#quarantined: How to Stay Safe & Take Advantage During These Uncertain Times

During these unprecedented and uncertain times, everyone in the world has a responsibility to do their part to get past this global pandemic. For most of us, that means self-quarantining and exercising social distancing to prevent the spread of this virus. While this is what we all need to do to help out, it is not easy. Keeping mentally and physically healthy during this period can be difficult. Here are a few things hockey players can do to get through these tough times.

Turn a Negative into a Positive 

In trying times, focusing on things you love and that make you happy is important. With all levels of hockey shut down, from the NHL to Learn to Skate programs, the sport that so many of us turn to for solace is not there on an organized level. Although this is not ideal, it does give hockey players the time to focus on your craft, develop your skills, and work on many things they might not otherwise have time for normally. Turning these negatives into positives through training is a great way to get through this period of isolation.

Clean Your Equipment

This is a perfect time to clean, disinfect, and sanitize all your equipment from your gloves to your sticks to your training equipment. This is something we rarely think about and do even less. Now that preventing the spread of germs is so important, it is a great time to do these things. The bonus is that it will help get any germs off your equipment and help it last longer and smell better as well!

Get Outside and Snipe Pucks 

Even though you have to stay home, it doesn’t mean you can’t go outside by yourself or with a family member. Off-ice, at-home training is allowed during this time of self-isolation and doing this will not only help you stay physically and mentally sharp but also help you be a better player when you get back on the ice. Here are some things to work on at home and the equipment you need to do it.

• Accuracy – You need to have a quick release on your shot and be able to pick out corners to become a great goal scorer. To work on these skills at home, check out this shooting package which combines a shooting pad that replicates on-ice conditions and a goalie tarp to make shooting more difficult and beneficial than shooting on an empty net.

• Dangling – Polish your moves and learn to deke and dangle like a pro. Using the Sweethands Stickhandling Trainer will help you keep the puck glued to your stick. Check out some of the best danglers in the game for inspiration.

• Passing – With the Passmaster passer and rebounder, you will be able to start throwing pinpoint passes across the ice. You can also work on receiving and letting rip one-timers with the same piece of equipment.

•     #Grind– Working on your grind is ever a bad idea. The way the best players in the world get to where they are is by outworking the competition. While you are working out alone, make sure you aren’t just casually training. Set goals for yourself, work hard to meet and beat those goals and then set higher goals!

Connect to Others

Everyone is in the same boat here so even though you can’t be together in person, that doesn’t mean you and your friends and teammates can’t train “together”. Reach out on social media and create at-home training groups. Show off your skills and challenge your buddies to see how they measure up. Use the hashtag #sniperchallenge to go beyond your hockey circle and join with hockey players all over the world doing the same thing as you.

At Snipers Edge, we know how hard these times are and are doing our best to get through it just like you. We hope we can do a small part to help hockey players get through this by providing great office training equipment and a forum for players to share their training and connect with others. Show us how YOU are using hockey to help get you through this situation by tagging us on social media on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.