Goalkeeper Plyometric & Fitness Exercises
By Maren Rojas
Region 1 ODP Goalkeeper Staff
In addition to Karen Richter’s gk fitness tests and Tracey’s physical testing, these are ideas you can try to build your fitness base. All are gk related fitness drills and will improve not only your overall fitness level, but hopefully lateral and vertical explosiveness and quickness. I would recommend doing sets of 10 of these (it will model tests like cones). The whole concept with your fitness should be as you meet the demands of the exercise to raise the standards. For example, on cones, can you make 6 of the cones in 35 seconds with the appropriate rest? If yes, then try and do 7 cones next time, then after meeting those standards add on. Additionally, you can lower times: 34 seconds to do the cones (and/or lower rest time).
Fast footwork/plyometric work
1. Line - cone drill: -high knees 2x
-knees to chest 2x
-two up, one back 2x
-right foot 2x
-left foot 2x
-knees to chest 2x
-clear 3 2x
-high knees 2x
-shuffle
-quick feet
-power step
-snake
-scissors
-shuffle
-ankle bounce
-in, in, out, out
-shuffle wide
-back shuffle
-fast feet
3. goalpost drill - 4 sets of 10 with 20 situps in between -25 sec. ea.
Shuffle between posts – can’t cross feet, must touch post
4. two cone drill - 4 sets 20 sec. a piece with 20 second rest in between
- must hit rope with knees or fails, cannot stop jumping!
5. dot drill: - two feet out, two feet in, two feet out 6x
- right foot figure 8 6x
- left foot figure 8 6x
- 2 feet out, 2 feet in, 2 feet out & turn 6x
- 2 feet out, left foot in, 2 feet out, right foot 6x
3 sets under 60 sec.
6. partner plyos – one gk sits on ground with legs spread out in a “v”
-2 legged hops over both legs and back
-single leg hops over both legs and back
-do each in 30 second intervals
7. prisoner squat jumps – gk stands with hands on head, squats down and explodes up as high as can, repeat (30 second intervals, 30 second rest)
Pick 10 of the following and you have a 10 – 20 minute workout you can do at end of practice – the biggest key is to PUSH YOURSELF to do these as fast as you can!!!! As you get more fit, you can increase the time and decrease the rest of each building your fitness base. As a rest, instead of doing nothing – make yourself catch volleys if you have a partner
1. sit on butt, throw ball in air, get up and catch above head
2. lay down on side, throw ball in air, get up and catch above head
3. standing, bounce ball off ground hard, jump and catch and throw down before landing, repeat
4. lay 2 ball out 10 yds apart, set – step – dive repetitively to each ball fast as can
5. one ball on ground, knees to chest up and over
6. touch the ball to the touchline, explode with it up to the crossbar, repeat
7. place cone 10 yds away from you, throw ball up in air, sprint around cone and smother off bounce
8. toss over shoulder and smother
9. throw ball off foot and smother
10. juggle 2 times, 3rd juggle hit it high and overhead, turn to smother
11. place 3 balls 5 yds apart, pick up 1st ball shuffle to other ball and place next to, pick up 2nd go to the 3rd repeat and switch directions
12. place 2 balls on 6 yd line in front of posts, start in middle of goal, sprint to smother one ball, get up and crossover to jump for crossbar, sprint to other ball and smother, repeat
13. fast footwork with ball (krufs, coervers, triangles, etc, etc)
14. throw ball between legs, turn and sprint after and smother
15. star drill- set up 5 pointed star with cones, each cone 5 – 7 yds away from center of star
-face one direction must shuffle and touch each point, come back to center and touch cone and go out again (25-35 seconds depending on 5-7 yds placement)
-go opposite direction touching all points
-face original direction and use crossover to touch all points
-repeat in opposite direction
-replace 3 points with balls, and shuffle again, but instead of touching ball, must make smother save at it
-opposite direction
-repeat both directions with smother and using crossover footwork
**there are many variations, you can then sprint out and touch, use a backpedal, use a power step at the cones, etc.
16. 6 yd box footwork without ball (if have partner can use a ball)
-set up 3 cones about 5 yds apart with middle one in middle of goal, all on touchline
-2 cones are at diagonal of the 3 but placed on the 6 yd box
-gk starts at an outside cone, sprints and gets set at cone at 6 yd, crossover back to middle cone and touches crossbar, sprints out to next cone at 6 yd box, crossover back to outside cone on touchline (if have balls can play the chip for footwork to touchline, and shots for the 2 cones at 6)
**for variation the shots or 2 cones on 6 yd can be smother/1v1 saves or diving saves
GK fitness with partner (work times same 35-55 seconds and again, rest should be volleys!! Can you concentrate while tired??)
1. gk is facing goal, server yells turn and shoots as gk turns to get set for shot
2. gk somersaults towards server and must get feet underneath them for diving save
3. gk lies on stomach in goal, server yells up and shoots for diving save
4. 4 cones in a 5 yd box next to another 5 yd box (share boundaries), server in one box and gk in the other, gk must try and beat server to cones (if server backpedals to far cone gk must do same in their own box)
5. set up 3 cones in 4 yd triangle, server names each plane of triangle (1, 2 & 3 for instance), gk must turn and step and get set at each plane (if have numerous servers can shoot) for variation can also name the cones and gk must react to voice command
6. gk lies on stomach, server throws ball down hard off ground, gk gets up and catches
7. gk leap frogs over server, gets set for diving save, server holds ball in hands and throws
8. gk lies down with ball and server tosses other ball high, gk must throw ball to server and get up and get tossed ball (which most likely bounces once) repeat
9. gk chest to knees over a ball to one side then to the next, then must make diving save to side they just left
10. 1 v 1 to cone or small goals (gk gets point if save cleanly, server gets point for hitting cone)