensure you don’t make a mistake during crucial game time. If you’re more of a spectator, you’ll want to be able to recognize the penalties each referee ends up calling as well. You can do this by keeping an eye on their hand movements after the whistle is blown. As an example, the official referee signal for cross checking involves the referee clenching both fists closed and thrusting them forward and away from his or her chest. Boarding’s official sign is to close the fist not holding the official whistle and pound it into the other hand’s open palm. Memorizing the various official referee penalty signs will do wonders for your enjoyment of a hockey game and is consequently well worth the effort that goes into learning them all.

When regular hockey players learn about the sport they’re playing, a lot of the time the focus remains on the traditional offensive and defensive roles of traditional hockey players. Oftentimes, it might seem as though the goaltender is forgotten completely when discussing game strategy. If you happen to be a goalie then, it might be a little more challenging to find information about the right kind of equipment to purchase for your specific situation. A hockey goaltender performs a very important role on their team though. Without a goalie, the net is left open, subject to smartly aimed shots by the opposing team. It stands to reason then that the goalie has an incredibly important job. Their equipment deserves an equally close discussion to ensure proper fit and comfort.

Goalie catchers are somewhat self-explanatory. Much like a baseball catcher’s mitt, the goaltender’s catcher is there to snatch up airborne pucks and prevent them from going into the net and allowing the other team to score. Ideally, a goaltender will catch the puck in the pocket of the catcher, which is the part between the thumb and index finger that’s made specifically for such a purpose.

Goaltender catchers come in a variety of different styles and colors. You can also choose to purchase your favorite brand from a well-known manufacturer like Reebok, Vaughn, Bauer, Brian’s, Sher-Wood or TPS Hockey. Generally, you should choose a glove that fits comfortably but a little loosely. A goalie’s arm pads should fit into the cuff of the glove with ease and be able to move without much difficulty. They will consequently give the catcher’s wearer both comfort and adequate protection.

You can purchase goalie gloves in senior, intermediate, junior and youth sizes. These sizes refer to a hockey player’s age, generally speaking. Of course, this entirely depends on whether you or your child has a typical size of hands for their age group. If the hands are smaller, drop down a size from the suggested age group. If larger, take note and consider moving up a size group. It’s really as simple as that. If you find you have a problem after purchase, Players Bench has a great return policy as well that should help alleviate any worries. Hockey is a big investment, but it’s a worthwhile one. If you or your child loves the sport, that’s what makes all the difference in the end.

Most people in this day and age understand that keeping yourself in good physical health is essential to a long and fulfilling life. You only have to take a look at commercials on TV or ads in magazines and newspapers to see how much emphasis is placed on dieting and staying at a healthy weight for both men and women. Making healthy meal choices is actually an important aspect to good overall health. It’s not the only factor though.

Weekly exercise is also essential, and that’s good news for ice hockey players of all ages and ability levels. Ice hockey, and the associated off-ice training that goes along with it, is a fantastic way to keep yourself in shape. You can relatively seamlessly supplement your current healthy eating habits and lifestyle with your chosen sport of hockey, which is a definite benefit for any player. Younger ice hockey players will develop a healthy exercise routine that can be carried into adulthood. Adults, on the other hand, can make up for years of inactivity and begin to create healthy fitness habits later in life that will both challenge and strengthen their bodies in positive ways no matter how late in life they start.

First and perhaps most obvious is the benefit hockey gives to developing stronger and more defined muscles. Ice hockey is a sport that requires quite a bit of leg strength, particularly in your quad and calf muscles. In order to be able to generate quick bursts of speed to get you down the ice, you need to be able to use your leg muscles to propel yourself forward on your skates. This also requires strong core strength which hockey and off-ice training will build. You’ll need strong abdominal muscles for balance and overall body strength. Lastly, it may not seem as obvious but it can get exhausting to hold onto a hockey stick for the entirety of a game and be able to aim your shots at the puck accurately. The more you practice, the more hockey will help you build strong arm and shoulder muscles.

Another health benefit of ice hockey that may not be as outwardly obvious but is just as crucial to your overall physical health is increased stamina. This refers both to lung capacity, as well as the ability to keep on with whatever activity you’re currently engaging in, whether it’s hockey or something entirely different. Hockey’s fast-paced practice and game environment is optimal for increasing your stamina so you can perform longer, no matter what activity you happen to be engaged in.

Keep it clean and have fun! Here are some videos to get the ball rolling.

After the hockey season, summer is often the most anticipated season for a young ice hockey player. Not only is school usually out for three months but there is also ample opportunity to get yourself outdoors and enjoy the pleasant weather. Often though, many ice rinks are closed during this time of year for routine annual maintenance. Even if you’re fortunate enough to be in a location with an ice rink that is open all year round, regular hockey team practices are usually discontinued over the summer since the actual season is technically over.

There are a lot of things you can do to keep in shape and even improve in preparation for next year’s season however. One of these things is to join a summer hockey league. Usually separate from your typical regular season’s hockey team, a summer league generally gathers together a group of players from various local teams and works on strengthening drills and other collaborative workouts. Not only is it a fantastic way to keep yourself in tip-top shape all summer long, but you also have the opportunity to meet other hockey enthusiasts who you wouldn’t otherwise have had the chance to meet. It’s a great way to make friends, no matter where you live and what skill level you’re at.

If a hockey league isn’t a feasible option for you, there are plenty of ways to keep in shape back home. If your rink hasn’t closed down, you can always skate a few public skating sessions a week to keep yourself on the ice and in shape. While you do have to be careful about running into people on the more crowded public sessions, it’s a great way to work on stroking or other basic skills that don’t require a stick or a puck. Attending public skating sessions will also keep the muscles in your legs that tend only to get a workout while you’re in hockey skates on the ice, limber and toned. Inline skating is also a good way to keep in shape without needing to actually locate an ice rink that’s open during the summer. You can even arrange a game of street hockey if you have any friends who’re interested.

Lastly, if you’d prefer to train on your own you also have some options. Running or jogging will keep your endurance and stamina levels up, which is important to maintain so you don’t become fatigued under pressure during hockey games. Weight training will keep your muscles toned and of an adequate strength to really get deep into your edges when you return to the ice as well. Overall, it just takes a little ingenuity and determination to ensure you’re ready for next year’s hockey season. Your love of the sport and hard work on and off the ice should accomplish the rest.