Rec League warmup?

[1C5]

Anyone have any ideas on the best way/plan to get warmed up as much as possible in the 2 minutes they give us to get a few shots before the game starts?

Here's what currently happens. By the time I put the pegs in I'm down to 1:30 left. I stretch before I get onto the ice. 

Players randomly shoot on me usually coming in and shooting from about 2 feet away trying to pick the corners or take a slapshot aiming at my head. 

I'm thinking maybe I should get them to lineup along the ringette line (top of circle) and have them shoot in turn like that instead. Would get 2 or 3 rounds of this in the 90 seconds I have. Thoughts?

[Hockey School Dropout]

I usually do a few quick crease movements, shuffles/t-pushes and the like.  Then I take shots.

You should ask your teammates before a game to give you a better warm up.  They can pick corners or shoot at the head of the other goalie.  Just tell them it gives them a better chance of winning if they get you ready properly. 

[IPv6Freely]

First, tell your D to put the pegs in so you can stretch some more or work on pushes and getting warmed up. Or just wait and make the refs do it. 

As for shots, I want some wristers from a distance into my gloves. If they start right into skating up to the crease, my puck tracking is much worse. A couple slappers here and there from guys who can actually control where their shots go is certainly welcome too. Generally if somebody skates up and tries to deke, I just ignore them. 

I almost never go down in warmups. Save that energy! One thing I've seen another goalie in my league do though is take the last 10 shots or so in the butterfly and have the guys shoot low or along the ice so it hits your pads and you may need to kick out slightly. 

As soon as I have one go by my head, I skate out of the crease and go back to stretching. 

Remind your teammates that the warm-up isn't for them to practice their shot. 

[Fullright]

1 hour ago, 1C5 said:

Anyone have any ideas on the best way/plan to get warmed up as much as possible in the 2 minutes they give us to get a few shots before the game starts?

Here's what currently happens. By the time I put the pegs in I'm down to 1:30 left. I stretch before I get onto the ice. 

Players randomly shoot on me usually coming in and shooting from about 2 feet away trying to pick the corners or take a slapshot aiming at my head. 

I'm thinking maybe I should get them to lineup along the ringette line (top of circle) and have them shoot in turn like that instead. Would get 2 or 3 rounds of this in the 90 seconds I have. Thoughts?

Yes. Do it at home. The only years I ever had a proper warm up was in Junior and College. Seriously, get stretched and do your tennis ball drills, if you do them, at home. There isn't enough time in Beer League and the skaters are just looking to go bar down because they are stupid. They don't understand that the idea of warmup is to let the most important player on the ice get "the feel" of the puck. If you stretch on the ice, do it along the side boards. 

[Mroy31]

I second the do it at home opinion, more ideally though, leave for the rink when you would normally stretch and do the warmup at the rink. Warming up isn't as effective if you then sit in a car for like half an hour. 

If your team is the type of group to listen to your request, then great, find a warmup that works for you. If they're not that kind of group, work on crease movements, take some shots until you get a stupid one then skate away and work on more movements. But don't leave your waterbottle on the net when you leave, I still can't get over guys on my own team popping my bottle. Like Ar you gonna go fill it back up with my 50/50 Gatorade and water mix? Haha

Also, www.goalietrainingpro.com has some good blog posts about off ice warmups, search for "dynamic warmup" 

[mik]

I arrive to the ring first, usualy with other goalie. I do some warmup in the locker room, before putting gear on (dynamic, not static). Then before putting C&A, gloves and mask, some tenis ball throwing (if i´m in the mood to do that ). At Ice - two skating laps, realy easy, skating forward, backward... Then some skating drills in the circle and some stretching on ice, near boards, not in crease (the can hit you in the crease ). 

If there is not enough time and your teammates are not used to how to do warm up - ideal way is to find good player (or two), he takes pucks and do warpums with you - eg. 3-5 on blocker, 3-5 on glove, 3-5 on five hole. If there is time, repeat with higher intensity. AFTER that, other players can shoot, if theres is time... 

On 10/18/2017 at 8:52 PM, Mroy31 said:

But don't leave your waterbottle on the net when you leave, I still can't get over guys on my own team popping my bottle. Like Ar you gonna go fill it back up with my 50/50 Gatorade and water mix? Haha

You are right, I still don´t understand player desire to shoot at empty net to hit your bottle, glove or anythnig on the net. Weird. So I leave my bottle on the bench an put it there just before start of the game - it is not good to start game with broken biottle and be angry about it :D.

[bunnyman666]

I tend to drink two to three beers whilst putting on my gear, then two to three before hitting the ice...

Just kidding!!!

Yes- I have had my bottle broken in “warm ups”. Hockey has nice people, but there is always a douche bag who ends up making me angry. Of course the last tosser who broke my bottle lost his spare stick. Yep- I threw it into the Zamboni tunnel...

[chakal]

That's what I do and works for me, but to each his own :

- I stretch in the locker room.
- When the zamboni hits the ice, I put on my c/a, jersey, mask and gloves and go beside the rink.
- Then I move, tiny jumps from left to right (Brock Lesnar style) just to raise up my heartbeat.
- Once I hit the ice, I stretch just a bit to get the feel from the ice (sliding well, sticky, rough, smooth).
- then straight to the net once a guy put on the pegs.
- I take as many shots as possible, because 2 minutes is too short. I always stay up, I go down enough during games that I want to feel shots while on my feet. Also, it limits shots to the head and also, stops showoffs from trying their new spin-o-rama deke on me.
- then, if there's still time, I try to butterfly slide or practice recoveries. But that's only if there's time left.
- Once the ref whistles and players take their time deciding who's starting, I practice butterfly slide from top of crease to post and recover from the post back to the top of the crease. Then the game starts.

I always pick up my water bottle after the warm up and before the first face off. To make sure nothing happens to it during the warm up.

[coopaloop1234]

I feel really lucky now having all the leagues here have 5 minute warmups.. 2 Minutes is just too low.

- Go on ice and put the pegs in myself (players/refs can never do it right)
- Do a few laps and park my ass by the penalty box for my stretches
- Hop in the net and take either a random assortment of shots, half circle shots.
- always make sure to take a few shots to the C/A to get a good feel.
- I always try to avoid the St Louis Drill. I hate it
- Once I feel like i'm tracking well enough, head back to my stretching spot to practice edge work and recovery work. (T-push to corner of creases, recover slides to top of crease or posts, etc)
- Take more shots if time alots it.

I can barely get through stretches and a few shots in 2 minutes...

[chakal]

Lately I mostly play pick-ups (I hate that but the guys I play with are really cool and it's fun, but I need to play in a league, with games that matter to get a decent level of adrenaline) and we got like 10 minutes warmups. That a good upside to pickups.

[BadAngle41]

On 10/18/2017 at 6:53 PM, IPv6Freely said:

First, tell your D to put the pegs in so you can stretch some more or work on pushes and getting warmed up. Or just wait and make the refs do it. 

Remind your teammates that the warm-up isn't for them to practice their shot. 

Agreed on the pegs... ever since I was a kid I actually let the refs do it... gives you time to chat it up with them as well.

Can't overstate the warm-up is for the goalie, not shooters enough. If they want to dial in their shot, have them do it off your blocker instead of the one time all night they'll go bar down over a shoulder. Kills me when I see a warm up where all the shots are clang and in... but as soon as the puck drops the same guys can't hit the net at all.

On 10/19/2017 at 2:28 AM, mik said:

You are right, I still don´t understand player desire to shoot at empty net to hit your bottle, glove or anythnig on the net. Weird. So I leave my bottle on the bench an put it there just before start of the game - it is not good to start game with broken biottle and be angry about it :D.

Water bottle stays at the bench. My water doesn't get blown up, and I don't end up having to take a bottle from the forwards (never take from your defense.) Everyone wins.

All my leagues we get 5 min on ice warm ups... so yes I'm like your grandparents hitting up dinner at 4PM... early...

• Unpack and lay everything out in very OCD manner 
• Dressed in cup#1 (standard jock), socks , and 3/4 length compression pants
• Get loose... Soldier Kicks, Butt Kicks, High Knees etc. 
• Stretch... I focus on lower body because as my Ortho recently put it "You have significant degeneration of you hips, knees, and ankles. I would say it's close to that of a man around 60-65, which considering you're 38 is not good. ...Oh that's right, you've played goalie for 30 years. So this is all just about as it should be."
  • Hips, GROIN, hammies, and dem glutes along with any other muscle group that is making it's presence felt more than it should.
• Roll... I keep a stick roller in my bag. Work the IT band, thighs, groin, and calves
• Shoot the shit w/ the fellas for a while as I get dressed
• Final pieces go on as the Zam rolls off
• Skate... lap or two around our end forward and backward
• Quick stretch again... focus on hips and groin (on ice and use the bench boards)
• Take some shots... arc of clappers right to left... arc of clappers left to right... watching the puck to my pads (or into the net)
  • If the stripes are taking their time I'll get a couple guys in front of me to do tips from around the arc as well. I just always love the tracking.
• Let the ref throw in the pegs as we chat... grab my water from the bench... good to go.

Link below to an article from GGSU on the subject... the writer is fresh outta school... but you'll get the idea...

https://www.ggsunited.com/blogs/news/the-proper-way-to-warm-up

[1C5]

Thanks all. Very good advice and great to see what other goalie's warmup routines look like. 

Also side note. Am a overreacting when a serial high shooter hits me in the mask in the warmup and I just lose it on him??

If someone who never shoots too high in warmup and lets a shot get away from him and hits me up high, I'm ok with it as I know it was just a mistake but a few games ago during warmup the guy who always skates in way too close and shoots way too high finally hits me sqaure in the mask. I lost it on him. Swore at him yelled at him. And since then I refuse to even take a shot from him in warmup. Some people just don't learn so I'll keep not letting him shoot on me all year. 

[goalie]

Clock starts 5 minutes as the Zamboni goes off

Skate a couple laps in my end (hopefully someone puts the pegs on by then)

get in net for about ten shots - 6 miss the net

rest of warm up is the first couple break aways as the game starts.

 

[BadAngle41]

1 hour ago, 1C5 said:

Thanks all. Very good advice and great to see what other goalie's warmup routines look like. 

Also side note. Am a overreacting when a serial high shooter hits me in the mask in the warmup and I just lose it on him??

If someone who never shoots too high in warmup and lets a shot get away from him and hits me up high, I'm ok with it as I know it was just a mistake but a few games ago during warmup the guy who always skates in way too close and shoots way too high finally hits me sqaure in the mask. I lost it on him. Swore at him yelled at him. And since then I refuse to even take a shot from him in warmup. Some people just don't learn so I'll keep not letting him shoot on me all year. 

First off... I kept reading "serial high school shooter." I'm not sure if that's just my ADD kicking in and I'm skimming poorly... or if it's a subconscious commentary on our world nowadays. 

Secondly... I get annoyed with the occasional shot to the head in warm ups. Who wouldn't? But at the same time, I wear a mask, it doesn't hurt, and more importantly it didn't go in. If it's the same guy over and over again, just asking him to not take cracks at you in warm ups shouldn't be a big deal. By the sound of him being a serial high shooter he's not intending to hit you in the dome, just doesn't know how to shoot. Something that probably should have been addressed long ago if he played organized hockey as a kid. 

[dreadlockgoalie]

Yona, GSBB hall of famer instructor and master of all things for teaching beer leaguers told us about his routine the last few Watch the Puck clinics.  He prefers to warm-up/stretch but pick a puck or two as your players move it around the ice.  Follow it around while it's shot, passed, stickhandled to get your eyes/tracking warmed-up.  He said he doesn't even take any shots nowadays.  I still like to get a few shots in, so will do this but then jump in net to take some shots with the main goal of just watching them into me.  Worry about the tracking part, stand up to everything.  I'm lucky enough that my guys are smart enough to keep the shots lowish and at me, to help warm-up.

[Hockey School Dropout]

2 hours ago, 1C5 said:

Thanks all. Very good advice and great to see what other goalie's warmup routines look like. 

Also side note. Am a overreacting when a serial high shooter hits me in the mask in the warmup and I just lose it on him??

If someone who never shoots too high in warmup and lets a shot get away from him and hits me up high, I'm ok with it as I know it was just a mistake but a few games ago during warmup the guy who always skates in way too close and shoots way too high finally hits me sqaure in the mask. I lost it on him. Swore at him yelled at him. And since then I refuse to even take a shot from him in warmup. Some people just don't learn so I'll keep not letting him shoot on me all year. 

When the same d-bag keeps shooting high I'd say you are within your rights to give them hell.  I've done the same, and stopped taking shots from them.  So much that I just move out of the net when they get a puck.  As a last resort, if they ping you in the mask, drop like you've been shot, stay down for a couple minutes to get them worried, and then tell them next time you're leaving and see how they like forfeiting or playing without a goalie.

[parebele]

I never take shots in warmup. I've been hit in the head too many times or they just try to deke me, and I don't play any better either way. All I want is one lap around my end, and then stretching. I do that and I'm good to go. And my water bottle stays on the bench until I'm in the crease. I'd lose about 1 a season to some idiot shattering it.

I was talking to a teammate about warmups being useless and he made a good point: for a lot of guys, warmup is the only time on the ice where they will have a legitimate, real chance to shoot a puck on a goalie. It's the only time of the night where they might score, so they take advantage of that. And I think he's right.

But I still don't want to get hit in the head.

[mik]

I realy hate shots to the head in warmups and my teammates know that. But if any of my teammates hits me to the head in warmup (or even high to the chest), he usualy apologizes (sorry or swing by his hand etc.) and I say "it is ok, no problem".

But if there is one who constantly goes from blue line to slot & slap shots high around my head (wtih his head down to ice, of course) , I just skate forward and he hits me to the pads. Or skate away from the net to make like little stretch or some other move, and back again when he is gone  .

btw. when I am on practice, goalies usualy start separatly with goalie coach and have their time to prepare. But if not, head coach usualy told them before first drill with goalies - don´t shoot high or hard, let the goalies tak some easy shots... and if you hit him high, just start doing push-ups .

[WillyGrips13]

I know a guy who played juniors who never gets in the goal for any shots in warm up. He only stretches. I'm sure he's tired of the clueless beer leaguer. He plays just fine with no warm up shots.

In the league I play in we get three minutes warm up. Sometimes we can get on the ice early before they start the three minute countdown and we get a little more time. I skate around for a bit doing the same laps the other players do. I then stretch by our bench while my teammates shoot at the empty net. I'll jump in the goal for a few rounds of shots from outside, then I leave to stretch or get my water bottle from the safety of the bench as the time expires. I definitely stay on my feet for the shots in warmup.

Although if it's the playoffs I'll do a round of shots while dropping down to the ice. I'll also skate around more vigorously before puck drop to get more pumped up. I won't do that for regular season games, though.

I've been using a crappy mostly dead (Get the reference?) stick in warmups that I swap out before puck drop.

Or if all else fails, you could try...

 

[TheGoalNet]

USA Hockey’s opinion: 

http://www.usahockey.com/news_article/show/657046-how-to-properly-warm-up-an-adult-goaltender

I basically follow the methodology behind this. One weird technique I have?

I only go down on 1-2 shots in warm ups. I go down on 95% of shots in games. 

To really try and warm my eyes and coordination, I try to make stick staves on pucks 1 foot off the ice, catch nearly anything I can reach with my glove, etc 

That rare occasion when we get through things quickly, I’ll sit deep in my crease and stay down in the bfly. As people skate by and flip pucks at the net, I’ll try and make those saves from the butterfly 

 

[SaveByRichter35]

I try to arrive at the rink one hour prior to game time.  This gives me plenty of time to get the seat I want in the locker room, stretch a little, get my lower body gear on, and stretch some more.  Our warm up time depends on how fast the time keeper and refs get to the ice.  We usually get 5 minutes, other times its 3. 

I skate to the bench to put my bottle at the end of the glass and drop off my game stick.  If there is time I do one more lower body stretch, focusing on my groin and hips.  I take shots in an arch from left to right and then right to left, or vice versa depending on who is ready to shoot 1st.  I always start the 2nd(and so on) time with the side I left off with.  I always stay on my feet and track pucks.  I hate when they go five hole and try and pick corners, I always say you're wasting your shot and wasting a save for me to make but some of them never learn.  After the 1st round of shots that I go from left to right and come back right to left, I leave the crease and let them fire away doing what they want.  If there is time we go again. 

When the buzzer sounds I had to the bench to drop off my warm up stick and grab my game stick and water as well as let the refs do the pegs.

[Puckducker]

Definitely talk to your teammates to tell them what you want. But unless you're playing with a serious team that you know well, I'd stay away from asking for specific drills and formations and just go for simple requests ("Hey, make sure I'm ready for the shot before you shoot", "Keep the shots on me, I want to feel the puck", ect...) But definitely talk to your team. Almost every team I've ever played with, I've at least needed to voice my opinion a couple times before I started getting good consistent warm-up shots. 

I'd say my warm up is pretty similar to most of the guys here. But I'd say my main goal with the warm up is to get my body in to the game, and so I specifically try to push hard during the warm up. I notice a huge difference when I warm up in a more relaxed fashion. I find I give up a lot more "softies" in the first 5 minutes if I don't have my legs under me, and that pushing hard in the warm up helps avoid that.

So I hit the ice and do 2 fast laps. And then before the net gets put in place, I quickly scrape up the crease.

Then I go over to the boards to stretch (I try to do most of this in the room before the game to save time). One thing I like to do while stretching is watch the other team. At this point, their net is usually in place but their goalie is also stretching. So players are free to shoot at will, and so you can start to get a quick read on them. Who's got the cannon shot? Who's practicing their dangles, ect...

Then I go in for the warm up shots. On these, I specifically try to drop down to butterfly on shots, sliding back and fourth and recovering if there's time between shots. Here, I want to get a feel for the puck, but I also want to get my legs moving. I also try to focus on eye/head tracking, watching shots into my glove or pads (though, this assume's you're comfortable enough with your team that you won't get pegged with another shot while not looking)

Once the buzzer goes, I take a slug of water (having retrieved my water bottle from the boards. I too have lost way too many water bottles to pre-game snipers) and huddle with the team at the net. Then, as everyone skates to the bench, center ice, I do a few more quick shuffle/bfly-slides around the crease and back, and I'm ready to go.

[Puckducker]

Oh! 1 more important ritual that I got from a coach when I was 7 and do before every game now.

Take at least one minute (usually once I'm dressed), relax yourself and close your eyes, and visualize the game. Visualize what you're going to do in the game. Picture a shot coming from the point, and how you're going to push up to the top of the crease to cut the angle. Picture a breakaway and visualize tracking the movement of a player and following them, forcing them to make the first move. Picture a 2 on 1, with a pass across the hash marks that you follow along with a slide across the crease to stop the 1 timer.

I don't really know the psychology behind this, but this really helps, regardless of what level you play at.

[SaveByRichter35]

On 10/27/2017 at 10:36 PM, Puckducker said:

Oh! 1 more important ritual that I got from a coach when I was 7 and do before every game now.

Take at least one minute (usually once I'm dressed), relax yourself and close your eyes, and visualize the game. Visualize what you're going to do in the game. Picture a shot coming from the point, and how you're going to push up to the top of the crease to cut the angle. Picture a breakaway and visualize tracking the movement of a player and following them, forcing them to make the first move. Picture a 2 on 1, with a pass across the hash marks that you follow along with a slide across the crease to stop the 1 timer.

I don't really know the psychology behind this, but this really helps, regardless of what level you play at.

I'm gonna start trying that and see how it helps.  I am a self proclaimed MAJOR head case when it comes to hockey.  I can definitely be my own worst enemy at times.

[Fullright]

Just to show the futility of trying to convince your players not to kill you during the so-called warmup in Beer League, out of all the fellas who put video up here and Tomy's old video site, only IV and Hills have their teams properly trained.

SVR, it is only because you try really hard to do well and are conscientious.