Every Monday I post your #MobilityMonday exercise over on Instagram (@goalietraining) and this week it was a really subtle one POF Staggered Stance Rotation. One of our Shutout Academy goalies asked, what’s the POF all about?
Great question.
POF is pelvis on femur rotation.
WARNING: strength coach geek-speak ahead
You can drive hip rotation from the femur or from the pelvis.
So if you drive it from the femur (FOP rotation) you would lift one foot off the ground and rotate your thigh inward and outward – or point your knee cap inward and outward by turning your thigh.
That is an open chain example, we can also do closed chain FOP, but let’s talk about that anther day.
When you do POF rotation you keep your foot on the ground, you keep your knee cap pointing straight ahead and you rotate your pelvis inward and outward. The video shows it the best…
If you can’t see the video above, here is a link directly to the FB page > > https://business.facebook.com/GoalieTrainingPro/videos/10155236950682603/
So why is this important?
Great question and the answer is because you do a lot of this type of rotation on the ice and you actually use your muscles a little differently when you do POF vs FOP rotation.
When you are in your in your RVH or sealing your post from a standing position as you rotate to keep your eyes on the puck as that Gretzky wannabe keeps working side to side behind your net – you are using POF rotation.
If you ever find that when you are sealing your right post with your right pad, but when you turn to look over your left shoulder that pad is pulling off the post and opening a gap… you aren’t doing a great job of rotating your pelvis on your femur.
When you try POF rotation as part of your mobility routine (I suggest using it before you get on the ice for games or practice), you will notice a side to side difference.
One side might have more range or be smoother where the other side might be a bit choppy. Not to worry, it just means you need to get better acquainted with the pattern. This drill will help.
Do 5 each way, each side and go slowly to actually feel the quality of movement on each side.
Have a beauty day!
M
PS – hey, if you are a forward or d-man who has been waiting to get your hands on the Hockey Training Blueprint, you can get it until the end of the day Monday, May 15th, then it goes back in the vault until next off-season. CLICK HERE to learn more.