Goaltender Preparation: The 5 Step Warm-Up For Goalies

This is an example of our Pre-Practice Goaltender Prep routine that our goaltenders would perform 30-45min before getting on the ice. We have several different variations of this, but the recipe remains the same; address soft tissue quality, followed by soft tissue length, then joint mobility, movement skills/dynamic flexibility, and finally “microdosing” strength and power with several goaltender specific exercises.

For the purposes of this article, I've adapted some of the exercises to variations that can be done with little more than a couple of thick bands and a 10lb weight plate. These are similar to what we might perform in our performance center with slightly more sophisticated equipment.

Here's the rhyme and reason behind the recipe, the specific sequencing, and the exercises themselves.

1) Soft Tissue Quality

We always want to start out here. Generally speaking, this simply means spending 5 minutes using a foam roller, lacrosse ball, and other self-massage tools to improve the quality of our muscle tissue.

What does that mean? Picture yourself holding a long rubber band. Tie a loose knot in it, and then pull from both ends….what happens to the knot? It gets tighter, and the more you stretch it, the more likely you are going to snap the band. Where will that band most likely break? Right next to the knot.

Our muscles can be thought of in a similar light. Spending a few minutes improving the quality of our tissue by performing self massage (we often refer to the foam roller as the “poor man's masseuse”) will go a long way towards reducing the likelihood of pulling a muscle, and helps to improve function.

Don't just roll sore areas. Our muscles are all interconnected, so it is important to roll all the areas listed. But if you do have a spot that is tender, don't be afraid to spend a little more time in that area, and incorporate some deep belly breathing while you do it. This can help alleviate tension.

2) Soft Tissue Length

Once we have improved the quality, the next step is to increase the length. Most goaltenders aren't going to have a problem with this part of the program, and probably need less stretching than you might think. We perform “Active Isolated Stretches,” which is just a way of saying we move in and out of end range gradually and progressively. Picture performing a “Pigeon Stretch” for the glutes/hip rotators…instead of just hanging out in the stretch position, we gently rock in and out of the stretch, gradually pushing into deeper positions. The goal here isn't to develop new, extreme ranges of motion, it's to prepare for the more dynamic movement that is coming up.

3) Joint Mobility Prep

The next step of the recipe. The ingredients are always some combination of the following:

• Ankle Mobility
• Hip Mobility
• End Range Strength
• and Thoracic Spine Mobility.

Without getting too into the weeds of joint mobility needs, we follow the “Joint by Joint” approach, which basically outlines that the body is built in an alternating fashion of joint mobility or stability demands. The ankle needs to have large ranges of motion and mobility, the knee should be relatively stable, the hip needs large ranges, the lumbar spine needs to be relatively stable, the thoracic spine needs large ranges…etc.

The specific exercises listed in this section are:

3 Way Ankle Dorsiflexion

We will perform 5 reps of dorsiflexion in three directions; diagonally over the little toe, straight forward, and diagonally over the big toe. With this, we're trying to increase range of motion about the ankle. Small improvements can have big implications on skate positioning and knee/hip health. If the ankle doesn't move well, the next joints up the body will take more stress.

“All 4” PAILs and RAILs

PAILs and RAILs is an acronym that stands for Progressive Angular Isometric Loading, and comes from a methodology called FRC, or Functional Range Conditioning. There are a whole set of concepts and methods under the FRC umbrella, but the PAILs and RAILs create progressively more forceful and controlled isometric contractions at end ranges.

We use some of these types of exercises at this point of our Pre Practice Prep to improve mobility at the hip (obviously important for goaltenders) and also increase strength at these precarious positions. Sprains, strains, and other soft tissue injuries and dysfunction often occur at end range positions.

Picture a goaltender making a beautiful kick save while extending into the split, and then getting their extended leg kicked as the defensemen trips over his goaltender in a clumsy attempt to get back into position. This unexpected contact might be more likely to lead to an injury for the goaltender, not the extended split position itself.

This is because muscles are at their weakest point when they're most extended, and this puts the joints attached to those muscles at their most vulnerable position as well. By performing the isometric contraction at the end range that is part of the PAILs and RAILs type exercises, we can train the muscles and the nervous system to be stronger and more resilient in these precarious positions.

In the “All 4” exercise, the goaltender gets into as wide a stance as they can with their knees on the ground and hands out in front for support. They then “squeeze” their groin, attempting to press their knees into the floor for :3 seconds. They then proceed to “pull” their knees out, further extending their wide position. They will repeat this for 3 reps. If you are familiar with PNF stretching or “Contract/Relax” stretching, there is a component of that going on with the PAILs and RAILs exercises.

Split Position PAILs and RAILs with Reach

This is performed in a similar fashion to the All 4, only this time the goaltender is in a “V Sit” position, with something like a heavy kettlebell or some other immovable object “anchoring” their ankles. The goalie will proceed to “Pull In” against the kettlebells, squeezing their groin, and then “Pull Back” and try to increase their range of motion. As a progression, we will add an upper body reach and various rotations, to further add full body linkage.

Split Stance 3 Way Reach

This is the final mobility exercise we will perform, and incorporates hip mobility, core stability, and thoracic spine mobility. Our goaltenders will get into a long split squat position, like they are trying to stretch their hip flexor. From this position, they will rotate and reach 3 times to the right, 3 times to the left, and 3 times overhead. We often cue them to “reach back like you're trying to catch a puck behind you."

4) Movement Skills

I won't spend a ton of time explaining here, as this is essentially a dynamic warm up, which most athletes will be familiar with. In general, we want to progress from positions/movements more “stretch based” in nature, to more dynamic and faster movements, getting closer to replicating movement patterns on the ice.

5) Neural Primer

The final part of our recipe is where we include some “position similar” exercises, in what we refer to as a “microdosing” approach. The idea of microdosing is basically to apply small amounts of highly focused “strength training” on a consistent basis. The reality in the NHL is that you get very little time for training and development in season. We play just about every other day for 8 months.

But if you don't train strength, power, speed, etc., you will lose these qualities over time. Simply training in the off season, and then hoping to “maintain” is a recipe for getting worse. So we have to be creative in how we go about applying the necessary training stress to our players, but also not overtax them. We have found that microdosing allows us to do this.

While we usually perform some of these exercises on some very specialized equipment we are fortunate enough to have access to, a similar approach can be taken with minimal equipment.

Reverse VH Rotation

In this exercise, we want to mimic the Reverse VH position, and then create a resistance that we have to rotate out of. We attach two 1” thick rubber bands to something like a pole, and then loop the other end around our opposite shoulder. From here we want to “collapse” into a crouched RVH position, and then “uncoil” ourselves away from where the band is anchored, rotating and getting taller as we do. We want to feel the down side glute extending and lifting us as we rise and rotate.

Wide Stance Short Shuffle

This exercise is designed to develop strength and explosiveness in a very position-similar capacity. While most of our general development exercises are performed in a full range of motion, in this Pre Practice Prep scenario, we want to focus on creating power with a short, hard push, like we might have to do from a wide stance with our feet set at the top of the crease. We simply use the same band from the previous exercise, set up the same way around our opposite shoulder.

We perform rapid, explosive lateral pushes as if we are taking short shuffles to move us laterally on the ice. We want to focus on driving hard and quick off the inside foot, while maintaining a strong and stable core.

Drop Step Bound

This is a goalie-specific-movement-pattern plyometric exercise that allows us to develop explosive, multidirectional power. The goaltender sets up in what would be their typical stance, as if they are at the top of the crease. They “drop step,” meaning they pick up and pull in their right foot (if they are going to move to the right, like if a pass went from the slot down to the bottom of the right circle), turning their head, shoulders, and then hips to orient themselves to explode back and diagonally, then they jump off their left leg, attempting to cover as much ground as possible. As soon as they land with their right foot, they immediately explode back to their starting position, re-square themselves, and repeat the action in the opposite direction.

Split Squat Drop and Chop

This final exercise incorporates core stability, eccentric declarative strength, and explosive power. Think of this as a total body primer just before putting your gear on. Standing in an athletic position, the goaltender holds a 10lb weight plate (or something similar) out in front of them at eye level. They immediately drop into a split squat with their left leg back, while “chopping” the plate diagonally down and towards their left hip. As they rapidly decelerate their lower body (put the brakes on fast!) And simultaneously decelerate the plate near their hip while maintaining an upright torso, they “pop” back up into the original athletic position. This is repeated on both sides.

Daily Practice for Health and Performance

At this point, we're done with our pre practice preparation routine. All in all, this should have taken around 15 minutes. In this time, we have accomplished the following:

A. Soft Tissue “Health”

B. Joint Mobility and End Range Strength

C. Dynamic Flexibility

D. Microdosing Goalie Specific Strength and Power

If performed on a daily basis, this “recipe” forms the athletic foundation to minimize injury potential and improve physical development. Many players who are unfamiliar with putting this level of detail into their “warm ups”, and may never have “strength trained” prior to getting on the ice are quick converts when they realize how much more “prepared” they feel as they step onto the ice, and how many nagging aches and pains are reduced or eliminated over the course of the year. Hopefully this article was able to shed some light on how we help our goaltenders prepare and stay healthy, and has added a few tools for your own toolbox.

About Devan

Devan McConnell is the High Performance Director of the Arizona Coyotes. Before joining Arizona in November 2020, he previously served as the Director of Performance Science and Reconditioning with the New Jersey Devils, and before that, the Head of Hockey Performance at Umass Lowell. He's the co-author of Intent: A Practical Approach to Applied Sports Science.

Twitter: @dmcconnell29

Instagram: @dmcconnell29