Goalkeeper Physical Loading – Designing the Micro Cycle.

The Athlete Development Project presents the second instalment of our mini CPD series, this time looking at the Goalkeeper and how we can plan their physical loading throughout the Micro-Cycle.

The competitive and training demands of goalkeepers are unique to their specialised position and they cannot be trained in the same way as outfield players.

Goalkeepers are the last defensive line for Football teams aiming to avoid goals being conceded. Goalkeepers are also typically involved in playing out from the back to create overloads in possession and help initiate attacking scenarios. Goalkeepers roughly cover ~50% of the match distances of outfield players; hence, the competitive and training demands of goalkeepers are unique to their specialised position and they cannot be trained in the same way as outfield players. There is lots of information on physical loading, micro cycle and training design for outfield players, however similar information for Goalkeepers is more sparse. This CPD aims to highlight the unique characteristics of the Goalkeepers and give some recommendations for on how to structure their training week for development and performance.

The Presentation will look at GK match demands and how that shapes their Physical Profile. It will then look at session drill design considerations and which days might be the most appropriate to work on specific physical qualities. You will then get a chance to see how this can be structured across the training week and different examples of how that may change depending on match schedules and desired days off. You will also get the chance to see examples of pre-hab and S&C sessions design for a GK to give you a starting point for planning your own sessions.