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[–]theo2112 1 point2 points  (2 children)


One thing I see right off the bat is your movement. When you move around in the crease you are not shuffling or sliding. Each time you move you're turning your foot to push and glide along your blade. This is a very inefficient movement since each time you reposition yourself, you are also turning your pad surfaces away from the shooter.

In your next practice, or ice session, try to move around while facing a fixed point. Don't turn your legs. Force yourself to slide across your skate blade. This is very difficult, and will not come easily at first, but when you get it down you'll glide around the crease with so much more efficiency and you'll be in the right position faster which will instantly lead to better results.

Try to work on doing "good" bursts of 20-30 seconds, instead of "so-so" ones of 30-60. Its going to burn all along your thighs, and thats the idea. You need to strengthen your legs so they can push against the 'bite' of your blades.



Thanks, I'll work on this. I'm comfortable with shuffling, I'm just not fast with it, so I resort to pushes to relocate instead of shuffles. With practice it should become easier.

[–]theo2112 1 point2 points  (0 children)


A good drill for this:

Picture a box with 4 points. The two goal posts, and two cones at least 6 feet straight in front of each post. Starting on the left post, t-push out to the top right (as you're looking from the goal line) cone, drop and make a butterfly save, pop up, shuffle across to the top left, butterfly, pop up, skate straight back to the left post, shuffle across to the right post, t-push to the top left cone, butterfly, pop up, shuffle to the top right, butterfly, pop up, skate back to the right post. Thats 1. Rest for 15-30 seconds, then repeat but instead of butterfly's, do a poke check, then rest 30-45 seconds. Repeat, but at each point try to lay flat on your back, then recover (you basically sit, then recline, then instantly recover) rest 45-60 seconds. Repeat last time and at each point do a poke check, then barrel roll. With each of the 'non-saves' you're focusing on two things. First to keep yourself in control and not flail around. Second to recover back to your feet quickly. You are never as well prepared for a shot as you are when one both feet in your stance. From that position you have full range of motion. The faster you can get back to that the better. As your skills evolve (like really far) you can learn to adapt and be mobile from the butterfly as is the new normal in the top level goalies. But you need to crawl before you can run.

This drill is a nightmare when you do it right... enjoy.