According to a report by US Lacrosse, participation in the sport almost doubled from about 250,000 athletes in 2001 to over 480,000 in 2007.

Ever hear of the term, "you can't train size"? With team sports like football and basketball, size matters. You only need one hand to count the number of 5'6" pro football or basketball players out there.

Lacrosse is different. It's a sport combining the skills of basketball, soccer and hockey, however, you don't have to be big or even strong to play. Male or female, coordination and agility are the two most important skills needed to be a successful LAX player. Add quickness and balance and you'll have the tools to excel in the sport.

Speed is somewhat of a genetic gift. Although small gains can be made in speed from training, it's mostly dependent on the volume of each athlete's fast twitch muscle fiber composition; purely genetic. Balance on the other hand is trainable. The gains must be continuously worked on to be maintained, but lacrosse, like other coordination dependent skill sports like baseball and golf require the same repetitive training to stay sharp.

Vew-Do Balance Boards are the perfect training tool for lacrosse players at every experience level. Practicing repetitive lacrosse training drills on a Vew-Do Balance Board forces the athlete to execute movement from a balanced state and adapt to balance recovery methods to bring the athlete back to center after loss of balance.

Below, you will find a short list of lacrosse skills you can perfect using a Vew-Do Balance board followed by a set of sport specific lacrosse balance training, balance recovery and basic skill sharpening drills.

• Throwing
• Catching
• Shooting
• Cradling
• Passing
• Checking

Make it a habit to try and drill with your equipment on. This goes for most sports, but even more so for lacrosse and football. Here's the description of some training drills you can practice using the Vew-Do Board:

Wall Ball - Balance yourself on the Vew-Do Board, cradle, then toss the ball into a concrete, cinderblock or brick wall and catch it on the rebound. Mark a specific part of the wall with an X or a box and aim for the target. Switch hand and foot positions and repeat. Here's a money saving tip ... avoid areas with glass windows and doors.

Active Catching & Throwing - Using a partner, practice catching and throwing while you're balancing on the Vew-Do. Even if you only have access to one Vew-Do Board, alternate between the person on the board and the person off the board. Having a board for each player is best.

Perturbation Training - This is an offensive and defensive checking exercise. Center yourself on the Vew-Do Board and have a teammate try to disrupt your balance by lightly pushing, shoving or faking contact. Practice recovering balance due to contact from upper, mid-section and lower body contact. For more perturbation training exercises, click here.

The Zippy is the best Vew-Do Balance Board model for LAX players. With its concave Maple riding deck and easy entry outrigger rock, the Zippy designed for controlled heel/toe and intermediate level balance training. The Zippy is also a multi-sport, multi-use balance board. It offers the user the versatility of plyometric, strength and endurance training.

Go lacrosse, go Vew-Do and go Zippy. Click on the link below for more info.

By: Rick Contrata