Soccer Goalkeeper needs to prepare for each game to be at his best to defend the net behind him during the course of the game. Here is a basic workout that could be advised:

1. Jog (10- 15 Minutes)

• Start with an easy jogging, to warm up before you make any sudden movements that might cause pulling a muscle.

• The first five minutes should be a straight-ahead jog. The next five minutes should include a more active jogging in which you should begin shuffling, skipping, touching toes, etc. (all of this should be done without stopping).

2. Stretching (5 – 10 Minutes)

• Stretching is something that everyone must do to prepare your muscles for a hard workout ahead. Make sure to stretch all major muscle in a slow controlled stretch.

3. Ball Handling (10 Minutes)

• Start with straight-ahead volleys into your hands. Then, start to move from post to post as balls are being served to your hands as you reach each post. Then have the server play balls along the ground as you continue to shuffle from post to post. Make sure that there is no diving during this part of the handling. You are just trying to work on smoothly receiving shots into your hands.

• Rest a little to be ready for the next set. Ask server to play balls out of his hands up towards the upper corners of the net to force you to jump but not to overextend yourself at this point of the training. Rest a little again and stretch more.

4. Easy Diving / (30 Minutes)

• While seating ask assistant to toss or to kick balls to both of your right and left forcing you to catch the ball while using a proper technique. Then, switch from side to side and take about 20-30 repetitions.

• While standing have assistant to kick balls off the ground at mid-range height to your right side only (take 6-10 reps). Then, perform above drill to your left side.

• After that, perform the above exercise, while switching from side to side. And at the end perform the previous three drills over but have all balls served on the ground.

• Then place six markers on the ground in a line and about two feet apart from each other. At the end of the markers, put two markers about six yards apart from each other to simulate two goalposts. The goalposts will be located at the end of the markers. Shuffle through the markers. As you get to the end, step into the goal and have the assistant place balls at mid-range height to your right side. Catch each serve and return it to the server. Then, go back to first marker and start over (take 6-10 reps).

• Perform above drill to your left side, and then do it while switching from side to side. And then, perform previous three drills all over again, but have all balls served on the ground.

5. Power Diving (10 Minutes)

Those exercises will help your body to fly for those tough shots in the corners of the goal.

• Place a marker one yard inside each goalpost on the goal line. You should start in the middle of the goal and the server should start somewhere between the penalty spot and the 18-yard line, depending on the accuracy of the server. When the assistant says to start, the you should shuffle as quickly as possible to the marker on the left, and as you touch the marker, the server should toss the ball to the opposite post.

• The assistant should make it a shot that is difficult for you to get to, but not so difficult that a full-out lunge would not do the trick. Do two in a row, come back to the center of the goal, take about five seconds and start in the other direction (take 6-10 reps).

• For the next exercise, the server should have six to eight balls lined up on the penalty spot. When the server says go, the first ball should be served to the right of you to make the save either by catching the shot or parrying the shot and immediately serve the next ball the opposite side of the goal and repeat with all six to eight balls.

6. Crossing (10 Minutes)

A good training session couldn't be complete without receiving a number of crossed balls from different angles, heights and speeds.

• Start with your server playing a ball into the box from each side of the penalty area. Try and catch each ball at its highest point possible. If there are others around during your training, ask them to come and stand in and around the six-yard box, as this will give you some distraction while handling crosses and make it more like a game situation.

7. Fitness General

Goalkeepers have to be as fit as any other player on the field. Fitness is also important for preventing injury. So, they have to run and participate in a team fitness training also.

8. Fitness Special

Start on the goal line and sprint to the six-yard box; back to the goal line; then to the penalty spot; back to the goal line; then to the top of the 18-yard box and back to the goal line. Take a minute rest and then perform the same exercise a few more times.

9. Cool Down (5-Minute Stretch)

Stretching after training is just as important as stretching before training.

Make sure to stretch all major muscle groups and take a light jog to cool down. Don’t be afraid to do 50 push-ups and 150 sit-ups either--strength training is important for preventing injury.

Goalkeeping is all about consistency, and if you train every day, you need to have a work out that you are comfortable with.