In my practice as a trainer, I don’t normally need to sit down and convince an athlete that the bench press is proper training for goaltenders. I usually need to convince them that they don’t need to bench press and bicep curls daily. It’s usually when I talk to other fitness coaches that I need to make the case for bench press training for goalies or any hockey player.
Granted, I can see goalkeepers reading this article and thinking, “This is my type 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 goaltenders.
Variation #1: Barbell Bench Press
This is what immediately came to your mind when you read the title of this article. That’s probably why she clicked to read it. This variation places the athlete face up on a bench with their feet flat on the floor and pressing a bar from their chest to an extended elbow position. Does this have any 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 goalkeeper training he 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 we’re 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’m getting a bit technical here, but the first thing to keep in mind 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 deltoids. 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 links the pectoralis major (chest muscle) to the rectus femoris (six-pack muscles) and adductors (groin). It is not incredible that there is a connection between the groins and the chest muscles! In terms of goaltending, imagine the link when he makes one of those spectacular gloved saves while coming down to a split stance – groin stretch, abs stretch, chest and shoulder stretch – but no injury!
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 bucks! That ball could burst and cause serious injury.
Now that you have your high-quality stability ball, you’ll start with a load about 10 to 20 pounds lighter than 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 out from 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 lie 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 raise your hips so that they 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 line of the back and functional back line.” In other words, now instead of training the pectorals, anterior deltoids, triceps, abs, and groin muscles, you’re also training the hamstrings, glutes, which are huge pushing muscles, back extensors that help you maintain chest up during a long game without slouching. in a fatigued posture and even your 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? Ok, 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 obliques to a greater extent and you will really feel the gluteus (buttock muscle) on the same side as the dumbbell working hard to keep you stable. As you do this exercise, be sure to keep your hips up and level, don’t let the hip on one side sag. If you can’t execute the exercise with perfect technique, lighten the weight until 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. In fact, I’m 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 goaltender training.
