Ice hockey is a great choice of sport for developing your health, fitness and confidence through enjoyable and social means. However, before you jump right in to playing the sport of ice hockey, read this basic guide giving out some essential tips on getting the most out of your ice hockey exercise when first starting out in the sport.

Ice hockey can be considered an expensive sport, however like most sports which require any type of equipment, it can be as expensive or cheap as you want, depending on what items you choose to buy. This should not deter anyone from trying out the game to see if it is for you. Starting out, you should (as in all sports) buy cheap or inexpensive ice hockey equipment until you decide whether you want to continue playing. With the wide range of options available, the chance that you will buy the right kit for you at the start is nearly impossible. There are many different variations for each item, in terms of size, style, colours, design etc, which you will only be able to decide as you develop as a players, as many people become unique in their wants and needs to be able to play the best they can.

You should still not worry as there are inexpensive options you can buy that are (for want of a better word) “mid range” options, which will allow you to start playing and enjoy what you do, but will not force you into a particular playing style you are not suited to.

Once you have used these, you will begin to understand what is comfortable or indeed missing to make you the better player. 

Below are a few tips on certain items you should think about when buying your first piece of kit.

• When choosing your first ice hockey stick, it’s important to take your height into consideration. As if the hockey stick is too long or short, this will put unnecessary stress on your body. A simple guide is to stand with the stick in front on you. The stick should measure up to the tip of your nose (without skates on). When purchasing, you will also need to consider whether you want a left or right handed stick, the flex of the stick and the Curve pattern, for a starter it is recommended you go for a standard 50 flex for Juniors and 100 Flex for Seniors. The curve should only be slight as a heavy curve will be more difficult to control. For more in depth details on this see our other articles where you will find how to choose the right hockey stick.

• When buying skates, make sure they are a snug fit but not so tight that they cramp your toes. They must also provide good ankle support. Skate sizes are usually a half to one whole size smaller than players’ regular shoe sizes, but these vary depending on the Brand of skate you choose, for a helpful For more detail please see our article on how to create fit your skates,

• As you get kitted out in your hockey gear, be prepared for the fact it may initially feel uncomfortable or interfere with your mobility. If that’s the case, give yourself time to see if you become used to it – and if you don’t eventually become comfortable with your gear, then it will be easy enough to look for alternatives. Always make sure you never play without protective kit, though, for obvious safety reasons. Blue Cow Hockey will be producing more detailed articles outlining how to best fit your individual pieces of kit, please keep an eye out for those coming soon.