I had a question last week from someone looking for an in-season goalie workout.  Although I swear I have posted a couple of them over the years, I searched the site and could not find one at all – – so I am going to remedy that one right now.  Check out the video below to see each exercise, and then I will give you the breakdown of sets/reps and why you should do each exercise below.

I try to limit in-season strength workouts to 20-30 minutes and have players do them at least twice per week, I wrote an article a while back showing you how to work your training around your games, so you might want to refer back to that.

Here’s how your in-season goalie workout breaks down:

A: MB Rotary Pass – 2×6 each way.  Use a relatively light med ball 4-8lbs.  The purpose is maintain your rotary power to help you pass the puck better.

A1: Glider Squat Lateral – 2×6 each leg.  I love this exercise for goalies because it lets you over load one leg while putting the adductors (groins) of the other leg on a stretch under tension – nice for reducing your risk of groin strains.

B: 4-Way Hip – 2×8 each way.  This one takes a while and you might find that the leg you are standing on gets more fatigued than the leg that is actually moving.  This is because while the one leg is ‘doing the work’ the other leg is working to stabilize.  Think of this one as the equivalent of rotator cuff exercises for a baseball pitcher.

B1: Contra DB Row – 2×6 each.  Again, this one works prime movers – the muscles of the mid-back and biceps, but it also requires stabilization from the hip of the leg you are standing on as well as your back extensors.  You know the ones that get tired when you are holding your ready position?

B2: Push Up to Superman – 2×4 each side.  You know I love the push up because it requires strength from your chest, triceps and anterior deltoids (shoulders), but it also requires stabilization from the knees, hips, core and shoulders.  Do you see a theme?  Do you see how lots of these exercises are working both movers and stabilizers?  I have added the superman to give your core more challenge – you will find this one tough, tough, tough.  Make sure you brace a little with your abdominals before you attempt to lift one arm and the opposite leg.

The Answers To Your Questions…

Q: Can I do more than two sets?
A:  Yes, you can do three sets if your heart is set on it.

Q: Can I do the workout more than twice per week?
A: Yes, you can do it three times per week or as much as every other day if you wish.

Q: Do I still need to stretch if I do this workout?
A: Yes you do!

So gang, there is a nice quick in-season goalie workout that most of you can do at home using some dumbbells, a med ball and a resistance band.  I hope it helps you maintain or even build some strength during the season.  As always start slow, get the technique perfect before you start worrying about adding overload.

Let me know what questions you have below please.
Cheers,
Maria