Quick answer
You can do real floorball training in 1–2 m², for example in a hallway, bedroom, balcony or basement corner. Focus on stickhandling, soft-hands drills, short passes against a wall and quick-feet work. Skip hard shots in tight spaces and keep the ball low and close to your stick. Eight floor tiles cover about 0.9 m² and give you a flat, snap-together surface for ball work.
Key takeaways
- Stickhandling and receiving need almost no space: 1 m² is enough.
- Choose drills that keep the ball within 40 cm of your body.
- Do not take full shots in small rooms. Use wrist-strength and quick-release work instead.
- A smooth surface makes the ball run true, and soft touches keep the noise down for neighbours.
- Short blocks of 30–60 seconds with a rest in between keep quality high.
- Protect windows, screens and furniture before you start.
What can I train in 1–2 m²?
More than most players think. Most of the touches in a game happen in a space no bigger than a doormat: you receive the ball, shift it to the side, and play it away. That is exactly what a small space trains. The table shows what fits where.
| Space | Good for | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| 1 m² (hallway, balcony corner) | Stickhandling, quick hands, toe-drags, ball control | Shooting, long passes |
| 2 m² (bedroom, basement) | The above plus short wall passes (1–2 m) and receive-and-turn | Hard shots |
| 3 m² or more (garage corner) | All of the above plus gentle wrist shots into a net or at a wall target | Slap shots near windows |
Our guide to floorball training at home shows what changes when you have more room.
What is the best surface for a small space?
A smooth, hard, level surface. Carpet slows the ball, tile or concrete can be rough on the blade, and wood floors can get scratched. Snap-together floor tiles solve all three. Each tile is 33 x 33 cm, so an 8-pack covers about 0.9 m². The Extreme Floorball Tiles 8-Pack (€79) is a good fit for a hallway or balcony. If you want more room, the 15-Pack (€139) covers about 1.6 m². The tiles are Made in Europe, designed in Sweden and tested for maximum durability.
Which stickhandling gear works best in tight spaces?
A folding trainer that you can shape yourself works well, because you can change the route without moving furniture. The Extreme Floorball Stickhandling Trainer (€69) is Made in Europe and easy to fold and carry. Place it on your tiles and practise turns, pulls and dodges around it.
Six drills for 1–2 m²
- Quick-hands taps (4 x 30 seconds). Tap the ball left and right between your blade and imaginary cones 10 cm apart. Cue: wrists relaxed, elbows soft.
- Figure-eight around two markers (4 x 40 seconds). Place two bottle caps 50 cm apart and trace a figure eight. Watch for: the ball drifting more than 40 cm from your body.
- Toe-drag and push (3 x 10 each side). Pull the ball back with the toe of the blade and push it away on the other side. Cue: bend your knees and keep your head level.
- Wall passes at 1.5 m (3 x 20). Use a sturdy wall or a rebounder and pass with a short wrist flick. Watch for: the ball popping off the blade, which means your blade is closing too early.
- Receive-and-turn (2 x 10 each side). Take the return, turn your blade across the ball and pass again. Cue: cushion the ball by moving the blade back slightly at contact.
- Heads-up counting (3 x 45 seconds). Handle the ball while a partner or a sticky note on the wall shows a number. Call it out without losing the ball.
Coach Erik's tip: In small spaces, speed is not the goal. Set a rule that you must stay within the tile area for the whole minute. If the ball leaves, restart the count. It teaches control fast.
How do I protect the room and the neighbours?
| Risk | Simple fix |
|---|---|
| Noise | Use tiles and keep drills to soft touches; save hard passes for daytime |
| Scratched floor | Train on tiles or a mat |
| Broken items | Clear shelves and move glass or screens at least 2 m away |
| Lost balls | Work against a corner or a wall so the ball stays in play |
| Strained wrists | Warm up 3 minutes and work in 30–60 second blocks |
If you later want to add shooting, the garage training zone guide shows how to build it safely.
How do I progress when the space stays small?
Small space does not mean small ambitions. You progress by changing the task, not by finding more room. Use this ladder over four weeks.
| Week | Change | Target |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Learn each drill slowly | 30 seconds without losing the ball |
| 2 | Add pace in the last 10 seconds | Clean touches at speed |
| 3 | Look up every third touch | Name an object across the room each time |
| 4 | Weaker side only for one block | Equal confidence on both sides |
I also like a simple finisher: set a timer for 60 seconds and count how many clean figure eights you can do. Write the number on a sticky note by the door. When you beat it, the note gets a new number. It takes no space and keeps motivation high. Our 20-minute daily routine shows how to fit these blocks into one tidy session.
What does a 15-minute weekly plan look like in 1–2 m²?
Short daily sessions beat one long one, and in a small space they also keep the noise low. This plan rotates the basic touches so you never repeat the same pattern two days in a row.
| Day | Focus | Reps or time | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Side-to-side touches | 4 x 40 seconds | Soft wrists, ball close to the blade |
| Tuesday | Short passes against a wall from 1.5 m | 100 passes | Receive on the blade, then pass |
| Wednesday | Figure eights | 4 x 45 seconds each direction | Head up on every third touch |
| Thursday | Backhand-only touches | 5 x 30 seconds | Turn the blade over the ball |
| Friday | Pull and push | 60 reps each side | Small movement, quick hands |
| Saturday | Mix of your three best drills | 10 minutes | Count your clean reps |
| Sunday | Rest or light stretching | - | Let the hands recover |
Each week, add about 10 percent to the reps or shave a few seconds off the rest. If your touch gets sloppy, drop back to last week's numbers for a day. In a small space, quality of touch is the whole point, so a clean 40 seconds beats a messy 60.
Common mistakes
- Trying to shoot in a hallway. Fix: do wrist-strength and quick-release work, and save shots for outdoors or the garage.
- Playing too fast. The ball escapes and the session becomes ball chasing. Fix: slow down and set a space limit.
- Training on a carpet. Fix: lay tiles or move to a smooth floor.
- Ignoring posture. Bent backs get sore quickly. Fix: bend your knees, not your back.
- Training for too long. Fix: stop after 15–20 minutes. Small spaces are intense on the wrists.
FAQ
How much space do I need for floorball drills?
One square metre is enough for stickhandling and quick-hands drills. Two square metres lets you add short wall passes. Shooting needs more room and a net.
Can I train floorball in an apartment?
Yes. Use soft touches, train on tiles or a mat, and keep sessions to 15–20 minutes. Avoid hard passes late in the evening to keep the neighbours happy.
What is the best surface for small-space floorball training?
A smooth, hard, flat surface. Snap-together tiles (33 x 33 cm each) are ideal because they snap together and can be rebuilt to fit any space.
Can I practise passing alone in a small room?
Yes, against a wall or a rebounder at 1.5–2 m. Keep the passes short and controlled and use soft, quick wrist movements.
How often should I do small-space drills?
Daily is fine for 10–20 minutes, as long as you warm up and rest your wrists if they feel sore. Combine them with team practice and a weekly shooting session.
Are small-space drills useful for kids?
Very. Children build ball control quickly with short, playful drills. Keep each block to 30 seconds and turn it into a game, such as counting touches.
Summary
Small spaces are an advantage for ball control. With 1–2 m², a smooth surface and six simple drills you can improve your touch every day. Add tiles for a flat, snap-together surface and a stickhandling trainer for variety. For more ideas, explore the Floorball Training hub and follow us on Instagram @better_floorball.
