We dive into an insightful Q&A session with Maria Mountain, an exercise physiologist who has dedicated her career to working with hockey goalies.
One of the first questions came from Goalie Gear Nerd, who asked for a core exercise recommendation for a young goalie around the age of 11. Maria emphasized the importance of not just core strength, but also core “smarts” – the ability to properly utilize and control the core’s connection between the lower and upper body. Maria’s recommended exercise was a single-knee balance drill, which challenges both hip and core stability simultaneously. This exercise, she explained, helps young goalies develop the positional awareness and control needed to maintain balance and power transfer during key movements on the ice.
Another question came from a viewer asking about the potential vulnerabilities of goalies with hypermobility and how to prevent related injuries. Drawing from her extensive experience working with athletes, Maria shared her observations that hypermobile individuals are indeed more prone to certain overuse injuries. The key, she emphasized, is not just to increase range of motion through stretching, but to teach these athletes how to control and utilize that mobility as a tool. By developing the awareness and neuromuscular control to own every inch of their range of motion, hypermobile goalies can minimize their injury risk and maximize the benefits of their flexibility.
When asked about the psychological traits of the best goalies she has worked with, Maria highlighted several key characteristics: a short memory, a love for the game, consistency, and the ability to control what they can control while taking responsibility for their own performance. These mental qualities, she explained, allow elite goalies to maintain their focus and resilience in the face of both success and adversity.
02:15 One core exercise you would recommend for a young goalie?
05:15 Do you know if goalies with hypermobility are more prone to injuries?
07:53 What Psychological Traits Do The Best Goalies Have?
If you have any questions for Maria, please reach out to help[at]goalietrainingpro.com
That’s all for this week! See you next time!