Goalie Training Tips: Success in the Off Season

At Goalie Army Academy, we discuss the need for highly technical goalie training to ensure that efficiency comes through when applied to games.  Unfortunately, many goaltenders looking to get a leg up on their competition during the off season are not training productively.  Are you one of them?

Time Out

For many, the result of the season may determine when training begins, and how hard athletes push themselves during the off season.  No matter the result of the previous season, it is essential for goaltenders (and all athletes) to take a break from their sport for a few reasons.

Healing

Hockey can be hard on an athlete’s body.  Some athletes who have played with nagging/recurring injuries, may actually welcome the end of the season.  This enables the healing of injuries and allows athletes to seek proper medical attention and physiotherapy.

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

No matter how much you love the sport, taking a short break from it is allows the athlete an opportunity for reflection on their season.  In order to progress as an athlete, allowing your heart a chance to miss being on the ice will help to ensure that goalie training throughout the off season is accomplished at the best of your ability.

Dreading going to the arena or gym, will not allow you to maximize your gains from your goalie training.  Instead, give yourself the chance to miss, and love the sport again.

Is All Ice, Good Ice?

Unfortunately, unorganized spring and summer hockey may be one of the worst culprits for the technical regression of goaltenders.

In some cases, a lack of intensity, skill, coaching, and flow of the game can result in creating a breeding ground for poor technical habits for goaltenders.  Instead, when taking to the ice, attention to detail and technical improvements to promote efficiency during goalie training sessions should be one’s priority.

On-Ice Goalie Training

A common goalie training mistake is remaining in exercise stations for too long, or taking too many shots.  Sounds weird, I know.  But although it may be a great workout, it’s not productive for the goaltender’s overall technical development.

All on-ice goalie training should simulate game situations while matching the pace of a game via interval training exercises.  Therefore, frequent training intervals followed by regular short rest periods during on-ice training will allow goaltenders to do each exercise at the best of their physical ability while applying proper technique.  This allows the mind to recognize in-game scenarios from their training, and apply the proper techniques efficiently.

If goaltenders are looking for a good workout, then seeking out an off-ice personal trainer and gym membership, or signing up for spring/summer sports may be the best option to progress physically, while saving parents money.

Be Flexible

When speaking to students about their off season plans, I frequently hear that they’ll be looking to become faster, obtain more explosive power, play the puck with more effectiveness, etc.  However, I rarely hear that students want to work on flexibility.

Being flexible is essential to athletes, especially for goaltenders.  Therefore, take 15-20 minutes per day to work on flexibility by incorporating it into your off-ice workout plan.  Another option is to look into yoga or Pilates to combine flexibility with balance and stability.  You won’t be sorry that you tried it.

Manage Expectations

Many young athletes have their ultimate goals burning images of glory into their minds.  But they are getting ahead of themselves.

Although having long term goals in mind is a good idea, segmenting the off season into manageable, feasible goals is essential to one’s progression.

Break down the off season with weekly and monthly goals.  This will help to hold yourself accountable, easily track your achievements, and stay on target to accomplish your end-of-off-season goals that you have set for yourself.

 

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