Field Hockey Workouts For Goalies

The goalie position requires different skills and strengths than any other position in field hockey, make sure you're on top of your game with the following field hockey workouts for goalies. These drills and exercises are designed to improve game-specific fitness, hone your reaction time, and improve your overall understanding of the game. It has been argued that goalie is the most important position in field hockey and a good goalie can mask other players' deficiencies, prove this adage to be true with these field hockey workouts for goalies.

1. Get Back! Sometimes, as a field hockey goalie, you will creep out of the goal if the ball is downfield. However, you need to be able to get back in position quickly without turning a blind eye to the action. Set up several cones around the striking circle. Start at one of the cones and run backwards toward the goal. Once at the goal, run toward the next cone and repeat this until you have gone through every cone around the striking circle.
2. Hands, Feet, and Stick. In an actual game, you can block a shot on goal with your hands, feet, and stick. For this field hockey goalie workout, work each of these areas separately. Have a partner take shots at you under the stipulation that at any given time you can only use one of your hands, feet, and stick.
3. Two on One. Have two partners line up on adjacent sides of the striking circle. Each player will alternate taking shots on goal in rapid fire succession. When performing this field hockey goalie workout, don't worry if your partners score on you—this is primarily an exercise designed to improve your speed and reaction time.