Welcome to Performance Goalkeeping Newsletter Issue 2. This issue is the first in a series of three written by John Cone covering goalkeeper strength and fitness training.

John Cone is a former goalkeeping coach in the MLS, currently a PhD student in exercise science, and coach educator for US Soccer. John holds an M.S. in exercise physiology and runs a fitness consulting company: Cone Fitness Training and Consulting LLC.
For more information on fitness consulting, please visit:  www.conefitnesstraining.com
 
As we discuss different thoughts, philosophies, GK techniques and tactics with the coaching community, please direct questions, comments or topic suggestions to newsletter@PerformanceGoalkeeping.com.  Other coaches can join our mailing list by visiting www.PerformanceGoalkeeping.com and entering an email address in the sign up box.

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Perhaps more than any other position in soccer the success of the goalkeeper is linked to their physical ability. The physical contribution to the goalkeeper’s success is comprised of a number of components of varying importance and contribution specific to each goalkeeper’s short and long-term success. In addition, the technical development of the keeper is inextricably tied to the keeper’s physical development. For instance, the general coordination of a goalkeeper heavily impacts their technical ability. The integration of these components into the goalkeeper’s training presents a unique challenge to the goalkeeping coach.

Figure 1: Physical development in soccer (adapted from Hodson 2001)

In order to maximize the goalkeeper’s training experience, athletic development, injury resistance and resiliency, and ultimately performance, it is essential that the training opportunities available to the coach are maximized. Typically, the primary training opportunities available to the goalkeeping coach of a university or professional goalkeeper consist of:  

1.                  Warming Up

2.                  Technical Training

3.                  Anaerobic Fitness Training

4.                  Resistance Training
Each of the aforementioned training opportunities serves specific functions in training, and all are well suited for the integration of training specific athletic components. The following diagrams illustrate the pairing of athletic components with their respective training opportunities.

The warm-up must prepare the goalkeeper for the session to follow. It is an ideal time for the integration of a number of physical components, as well as for training the technical development of the goalkeeper, specifically handling and collapse diving.

The majority of time a goalkeeping coach spends with the goalkeeper is focused on technical training. Further, a large amount of this time is spent on movement of the keeper in the goal as it relates to the outlined technical components of goalkeeping. The integration of training specific athletic components in technical training works towards optimizing the goalkeeper’s development and training experience.

The development of anaerobic endurance in the goalkeeper focuses on two components: 1) ensuring that, when under prolonged pressure, the goalkeeper is resistant to fatigue, and 2) to ensure that the goalkeeper’s maximal effort at the end of the match is equivalent to that at the match’s beginning. The ability to effectively stress and train the goalkeeper’s anaerobic endurance without opening the goalkeeper to injury is a key component in the training and development of the goalkeeper.

Resistance training for the goalkeeper is an integral component in first developing injury resistance and resilience, and finally developing a goalkeeper’s athletic ability. The implementation of an appropriate strength program must be individualized to the goalkeeper’s needs, targeting a decrease in muscular imbalance, and a progressive approach to resistance training implementing a number of components of athleticism.

The ability to maximize the outlined training opportunities requires an understanding of the physical and physiological response to the specific training components, the ability to teach movement mechanics, and the ability to diagnose and understand the specific needs of the individual goalkeeper. Typically, an understanding of all of these components requires an integration of the knowledge and abilities of a goalkeeper coach and a fitness trainer.

The goal of this series of newsletters is to provide the goalkeeping coach with a better understanding of the training opportunities which are available to the goalkeeping coach, and how best to implement and integrate training of athleticism for the goalkeeper.
 

Hodson, A. (2001). "The F.A. Fitness Trainers Award Fitness and Conditioning Update." Insight: The F.A. Coaches Association Journal 4(4): 46-47.

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