The goalkeeper in the world of soccer is without a doubt the most unique position, regarding the demands and consequences they face. They act as the final defensive line, and determine whether a play ends in a goal, or not. Reading the field, observing the opposition’s development, and reacting accordingly are essential qualities. The ability to thrive in high stress, high stakes situations frequently is one that goalkeepers must develop early on if they wish to succeed as the last line of defense for their team. To achieve this, any successful goalkeeper at the top flights of soccer will have the following traits: Absolute strength, reactive ability, Explosive strength and power, strength-Endurance, excellent mobility, mental endurance, and cognitive awareness.
Thus, the training that goalkeepers perform off the field should work to elicit and maximize these characteristics, inherently helping them become a dominant force to be reckoned with.
The Nature of Weightlifting
Traditionally, weightlifting consists of 2 separate lifts, which are the snatch, and the clean and jerk (C&J). Without getting into too many technical details, the simple difference between these two movements is the path of the bar, and the final position where the bar is received. In a snatch this is with the bar overhead, and in a clean it is on the front of the deltoids, followed by a jerk overhead. Both movements require a large amount of force to be generated in a relatively short time frame, from when the bar starts moving at shin level, up to the contact point at the hips for a snatch, and mid to upper thighs for a C&J. (The measure which describes how much force is produced in a given time is also known as power.)
As a result, some key observations which are common for any weightlifting movement are significant tension generated in the lower limb muscle groups (Hips, Knees, Ankles), triple extension of the lower limbs, followed by immediate relaxation of the same muscles as the bar is caught in the final position. It is important to note that these observations directly correlate to the movement patterns that a goalkeeper will experience in game scenarios and will be discussed in detail later.
Weightlifter in Triple Extension while performing a snatch.
The snatch and C&J movements can be further broken down and modified into different components to elicit certain desired adaptations. Several examples of this include:
- “Pull” variations emphasizing the first half of the movement up to the contact point can be used to strengthen the posterior chain and isometric strength.
- “Hang” variations to work on increasing power, as the athletes will start the movement at the knee as opposed to from the floor, forcing them to generate the same amount of force in a shorter range.
- “Bottoms Up” Jerks is a more advanced technique which can be used with experienced weightlifters to overload the “overhead” position to emphasize shoulder strength and core stability.
Weightlifting vs RT (Resistance Training)
Currently, most of the training programs employed by sports teams, training facilities, or online coaches revolve around using traditional resistance training (RT) to develop strength and power.
To characterize RT in the scope of this article, it can be defined as isolating exercises which focus on training individual muscles rather than training movements. In the current era of social media, it is very common to see athletes training static and unnecessarily complex exercises with limited joint range of motion, or training solely for hypertrophy not knowing better. Some examples of these exercises would be:
- Body building style hypertrophy exercises such as Bicep Curls and Tricep Extensions which offer limited function in dynamic sport
- Isometric holds such as planking
- Combination movements involving significantly different muscle groups like DB Squat to Overhead Press
- Squatting on an unstable surface such as Bosu-ball Squats
It should be noted that these exercises may have their place in a program as accessories for achieving certain foundational benchmarks, such as fixing asymmetries and addressing significant weaknesses. It is important to realize that only performing these exercises for the bulk of your program will not make you a dominant force to be reckoned with.
At LPS Athletic, we have a saying which perfectly exemplifies our fundamental values. It states, “Legs feed the wolf”. Just as a wolf needs strong legs to effectively hunt and take big prey, an athlete needs strong legs to form their foundation, upon which all their other physical qualities can be built.
How do you get strong legs? Squat! Squatting is a great dynamic exercise which works the entire lower body; Glutes, Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Adductors, and Calves. Additionally, squatting full range of motion will promote better joint health and durability through the wrapping effect. The wrapping effect phenomenon states that when an individual squats below parallel, the posterior aspect of the patella will encounter greater surface contact with the intercondylar fossa of the femur. This increase in contact between two articulating surfaces results in a more mechanically favourable distribution of forces through the knee. Specifically, reduced retropatellar compressive forces (Hartann et al. 2013). More information regarding the wrapping effect and the benefits of deep squatting can be found in the original article referenced below. As described previously, when weightlifting, athletes must generate a large amount of force in a short period of time in order to get enough speed on the bar, which they must then squat back up. It comes full circle, every rep essentially ends with a squat, either overhead or front. If these movements are performed frequently with sufficient resistance (+85% of 1 RM) the athlete’s motor units and CNS will be forced to adapt to moving heavy weights reasonably fast.
This translates to increased strength, speed, and power. The numbers support this.
The Data
A Tunisian study comparing weightlifting (Clean, Snatch, P.Press) to plyometric training and traditional resistance training (Only Squatting, Lunge variations, Chest press variations) observed that weightlifting is more likely to provide significant improvements in vertical jump, broad jump, and 5 meter acceleration when compared to plyometric training. Additionally, on top of the previous adaptations, weightlifting is also more likely to provide significant improvements in balance and isokinetic power when compared to traditional resistance training (Chaouachi et al. 2014).
Further, an Australian study which observed the difference between experienced and novice weightlifters concluded that 3 training sessions a week of power clean variations, snatch pulls, and squat jumps was sufficient in eliciting improved rate of force development, peak force, and impulse ((Force x Δt) simply put, a measure of change in momentum) adaptations (Lachan et al. 2022). In addition, these athletes demonstrated an improvement in their force-velocity relationship, essentially meaning they could develop and maintain higher velocity while producing peak force for sustained efforts.
It is important to note that weightlifting will not make you a better runner, jumper, or thrower on its own. Rather, weightlifting will provide you as the athlete, with the necessary strength, rate of force development, and explosive power to excel in the aspects of your individual sport. The mechanics for the aforementioned qualities can vary and be specific from sport to sport. Thus, they should be practiced frequently and separately as a part of skills training in order to see the best results of the training done in the gym. This is precisely why we continuously stress to our athletes that they maintain their skill work separately in addition to everything they do in the gym.
Some examples of additional skill work in the context of goalkeeping, you will not;
- Become a faster runner until you go out on track and run.
- Dive more efficiently until you train in-game like scenarios.
- Kick a ball further until you practice kicking on the field.
- Throw more accurately until you practice distributing to targets.
A lot of coaches are apprehensive about teaching their athletes weightlifting. Often, this is because the coach is inexperienced on the fundamentals of weightlifting, which can lead to poor technique, improper load progression, and ultimately injuries. Thus, it is of utmost importance that any variation of weightlifting movements are performed under expert supervision, such that the safety of the athletes can be prioritized.
Further Breakdown of Goalkeeper Movements
Goalkeepers must be ready to perform at their best in every instance where they are called into action. Their ability to perform under this pressure will decide the difference between conceding a goal and stopping the opponent’s attack. Due to the relatively large size of the net, when faced with a well-placed shot goalkeepers must often dive to reach the ball. The process of initiating a dive will vary based on the angle the shot is taken from, the goalkeeper’s relative position to the ball and net in that moment, the speed, and trajectory of the ball.
Manuel Neuer diving during training – Via VCG Photo
In terms of biomechanics, diving essentially follows the same patterns as jumping. The difference is the direction of force application, as diving requires diagonal movement which requires force to be applied in both the vertical and horizontal vectors.. Both movements require rapid power generation and maximal intent, coordinated timing of movement across the active joints, proper alignment of joints relative to each other to minimize energy loss, and triple extension of the lower limbs. Triple extension, as the name suggests, is the action of simultaneously engaging in ankle extension (plantar flexion), knee extension, and hip extension. As stated by Ibrahim et al. 2022 “goalkeepers dive to save low or high ball at the far post by generating sequential (contralateral to ipsilateral leg) proximal-to-distal joints powers, which translate to an explosive horizontal momentum in the direction of the ball”. The best training exercise that helps athletes develop a powerful triple extension is weightlifting.
Commanding the box is another quality that is absolutely necessary. Especially during set piece scenarios where the box is often crowded and there are many potential bodies between where the goalkeeper is and where they need to get to. They must be able to push through opponents and jump to claim high balls while ensuring their own safety from aerial hits which again ties into the importance of triple extension. It is often overlooked, yet an athlete’s ability to absorb force whether it is their own body weight, or in this instance an external impact from an opposing player is equally as important. This is another area where weightlifting becomes beneficial. As one receives a snatch or a clean, they are absorbing multiple times their own bodyweight in force through the lower extremities. In the process, they develop the necessary motor patterns for absorbing force, in addition to strengthening their soft tissue through the aforementioned wrapping effect.
In addition to shot stopping, recent changes in the game by generational coaches such as Pep Guardiola have seen significant additions to the modern goalkeeper’s role. Quick and accurate distribution from the back, the ability to act as an extra outfield player with on the ball competence, and fast sweeping high off the line are more important than ever. All these movements require a strong and powerful foundation such that the goalkeeper can ensure they are up to the task. Whether it is getting to that ball before the striker in a foot race, playing the long ball, or reacting quickly to make a save.
Simply put, to be outstanding, goalkeepers must be strong and explosive in all directions of movement, vertically, laterally, and in linear motion.
All in One
Weightlifting is undeniably the best way that goalkeepers should be training in the gym to become a dominant force to be reckoned with. Through weightlifting, they will become stronger, more explosive, improve their mobility, develop resilience towards injury, and as a result, improve their performance on the field. Pairing this with frequent on field training will leave any competition in awe.
References
Chaouachi, Anis1; Hammami, Raouf1; Kaabi, Sofiene1; Chamari, Karim2; Drinkwater, Eric J.3,4; Behm, David G.4. Olympic Weightlifting and Plyometric Training With Children Provides Similar or Greater Performance Improvements Than Traditional Resistance Training. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 28(6):p 1483-1496, June 2014. | DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000000305
Hartmann, H., Wirth, K., & Klusemann, M. (2013). Analysis of the load on the knee joint and vertebral column with changes in squatting depth and weight load. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 43(10), 993–1008.
Ibrahim, R., de Boode, V., Kingma, I., & van Dieën, J. H. (2022). Data-driven strength and conditioning, and technical training programs for goalkeeper’s diving save in football. Sports Biomechanics, 1–13.
James, Lachlan P.1; Suchomel, Timothy J.2; Comfort, Paul3,4; Haff, G. Gregory3,5; Connick, Mark J.6. Rate of Force Development Adaptations After Weightlifting-Style Training: The Influence of Power Clean Ability. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 36(6):p 1560-1567, June 2022. | DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000003673
https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/5/4/78 (not used, here for future reference)
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