Serious Goalkeeping has partnered with
CrossFit Halifax to offer the best and most comprehensive fitness program
for goalkeepers in Atlantic Canada.
The Serious Goalkeeping Strength and Conditioning program is designed to improve
Speed, Power, Strength, Coordination, Agility, and Flexibility which will aid the
goalkeeper in all aspects of his performance.
Goalkeepers will be fitness tested (see our - Fitness Tests) prior to the start of training (day 1), mid-way
through the training, and at the completion of the training (final day). By fitness
testing players can measure their progress and begin to set future personal fitness
goals.
The program will improve vertical jump, horizontal jump, running speed over short
distances, durability (ability to endure physical contact and avoid serious injury),
muscular endurance (train harder, train longer), kicking distance, throwing distance,
kinesthetic sense, and gymnastic
ability.
Another new and unique component to the Strength and Conditioning program is 'Vision
Training'. The importance of the ability of the goalkeeper to be able to track the
ball cannot be over emphasized. The goalkeeper is also required to track opponents
positions using peripheral vision among other things. The goalkeeper must also be
able to 'block out' other unimportant visual stimulus (the fans, etc.) while playing.
Vision training is also important for improving eye-hand coordination as well as
eye-foot coordination. Both of which are of monumental importance to the goalkeeper.
This program is not about having 20/20 vision. Hopefully you will have already had
a proper eye exam by an optometrist over the last year, and if you haven't then
you should immediately. 20/20 vision is only part of the visual experience. This
program is designed to improve visualization skills (seeing with the mind's eye),
eye movement skills, focusing skills, peripheral visual awareness, and visual perception
skills. The eyes are controlled by a series of small muscles, and as we know, muscles
can be strengthend and their ability to function faster improved. The program will
incorporate a series of simple exercises for this purpose.
The program will incorporate the use of medicine balls, hurdles, agility ladders,
gymnastic mats, visual training aids, light weights, stability balls, soccer balls,
and more. Goalkeepers will also be engaged in position specific exercises that incorporate
diving, jumping, falling, catching, etc.