It may not have been perfectly “weekly,” but Maria from Goalie Training Pro TV returned for another live Q&A after a busy February. Between travel to Toronto and family commitments—like taking her mom to the eye clinic—it had been a minute since the last session. With that, it was time to get everyone caught up.
Before diving into the mailbag, Maria addressed a surge of Instagram notifications. Earlier that day, she had posted an offer for her Edge Assessment, a tool she uses when speaking with goalies about their training. The purpose of the assessment is simple but powerful: determine where a goalie currently stands, where they want to go, and whether their current training path is truly leading them there.
Unlike many online coaches, Maria doesn’t automate the process.
She explained that she doesn’t use chatbots or instant auto-replies. If someone comments requesting the assessment, she personally responds and sends the link. With a small, carefully selected group of goalies she works with, her focus isn’t scale—it’s quality. She prefers meaningful conversations over mass automation and values building strong, productive working relationships.
With that clarified, it was time for hockey talk.
Off-Ice Training for Pad Slides and Ankle Mobility
The first mailbag question came from a goalie asking about off-ice exercises to improve the ability to lift the pad knee during a slide stop after a butterfly push. They also wondered whether ankle flexibility might help improve edge control.
Maria’s answer was clear: this isn’t a mobility issue—it’s a stability and strength issue.
When pushing laterally, the ankle should remain neutral and aligned with the tibia. Turning the ankle to “grab” the edge doesn’t create power; it actually reduces it. The difficulty in lifting the pad knee after a slide is typically rooted in balance and stability, not range of motion.
Her recommendation?
Work on single-knee balance.
Practicing in a half-kneeling position and lifting the front foot off the ground can build the stability needed to control the body during butterfly transitions. The ability to decelerate cleanly comes from strength and balance—not additional ankle stretching.
Protecting Young Goalies: Preventing Long-Term Hip Damage
A concerned parent raised a bigger question: how can goalies avoid serious hip issues, like needing a hip replacement at a young age?
Maria acknowledged that goaltending places unusual demands on the body. Not everyone is structurally built for it. Hip anatomy varies—some athletes have hips that naturally favor internal rotation (advantageous for goalies), while others are biased toward external rotation, which can increase stress.
But she also emphasized perspective.
Every sport carries wear and tear. Marathon runners risk joint strain. Football players absorb repeated impacts. Even elite athletes like Lindsey Vonn accepted the risks of their sport in exchange for pursuing their passion.
The key, especially for young goalies, is managing load during developmental years.
Maria strongly discourages excessive specialization in children—particularly those under 14 and those going through major growth spurts. Extra goalie camps, spring hockey, and constant butterfly repetition aren’t necessary at that age.
Instead, she recommends:
- Keeping the sport fun
- Limiting overuse
- Developing skating skills
- Playing multiple sports
- Building general athleticism
The goal for young athletes isn’t perfect RVH technique at age 10—it’s falling in love with the game.
Skate Buckle Modification: Does It Damage Pads?
Another viewer asked about Maria’s skate modification videos on Goalie Training Pro TV. She had replaced traditional ankle laces with a rollerblade-style buckle, allowing for a looser foot fit and tighter ankle support.
The concern: Does the buckle wear down goalie pads?
In Maria’s experience, it doesn’t. The buckle sits more along the side of the skate, while the pad contacts the front. However, she noted that she only plays once or twice per week as a recreational goalie. If wear ever became noticeable, she suggested a simple solution—apply duct tape to the contact point so friction hits the tape instead of the pad.
Practical. Simple. Effective.
Butterfly Pushes: Why You’re Spinning in Circles
A live question came in from Eleanor, who had recently begun practicing butterfly pushes but kept spinning unintentionally.
Maria explained that the issue is often stability—not raw strength.
To improve control:
- Brace the core (think gentle abdominal tension, not crunching).
- Engage the glutes.
- Focus on a steady push rather than a panic shove.
- Practice pushing slowly for control before worrying about speed.
- Try pushing with the skate lightly braced against the boards to feel alignment.
She also recommended considering skate blade profiling, which she credits as a game-changer in her own development as an adult beginner goalie. Proper profiling can dramatically improve push mechanics, pivoting ability, and overall balance in the butterfly.
Her YouTube channel features videos like:
- How to Butterfly Push for Beginner Goalies / Adult Goalies
- Maximizing Agility: The Science Behind Goalie Blade Profiling
- How Skate Blade Profiling Affects Your Game
For many goalies, profiling makes pushing feel natural rather than forced.
Stopping High Shots Over the Shoulder
The final question tackled a classic frustration: shots sailing over the shoulder while in the butterfly.
Maria humbly reminded viewers that she’s not a goalie coach—her expertise is strength training. But she shared her personal approach.
As a 5’6” recreational goalie, her strategy centers on patience. Rather than automatically dropping into the butterfly on every shot, she tries to wait and react. She’d rather get scored on while standing—because she waited—than drop early and give shooters the top corner.
On breakaways or close-range shots, however, she commits to the butterfly and plays the percentages. If someone roofs it from in tight? Credit the shooter.
Her philosophy:
Try different strategies like trying on jeans—if it fits your game, keep it. If not, move on.
The Q&A wrapped with gratitude, encouragement, and a reminder: improvement isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing the right things, at the right time, for the right reasons.
And sometimes, it’s just about enjoying the game. As always, if you have any questions, please reach out to help[at]goalietrainingpro.com.
Cheers until next week.