In my practice as a fitness trainer, I don’t normally need to sit down and convince an athlete that the bench press is a proper workout for goalies. I usually need to convince them that they don’t need to bench press and bicep curl on a daily basis. It’s usually when I’m talking to other fitness trainers that I need to make the case for the virtues of bench press training for goalies or any hockey player.
Okay, I can see goalkeepers reading this article and thinking, “This is my kind of coach!” and fitness trainers who read it and think, “This trainer is an idiot!” I don’t want to debate any points today, but I do want to point out that there are many variations of the bench press, some of which are very useful for hockey goalies.
Variation #1: Barbell Bench Press
This is what you immediately thought of when you read the title of this article. That’s probably why she clicked through to read it. This variation places the athlete on their back on a bench with their feet flat on the floor and pressing a bar from their chest to a straight elbow position. Does this have a place in hockey goalie strength training? If this athlete will be tested on the bench press in training camp, then he will be! If this is not part of the pre-season tests, in my goalkeeping training it has a very limited rotation. Because minimal stabilization is required through the core and hips, I believe the strength developed with this exercise cannot be maximally transferred to the ice. Remember that we are just trying to build strength that we can use on the ice. You’re not trying to spend hours in the gym building big dumb muscles that will only weigh you down when it comes to playing hockey.
Variation #2: Dumbbell press on a stability ball
Now we are talking! Forgive me if I get a little technical here, but the first thing you need to be aware of is the principle that muscles don’t work as individuals, they work in chains. So when I think of a dumbbell bench press on the stability ball, I’m not just thinking in terms of pecs, triceps, and anterior delts. I am thinking of the fascial connections that Thomas Myers describes so well in his book anatomy trains. The chain of muscle and connective tissue that joins the pectoralis major (chest muscle) to the rectus femoris (six-pack muscles) and to the adductors (groin). Isn’t it amazing that there is a connection between the groin and the chest muscles! In terms of goalkeeping, imagine the link when you make one of those spectacular gloved saves as you drop into a split position – stretch groin, stretch abs, stretch chest and shoulder – but no injuries!
The first thing to do if you want to try this exercise is to make sure you have a high-quality burst-resistant stability ball. Don’t wear one you picked up at the discount store for fifteen dollars! That ball could burst and cause serious injury.
Now that you have your high-quality stability ball, you’ll start with a load that’s about 10 to 20 pounds lighter than what you normally use for the dumbbell press. Make sure the ball is on a non-slip surface, such as a rubber floor. Again, if the ball slides under you, you’re going to get hurt. Sit on the stability ball holding a dumbbell in each hand, resting them on your thighs. Slowly walk your feet forward as you lean back on the ball. Continue walking feet forward until the ball rests at shoulder level and the back of your head lightly touches the ball. Now lift your hips so that you form a straight line from your knees, through your hips, to your shoulders. Hold this position throughout the set.
Remember when I talked about the chain of muscles you use when you bench press? Well, performing the same exercise on a stability ball activates another chain of muscles and that is essential when we talk about goalkeeper training. By keeping your hips up as you bench press the ball, you are activating the “superficial back line and posterior functional line.” In other words, now instead of training your pectorals, anterior delts, triceps, abs, and groin muscles, you’re also training your hamstrings, your glutes, which are huge push muscles, the back extensors that help you keep keep your chest up during a long game without slouching. in a fatigued posture and even his latissimus dorsi. That’s getting a little more return on your investment of time and effort, isn’t it?
Want to get a little more out of the bench press? Okay, try this – One arm dumbbell press on a stability ball. Again, you’ll need to use a slightly lighter weight than you used for the two-handed version. This variation will bring in the abdominal obliques to a greater extent and you will really feel the gluteus (gluteal muscle) on the same side as the dumbbell working hard to keep you stable. When doing this exercise, be sure to keep your hips up and level, don’t let the hip on one side sink. If you can’t execute the exercise with perfect technique, lighten the weight as much as you can. Remember, you are only as strong as your weakest muscle in the link.
There you have my argument for why hockey goalies should bench press. Should they just bench press? No. I’m actually a big fan of push-up variations and the standing cable press, but sometimes the bench press is dismissed as a bodybuilding exercise, when it actually has a place in goalkeeper training.
