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If the last two years have taught the lacrosse community anything, it’s that development needs to happen beyond just what can be accomplished in practice and game settings. It being safe enough to get a group of laxers together isn’t always a guarantee.
There is no better way to take your game to the next level than investing in some of the many lacrosse training aids available. These aids can be used on an individual basis and mirror the actions you’ll perform at full speed in a game.
They can improve your hand-eye coordination and help you knock out those essential reps of passing, catching, shooting, and much more.
This guide goes over our favorite lacrosse training aids currently available and how to use each to improve your game.
Lacrosse Rebounder
As many walls as there may be in the world, most are not built for the endless drumming of a lacrosse ball. Finding a solid (no pun intended) wall ball surface is like striking gold—especially one without windows nearby just asking to be shattered.
So, with proper walls in short supply, a lacrosse rebounder is an awesome alternative and investment in your development. A rebounder excels in many ways that a wall simply cannot and better mimics another player: you can adjust the height and angle of the rebound and the surface retains much more of the power put into your shot or pass than a solid wall.
If you want more information and some specific rebounders we have our eye on, check out our full lacrosse rebounders guide.
Lacrosse Goals & Portable Lacrosse Goals
Can you imagine lacrosse without goals? Yeah, we can’t either. So why do so many players tend to overlook them when it comes to individual training?
If you have the space, we definitely recommend looking into an official full-sized goal to add to your training arsenal. You can check out our rundown of the best lacrosse goals here.
Alternatively, if you find yourself on the go and needing to utilize a goal in whatever park or field you have at your disposal, a portable goal is a very worthy investment. These goals are lightweight and collapsible making them great for mimicking the height and width of a real net. You can find our top picks for the best portable lacrosse goals here.
Lacrosse Goal Backstop
So, you have your goal but before you start playing target practice with under-hand rips at the top corner, it may be best to invest in a backstop to keep from breaking your (or your neighbor’s) windows.
Beyond its necessary protection, it also keeps you from spending more time chasing balls than shooting them. Here are some great backstops to consider as a complement to your new goal.
Your Own Lacrosse Balls
This is a given for training: you need balls and as many of them as you can afford.
When you’re practicing shooting, the last thing you want is to spend most of your time chasing down the one or two balls at your disposal.
Certain drills are so much more efficient with multiple lacrosse balls at the ready, such as practicing shots from a specific location or working on alley dodges.
And of course, we have you covered with a guide to the best lacrosse balls you can buy in bulk.
Lacrosse Targets
You have the balls and you have the net, why not take your shooting practice to the next level with some targets?
There are several soft targets on the market that can be strung between the pipes to up the difficulty on your shooting practice and get you ripping corners like it’s second nature. These targets can mimic the presence of a keeper or direct your shooting to a specific spot.
Most targets on the market tend to be adjustable, adaptable and removable to any sized cage you have at your disposal.
You can check out various types of targets through Amazon and Lacrosse Monkey.
BlazePod Flash Reflex & Reaction Training System
These ain’t your pops’ cones. BlazePods take those ordinary orange markers to the next level by giving them a dose of smart technology that can help program workouts and track progress.
You can set the BlazePods out in a shuttle drill to help with reaction time, agility, and speed that are intangible to success on the field.
Additionally, you can further modify BlazePod drills to incorporate your lacrosse stick with ground balls and cradling as you work on your cutting and acceleration.
These BlazePods have also proven as a great way to up the difficulty of certain workouts such as pushups and planks. You can check out more information about BlazePods through their listing on Amazon.
TRX Suspension Training System
The last two years have really
put a premium on finding ways to get a gym-quality workout at your home, and that can prove difficult without the space and funds to invest in equipment.
The TRX Suspension System is one of the best solutions to this problem with its removable, adjustable straps that can be attached to any load-bearing thing to unlock an array of full body workouts.
These workouts use your own body weight and positioning to create some of the most difficult workouts without free weights you can possibly do. These workouts focus on core strength and functional conditioning that will improve your balance, control, and power on the lacrosse field.
You can learn more about the TRX Suspension Training System here.
Agility Ladder
You can never go wrong with the classics, including an agility ladder.
It is one of the most portable and affordable training devices you can get your hands on that will helpimprove your speed and quickness.
Tap into the myriad of movements available to navigate an agility ladder that focuses on the quick-twitch muscles that could provide that split-second advantage to beat your opponent.
We recommend going with the GHB Pro Agility Ladder.
Running Parachute
Another classic, the running parachute requires nothing more than some open space to use. It employs wind resistance caused by your own movement to help you get faster and increase leg strength.
Our pick for a running parachute comes from Kuyou and can be found here.
Weighted Vest for Lacrosse Training
As with the running parachute, a weighted vest is a classic and easy addition to any workout.
Not only can one make your day-to-day strength training more challenging, but you can also use a weighted vest during lacrosse-specific drills to make them more challenging and, subsequently, easier once you do them without the extra weight.
This is a great option if you feel as though you’ve hit a wall in your training; if what you do daily feels too easy, a weighted vest adds another layer to what may have been a walk in the park.
Our pick for a weighted vest from RUNmax can be found here.
Lacrosse Shot Velocity Gun
This is a little bit less about training in its most literal sense and more about progress: a lacrosse shot speed gun is a great tool to track your improvement in shot speed.
Radar guns can be an important addition to your process as part of training is setting goals and knowing where you are coming from as told by the true numbers.
The Bushnell Velocity Speed Gun is a great product to consider to fill this potential void in your lacrosse inventory.
Lacrosse Reaction Ball
A reaction ball is a unique tool, not specifically designed for lacrosse but is a
way to further develop those hand-eye coordination skills that are invaluable on the field.
The reaction ball bounces randomly requiring a quick recognition and reaction to its trajectory and the speed to intercept it on the bounce. If this sounds familiar, it’s because quickness in processing and movement is the foundation of lacrosse.
Check out Champro's reaction ball here.
Lacrosse Ball Return
Say you cannot afford an endless supply of balls or simply want to perform a repetitive, quick release drill that can work your throwing motion and cardio…look no further than purchasing an attachable ball return for your stick.
A ball return mimics the official feel of a lacrosse ball (weight and size) but an elastic band keeps it tethered to your stick to allow for an efficient throwing session that is perfect for a player that does not always have access to the space for a proper throwing drill against a rebounder or wall.
It’s worth noting that intermediate-to-advanced players may throw a bit too hard for this kind of training aid and they may not hold up well over time.
Younger/beginner players can check out our pick for a lacrosse ball return, B-Lax Blast Lacrosse Trainer, here.
Elevate Sports 11th Man Inflatables
Traditional targets and cones can only provide so much authenticity to the experience of facing a real goalkeeper and defense, so in stepped Elevate Sports with its 11th Man Inflatable.
The 11th Man Inflatable mirrors the size, shape, and positioning of an actual player such as a goalie between the pipes or a long pole between you and the cage.
These inflatables are great when you don’t have a goalie available or want to practice your dodging on something other than an imaginary player.
These are a great way to get the feel of competition when training on your own and work those angles that may be problematic in actual action.
You can purchase an 11th Man Inflatable via the Elevate website (goalie or defender).
SWAX Lax Numbered Lacrosse Training Balls
Now something specific for the warriors between the pipes and what sounds like one of the craziest training tools on this list: the SWAX Numbered Training Balls.
These are soft balls that still mirror the same size and weight as a traditional lacrosse ball but are labeled with different numbers. A goalkeeper trains by saving these balls as they’re shot and calling out the number labeled before the save is made.
This is a terrific training tool to improve the hand-eye coordination of a keeper, increase their reaction time and develop the quick thinking needed between the pipes to accurately read (no pun intended) an incoming shot.
Awareness drills such as this are an untapped resource in the sport and a worthy investment for any developing goalie.
You can find SWAX Lax Training Balls here.
Medicine Ball for Training Core
And we’re back to some good, ol’ fashioned training tools: a medicine ball.
Do not underestimate the value of what may have been stashed away in a closet for years: a medicine ball is a terrific addition to any core workout, increasing the difficulty to the usual ab-focused movements and opening up the door to a slew of new ones.
A focus on core training is the key to making yourself just that little bit stronger and more confident in your movement on the field.
As a medicine ball is going back to basics, there’s no better option than an Amazon Basics Medicine Ball.
