Three Hockey Goalie Exercises to Help You Stand Out in Overtime

When games go into overtime you will often hear commentators make excuse for hockey goalies and skaters because they are fatigued with the extra ice time. Being tired is never an acceptable excuse for losing. Your opponent is out there playing the same game you are, so if your excuse for losing is fatigue, then you are confessing that you did not physically prepare as well as your opponent.

There is something powerful about being physically strong and fit. When games get into the late stages, while your opponent is thinking about how tired they are, how much their back aches and how much their legs burn you can be thinking about positioning, puck movement and working your angles. Try the following hockey goalie exercises designed to improve your muscular endurance.

1. Wide Outs - builds endurance in your legs and allows you to maintain your perfect ready position.

Start in a low ready position, with your knees bent to approximately 80 degrees. Make sure you keep your chest up throughout the drill. Next, maintain your low position (your head level should not change) as you quickly hop your feet into a wide stance. Your feet will land approximately double hip width apart with your toes slightly turned outward and you knees in line with your toes. Start with three sets of 10 repetitions taking 30 seconds of rest between each set. Build up to three sets of 30 repetitions taking 45 seconds of rest between each set.

2. Stiff Legged Deadlift and Hold - one of my favourite hockey goalie exercises because it builds muscular endurance in your back extensors, glutes and hamstrings to decrease your back fatigue throughout the game.

To complete this exercise your must have a firm grasp on the neutral spine position. A neutral spine has a slight arch in the lower back, it is not rounded. Begin the exercise in a standing position with your feet hip width apart and your knees softly bent and rigid, but not locked. From this position you will slowly pivot forward from your hips (maintaining your neutral back position) until you feel a very gentle stretch in your hamstrings or the back of your thigh. If your finger tips reach beyond knee or mid-shin level you are likely cheating by rounding your back unless you are exceptionally flexible. Start by holding this position for 3 repetitions of 15 seconds. Build up to 5 repetitions of 30 seconds. You should feel it fatiguing the muscles which run along either side of your spine in your lower back and you may feel fatigue in your hamstrings. You should never feel back pain with this exercise. When you can complete five repetitions for 30 seconds with ease, you may hold a light weight (5lbs) close to your chest to increase the overload.

3. Squat and hold - a variation on the classic wall sit to build fatigue resistant quads.

The technique here is pretty basic, stand with your feet hip width apart and go into your best 80 degree squat. Make sure you back is in a neutral position, you have to keep your chest up if you are going to look big in the net. Start by holding this position for five reps of 15 seconds taking 30 seconds of rest between each repetition. Build up to five reps of 45 seconds with 30 seconds of rest between each. Good luck this one burns!

So there you have three hockey goalie exercises designed to build some bombproof legs that will keep you going strong through the third period and beyond. While your opponent is left shaking in the crease you can stand tall, ready to take the two points home.