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Hockey fitness training for goalies is extremely important, yet far too often goalies ignore the gym and take the fitness side of the game far less seriously than they should. Goaltending can be one of the single most demanding positions in any given game. The demands on the body of a goaltender absolutely require training if any goalie wants to truly reach their full potential. Here are three general rules goalies should follow when training.

Lower body and core should get priority:

Sure everyone wants to work on their beach muscles, but for goalies, it should be obvious that have an incredibly strong lower body, and a strong core are the most important factors when it comes to fitness. A strong lower body and core will allow a goalie to move explosively from point to point faster and with more control and will also help minimize the chance of injury. Remember though, when you work your legs, your whole body gets a boost, so you’ll still see gains in your upper body.

Always maintain flexibility:

If you train to the point of becoming bulky, you’ll risk losing some of your flexibility, which is something goalies can’t afford to do. The key to avoiding this is to train for strength and power, not necessarily just for size (there is a difference). Also, the more you train, the more you should be focusing on your stretching and maintaining and improving your flexibility. Strength and power are exceptionally important for goalies, but never at the cost of flexibility.

Follow a good program:

Rather than just hit the gym and workout without any real plan, you should consider following a workout plan designed specifically to meet your goals as a hockey player. Consider investing in a good program that is designed with hockey in mind rather than just going with a generic program. You can either have a trainer design your program, or go with an existing training manual.