Is there too much emphasis on speed for goalies?
That’s an odd question isn’t it?
And the answer is “Yes”
…and “No”.
How’s that for wishy-washy?
Let me explain.
The answer depends on your current abilities and training program. If your conditioning and “speed” training always leave you in a crumpled heap on the ice or on the floor in the gym, then for you the answer is probably “No”. In fact you probably need more emphasis on pure speed.
But if you spend lots of your time on the ice working pure power – moving from post to post or one knee down to the top of your crease or doing power cleans in the gym, then your actual speed might be pretty good, you are a sprinter.
The problem is, you need to be a repeat sprinter. That’s what makes your position so challenging.
Over in the Shutout Academy we were talking about how post-to-post speed is great, but what you need is post-to-post-to-butterfly-to-RVH-to-post-speed.
See what I mean?
You need explosive lateral agility, but also lightning fast vertical agility and the ability to repeat those movements with a stable torso and strong focus for 15, 30, 87 seconds or more at a time.
That is what separates you from the good goalies.
Over in the Shutout Academy, our challenge for this month (we have a new one every month) is 60s sprint ability. We are testing it using the bike so we can quantify the actual progress, but I also created 3 NEW 60s Goalie Specific Circuits that they can do anywhere as part of their training.
Here’s one that you can try…
Just a little warning first. This circuit is tough, so if you have not been doing any goalie specific training or agility training to this point, DON’T start with this workout. It might feel just fine for the first round, but after the 3rd or 4th round it is going to be brutally tough to keep your form and your speed.
I am posting the two other 60s Stamina Circuits in the FREE Resources section of the ShutOut Academy. Click HERE to get them.
Start with three rounds and rest for 2-minutes between rounds (NOT between exercises).
Cheers,
M
PS – no one is so fit that a 60s circuit like this will be easy. The more fit you are, the more distance you will cover, but it will never be easy. So if you finish a few rounds and think – that was easy because I am super fit – think again 🙂 It was easy because you were not pushing yourself as hard as you could.