How to Stay in the Game when Shots Are Sparse

One of the most challenging things for a goalie of any age or experience can be staying in the game when he's not facing a lot of shots. If this situation is not handled correctly the enemy can shift from the opposition's attacks' to the goaltender himself. The potential challenges that arise from long periods of time without shots are the tendency to:

1. Not stay in the moment, i.e. too much time to think. As we all know, it is easy when not mentally and physically active for the untrained mind to wonder, the tendency to either dwell on past goals, think of future results or even go through the days event in one's mind.
2. Get cold, if enough time passes without being active a goalie can become not fully warmed up or physically prepared for a quick odd man rush or breakaway, a time when a big save is needed.

With these potential psychological and physical issues identified the following tools can be used to turn a normally tough situation into a strong game and more often than not a solid team WIN.

1. Positive affirmations: a technique used by many NHL goalie's such as Ryan Miller involves running through positive statements before and during a game to keep one's mind sharp, involved and ready. Repeating statements such as: “I remain sharp and ready even when I'm not facing a ton of shots”, “I read the play effectively, and I am always one step ahead”, “I play big in my net”, “I am patient, I let the shooter make the first move”, “I am the image of calm and control”, “I battle to find the puck through screens”, “I communicate effectively with my teammates”, “I focus on one save at a time”, “I track the puck off the stick directly into my body and control my rebounds” etc.

2. Focused breathing: Martin Brodeur when asked about how he prepares for games (as well as stays sharp on a team with such good defense as the Devils) talked about taking “lots of deep breathes”. One of the best ways to stay in the moment is to focus on the deep breathes entering your nose (notice the cool rink air going in) and the warm air on the way out. When the puck is down at the other end just pay attention to what your breathe is doing, follow the puck and watch the play develop. Studies show that the mind can only think about one thought at a time, and what better way to stay in the moment than simply focus on one breathe at a time while watching the game you love.

3. Game situations and stretching: Lastly, with the mind under control it is equally important to keep the body warm and ready for any challenging situations it might face. Two good ways to do this are to either run through game situations in one's mind or actually go through the movements during stoppages of play. The other is to routinely stretch to stay loose and ready. Both of these will not only benefit a goaltender physically but if they are done with focus and execution will also benefit one's mind. The tendency with games where there are little shots against is for opposing teams to get the odd high quality scoring opportunity. Our job as a successful goalie is to make timely saves that keep the momentum in your team's favor and give them the best possible chance to win.

With one or all of these techniques in practice, you will notice a more calm, consistent and prolonged focus. Remember to have fun, communicate with your teammates at all times, and play the puck in order stay into the games at all times.

The culmination of my summer's work

Here it is!

A compilation of a few goalie specific exercises feat. Jeremie Dupont, developed/modified in conjunction with Whitney Card & Karly Smith of Athletic Republic Vaughan, Canada (416.970.8504).

These inserted into a regular strength training programs can help hockey goaltenders and hockey players alike to develop explosive power through their hips, core, legs and arms, as well improve flexibility and range of motion for injury prevention. Gains that will be apparent on ice as, mobility + balance which will greatly be improved helping goalies to get into position faster and make more effortless as well as controlled saves.

Video demonstrates exercises shown in the gym which are then followed up by the on ice goaltender specific movements they compliment thus providing method to the madness.

This is by no means comprehensive, and many other exercises should be included to create a well rounded goalie specific strength program.

Enjoy!

Nike's brilliant SPARQ marketing benefits us all

Until I get my video stuff sorted out...

This website should lay out a great foundation for those who are starting to kick it into gear, a lot of these use light/or no weights and work on athletic ability as well as a lot of core and speed related drills. All of which give any person a great head start.

http://www.nike.com/nikeos/p/niketraining/en_CA/

If you start with this, and follow up in the next few weeks to see what the rest of the summer looks like you'll be well on your way to stopping more pucks.

Sorry for the delay... these should get you started though and should be done throughout the summer once or two days a week along with weights and lots of stretching!

Have fun!

Dupes

New off-season, New Ideas.

As I'm entering my second week of training I find myself coming up with plenty of new position specific exercises which seem to maintain explosive power as well as improve my flexibility while all at the same time activating my core and stabilizer muscles...

I'm not going to pretend that I'm revolutionizing the side lunge or even squats per say, but I am coming up with some great new alternatives. I've found that with a little creativity you can make these exercises more challenging, more sport specific, and most importantly more fun.

As I am unable to find anything close to them on the internet I will be adding some demonstration videos within the next week. So keep an eye out you wont want to miss them.

Some other ideas I've found myself coming up with include the use of super sets to activate both slow twitch and fast twitch muscles within a short amount of time. It's great to be strong and be able to lift a lot but the last thing you want to do in my opinion, is be slowed by your training. So what I'll do for example is:

Medium Weight Front Squats 135 lbs) followed directly by box jumps as high as you can. Hip height for jumps would be a good starting point. And if you work at it, you should eventually be able to jump as high as your nipple line and even higher. ;-)

Front Squat low explode on the way up:


Follow that up with some high (higher than the following video) box jumps or some penta jumps as shown in the second video:



Or these depending on if you'd like to work for height or length:



In the case of upper body and along the same lines controlled and slow-er to fast and equally controlled...

Swiss ball bench press is a variation on traditional bench press which uses free weights and more core to keep yourself balanced:



Followed directly by Plyo or Clap push ups (no video for now sorry guys)...

Basically follow the above exercise with push ups that are slow on the way down and then a fast explosive push up where you leave the ground and either clap then go back down or push your hands to a slightly higher platform then drop back down and do it again.

Do these super sets with little to no rest between exercises then take a solid break before you begin the next set

In the next few days I will be creating individual sample workouts for specific days of the week and although most of the workouts I've been doing involve the whole body and always the core, they will be divided in to days where lower body, and upper body are focused on.

They will be a good start or addition for anyone looking for a complete summer regimen, as they will be rather basic, and will provide a solid foundation for anyone looking to build with me as the summer progresses.

Keep your eye on the (blog) puck!

Dupes

First workout back! First workout back...

After a 3 week break where I simply relaxed and finished up school, while doing some stretching, and occasionally playing racquetball/golf with my team and housemates. I was put (and pushed through) my first workout by my long time friend and high performance trainer Raffi Pirjanian yesterday, at a soccer field near my house.

As looking forward to it as I was, my excitement was quickly dampened by how hard I was breathing and how much my lungs felt like they were burning... I was reminded of how much temporary misery the first day or week back can bring. Although I felt quick, and like I had a lot of "pop" in my legs, they definitely weren't able to go for as long as months prior when I was in the peak of my conditioning due to my teammates and super motivator/conditioner Dean Blais.

My workout was as follows:

Warm up:
2 laps around the field

Ten minutes of dynamic warm ups such as (videos in days to follow):
Butt kicks
Quad stretch
High knees
Knee to chest
Shuffles
Elbow pushing the thigh alternating squats
Elbow to instep back on the heel (a UNO maverick hockey specialty)
Lunges
Lateral lunges
Inchworm with push ups
Skips
Arm circles to big
Standing Twists

To get started:

15 yards sprints alternating starting foot

25 yard shuttles there and back 4 times. x 2

Using a line on the field or an agility latter:
Quick feet drills followed by 5 yard sprint

Change of direction drills with cones every ten yards for a total 30:

Sprint-shuffle-sprint
Backpedal-sprint
Karaoke-sprint-Karaoke

Using a 10 lbs medicine ball a circuit done x 3:

20 squats with extended arms holding ball in front of eyes
5 long jumps for length out and 5 back
16 scissor jumps for height
12 Reverse wood chops from low to high (for core, power, and extension through hips)

Using a bench 2 feet high:

3 sets:
8 continuous sideways jumps over the bench

Lastly... the killer... 20s

30 yards cones at each end... all I was told was to do it as fast as I could and that I was going to get through it no matter what...

Killer 20's:

20 push ups
Sprint to cone
19 sit ups
Sprint back to cone
18 push ups
Sprint to cone
17 sit ups
...

You get the point.

I did get through it, and it was definitely unpleasant at the time, but when I was done, I felt like I had taken a big step towards my goal for this summer:

To get stronger and more flexible while remaining fast, explosive and quick like I've always been.


Thanks for checking in, keep having fun and working hard.

Jeremie

3 Years Ago There Was my Freshman Training... Next come see how it has evolved.