Pad + Size Questions for Beer Leaguer

[Rebel35]

I have been a size 34" for many years now and I know this is the proper size for me, however I cannot figure out what the right + size extension works best. 

Throughout high school and college hockey I switched between 34" and 34"+2, I took a decade long break and got back into playing last year. My college 34+2 pads felt massive on me so I went down to a 34+1 in Koho's. These have made me feel so much faster with movement in the crease, but I recently managed to take a puck directly off the knee because my butterfly hadn't closed completely (deflected shot). 

Here are some pictures of me in my butterfly and stance. Are these too short? Do I need another Inch? Or am I just not flexible enough to close my five hole and need to continue my stretching regimen? 

I know some people cheat and get taller pads to compensate for lack of flexibility, which I understand but I don't want to buy a new pair of pads if I can get my hips in better shape. 

Thanks!

[MikeTheGoalie]

I would stick to what you're used to, and not feel like you need a larger thigh rise because that's what you see in all the stores today.  For me, I'm 45 now, and just received my True Px3 set, coming off a CCM Eflex 2 set of pads and gloves.  My CCMs were 34+1 and I knew with the True's stiffer thigh that I wouldn't be comfortable with the default +2 sizing you see with their stock pads.

I ordered the PX3 in 34+1 and, for me, I'm sure glad I did.  The pad tops do not interfere at all as I move around the crease, and when I butterfly, or butterfly slide, the tops of the pads touch perfectly together.  If I had ordered the 34+2 because of the trend I don't think I'd have liked it as much as the custom +1, and they could have potentially interfered with my crease movements.

Your pads, to me anyways, look like they fit you and your game perfectly.

 

[coopaloop1234]

Your pads look fine height wise for someone with a narrow butterfly. 

Two questions:

1. Where are you landing on the knee stack?
2. Do you wear knee pads? 

[seagoal]

Those pads look like they fit perfectly fine, to me.  I don't think taking a puck to the knee means that your pads are too short, it just means that on that play, there was a gap and the puck got through.  That happens to everyone: NHL goalies could very well not wear knee/thigh pads and they have nearly perfect pad closure all the time, but they do because pucks get through. 

Regardless of who you, how you play, or how well your pads close, you can always benefit from working on your hips and flexibility.  That is a great idea and a win regardless of the question you are asking here.  So keep going with that.

Those 2 pics you posted are a lot like me: if they were the same sequence in succession, you are definitely narrowing as you hit the ice and your feet are going back under your but rather than staying out wide beside mid point.  The overlap of your thigh rises looks great in your aggressive stance/dropping pic and the tops do not stay in the same relative position once down. To me, that's evidence that what is going on has to do with your body, not your pads.

Edited June 20, 2023 by seagoal

[Rebel35]

Seagoal - This is the feedback I am looking for, thank you. I need to continue getting more flexible and not supplement it with bigger gear. 

Coopaloop - My knees are landing square in the stack, they do not miss high or low. I do wear knee pads, but not "goalie" ones, they are volleyball knee pads that just cushion my knees from the impact of the ice. They do nothing to stop a puck aside from maybe stopping me from getting cut. 

[coopaloop1234]

33 minutes ago, Rebel35 said:

Seagoal - This is the feedback I am looking for, thank you. I need to continue getting more flexible and not supplement it with bigger gear. 

Coopaloop - My knees are landing square in the stack, they do not miss high or low. I do wear knee pads, but not "goalie" ones, they are volleyball knee pads that just cushion my knees from the impact of the ice. They do nothing to stop a puck aside from maybe stopping me from getting cut. 

Definitely get some knee pads. Pretty much all have added padding that accomplish what your volleyball knee pads to, as well as providing protection. 

It'll take a few skates to get used to the added bulk, but in no time they'll feel like a second skin. 

There's a few models that are more streamlined and can be a good transition piece: 

Bauer Pro's are a good choice and I think the Vaughn's aint bad either. 

Edited June 20, 2023 by coopaloop1234

[seagoal]

6 minutes ago, coopaloop1234 said:

Definitely get some knee pads. Pretty much all have added padding that accomplish what your volleyball knee pads to, as well as providing protection. 

It'll take a few skates to get used to the added bulk, but in no time they'll feel like a second skin. 

There's a few models that are more streamlined and can be a good transition piece: 

Bauer Pro's are a good choice and I think the Vaughn's aint bad either. 

 

 

41 minutes ago, Rebel35 said:

Seagoal - This is the feedback I am looking for, thank you. I need to continue getting more flexible and not supplement it with bigger gear. 

Coopaloop - My knees are landing square in the stack, they do not miss high or low. I do wear knee pads, but not "goalie" ones, they are volleyball knee pads that just cushion my knees from the impact of the ice. They do nothing to stop a puck aside from maybe stopping me from getting cut. 

100% agree, plus knee pads add a bit of height when down, which is a nice bonus, and protect your lower thighs from impacts.

[Chenner29]

2 hours ago, Rebel35 said:

Here are some pictures of me in my butterfly and stance. Are these too short? Do I need another Inch? Or am I just not flexible enough to close my five hole and need to continue my stretching regimen? 

I know some people cheat and get taller pads to compensate for lack of flexibility, which I understand but I don't want to buy a new pair of pads if I can get my hips in better shape. 

Thanks!

IMO (I am not a PT, athletic trainer, or a Doctor) and I apologize for derailing the main content of the thread

You are going to hit a point where your gains from simply stretching will cap out, and probably very early in the process as well.

What you are actually looking for is not flexibility, but end range strength. 

Basically, flexibility in the athletic trainer world does not mean much.  You need to be training for mobility (mobility = flexibility + strength), which means not just being able to get to an end range but having the strength to get there and back to neutral in a controlled manner. 

For butterfly specifically, you need to train hip internal rotation, which means strengthening your hip flexor, abductors, glute med and the surrounding musculature.  These are the push/pull groups that help you push and hold your ankles out in the butterfly. 

Look up some FRC (Functional Range Conditioning) stuff.  Definitely stay away from the 90 90 stretch, she covers it here. Start with a Hip CARs routine (easily searched), do these, and close with another set of CARs.

If you feel like you've capped your gains after doing this stuff for a while you may want to see a PRI (Postural Restoration Institute) trained PT as you may have underlying compensations that are limiting your capability

 

[Rebel35]

17 minutes ago, Chenner29 said:

IMO (I am not a PT, athletic trainer, or a Doctor) and I apologize for derailing the main content of the thread

You are going to hit a point where your gains from simply stretching will cap out, and probably very early in the process as well.

What you are actually looking for is not flexibility, but end range strength. 

Basically, flexibility in the athletic trainer world does not mean much.  You need to be training for mobility (mobility = flexibility + strength), which means not just being able to get to an end range but having the strength to get there and back to neutral in a controlled manner. 

For butterfly specifically, you need to train hip internal rotation, which means strengthening your hip flexor, abductors, glute med and the surrounding musculature.  These are the push/pull groups that help you push and hold your ankles out in the butterfly. 

Look up some FRC (Functional Range Conditioning) stuff.  Definitely stay away from the 90 90 stretch, she covers it here. Start with a Hip CARs routine (easily searched), do these, and close with another set of CARs.

If you feel like you've capped your gains after doing this stuff for a while you may want to see a PRI (Postural Restoration Institute) trained PT as you may have underlying compensations that are limiting your capability

 

Well I did this all wrong.. 

I started including 90/90s into my stretching routine a while ago, but this is a great video and very helpful for what I'm trying to do. Thank you for providing this info and being honest about it. I need to incorporate a lot of these into my regular workouts. 

[Chenner29]

46 minutes ago, Rebel35 said:

Well I did this all wrong.. 

I started including 90/90s into my stretching routine a while ago, but this is a great video and very helpful for what I'm trying to do. Thank you for providing this info and being honest about it. I need to incorporate a lot of these into my regular workouts. 

90 90s are great if you're advanced, but if your butterfly looks like it does in those pics you are probably compensating a lot in your spine.  I've been practicing FRC for the last 8 months and I'm not even close to a seated 90/90 yet.

The whole juice of the routine is in the PAILS/RAILS stuff, so if you're stretching without that push/pull you're missing out on a lot of possible improvement.  You want to isolate a specific joint/muscle group and get it to work to create change in both your physical and neurological systems.  If other areas are doing work simultaneously you won't get the maximal benefit

[Puckstopper]

Knee pads are a must.   Here's a link to my favorite pair:

https://www.goaliemonkey.com/accessories/knee-thigh-guards/brians-goalie-accessories-pro-ii-knee-pads-sr.html

These stay up without tape, garter belt, etc and provide decent protection and cushioning.  I recommend wearing them under hockey socks to avoid velcro rubbing on your pads and creating wear points.  

I've also used the previous version of the Bauer Elite and several versions of the Warrior knee pads that came with their leg pads.  The Bauers required a garter belt to stay up, didn't provide much padding when dropping to the butterfly and were very bulky.     I was able to solve the bulk issue by reshaping the knee caps with a heat gun, but my knees still hurt after playing in them.    The Warriors would only stay up if I taped them, so I either held on to them to sell when I moved the pads they came with, or sold them separately.   

 

Edited June 21, 2023 by Puckstopper