Goaltender Specific Movement Training- The Drop Step
Goaltenders are unique in many ways. They wear different equipment, they are usually a bit odd, and they certainly have different movement requirements from that of the rest of the team. Because of their tendency to be individuals in a team sport, it is important to treat them the same as the rest of the players. I believe they should do the same workouts in the weight room, should condition the same way, and be held accountable for their physical development just like the rest of the team. However, I think that advanced movement training should differ slightly for goaltenders, as this is one of the few areas of strength and conditioning which “position specifics” come into play.
Goaltenders have different movement mechanics from skaters. While initially performing the same basic movement drills as other players to build important fundamentals, there may come a time when some modification to the movement training will be beneficial to the goaltender. Learning and performing the drop step is an example of how the specific movement of the goaltender differs from that of a skater, and traditional drop step mechanics that are based on the movement of ground-based sports may not be the best option.
With a field athlete or a skater, execution of a proper drop step includes good hip separation. The reason for this is so that the subsequent step will be performed with good front side mechanics, allowing for maximal ground reaction force. This is slightly different from the drop step that goaltenders perform. For one, ground (or really, ice) reaction force of the lead foot is not of concern for the goaltender, since a drop step in the crease turns into what is known as a “T-Glide”. The lead foot will not be called upon to create drive on the ice like it is in a skater; instead it will simply dictate the direction of the push. There is no first or second step for the goaltender, only a first push. In fact, there should not even be a second push. If one is not enough, then the goaltender is out of position.
Secondly, the goaltender never wants to pick his feet up off the ice more than what is necessary. The closer to the ice the feet stay, the quicker he can drop to make a save, or put the brakes on and change direction. Elite goaltenders may actually never take their blades off the ice while in the crease. The proper on ice drop step allows the goaltender to open his hips, load the back leg adequately to create the necessary drive, and move quickly and efficiently back towards the post from the top of the crease.
As a field or court athlete performs a drop step, they will create drive off the back leg in an effort to begin covering ground. At the same time, the lead hip will open and the knee and foot will move towards the direction the player needs to move. The foot will be dorsiflexed and the knee driven up, so that when the first foot plant occurs force is generated and transferred effectively into the first step. The mechanics of a skater will be very similar. For the goaltender, the hip opens so that the lead knee and foot is pointed in the direction of intended travel; however the knee is not raised. The lead foot should tuck underneath the hips while the backside leg is initiating the push. Because there is no “first step”, only a “first push”, that push needs to generate as much force as possible. By bringing the foot underneath the hips instead of just rotating it in place (an old fashioned T-Glide), the back leg can be properly loaded.
This might at first look slow, as it will take more time to swing the front foot back under the hips than to just point it in the right direction, but in reality it is no different from a good ground sport athlete or a skater utilizing a strong first push to create maximal drive. The feet may look slow, but the distance covered is greater in the same amount of time.
The last major difference in an on ice drop step vs. a regular drop step is the recovery of the back leg. Skaters and field athletes will drive the back leg forward, again creating good hip separation which then allows a powerful next step. On the ice, the goaltender needs to square the hips to the puck. To accomplish this he will either come to a stop on his front leg and bringing the back leg into his stance, or drop the lead knee onto the ice while pulling the back knee into the 5 hole, sliding into a save.
When designing off ice movement drills for goaltenders, keep these thoughts in mind. Small adjustments to foot placement and hip separation, as well as emphasizing changes in direction instead of transferring the drop step into linear motion will go a long way towards improving the movement abilities of your goaltenders.
