| March
16, 2003 -
In this interview, Markus Korhonen (Kärpät, Oulu)
gives his advice to all vaughnhockey.com readers and especially
to all you young goalies. Markus plays in the Finnish Elite
League and has been a pro goalie since the 1994-95 season.
Vaughn:
How do you train during the different seasons (summer/pre-season/season)
?
Markus:
In the summer, I work out twice per day with the
rest of my team. The program is mostly the same as for forwards;
weights, running and all kinds of sports such as badminton,
tennis and squash. Weekends are free and we have a couple
of weeks off for vacation.
Vaughn:
How much does your program consist of specialty training for
goalies?
Markus:
Once we hit the ice there are a lot more goalie practices.
Usually I stay on the ice after the team practice and work
on my things like basic saves and movements. Then we have
dedicated goalie practices 1-2 times per week and those are
conducted by our goaltending coach. These practices are 100%
geared towards our needs. When games start, the goalies weight
program becomes slightly lighter than forwards and we do a
lot more stretching.
Vaughn:
What role does your goalie coach have?
Markus:
Because goalies are individuals, it is very important that
we also have our own coach. He's the one who runs our specialty
practices and helps us on little things. He also goes through
all game analysis etc. with us and gives us feedback.
Vaughn:
How important is weight training for goalies?
Markus:
Very Important! Especially legs and midesection of your body.
They must be strong and in good shape so that you can move
fast and recover from the ice.
Vaughn:
Describe your own weight training.
Markus:
In the summer I am working more on my base and maximum strength.
When we start practicing on the ice, I move more to quick
and sharp lifts with smaller weights. Once a week I do my
own special weight session that is mainly focused on the midsection
of my body (stomach, sides and back), lunges and various step-up
drills with a barbell only.
Vaughn:
What style would you say you play?
Markus:
I really can't say I am using a particular style,
I think it's more of a mixture of things, although I have
to say I do go down quite a bit to make saves.
Vaughn:
What is your opinion on using the butterfly style in youth
hockey?
Markus:
In my opinion you should play with whatever style you feel
comfortable and natural with. You should try different styles
to find your own. It takes some time, but eventually, over
the years, you will develop your own personal style that works
the best for you!
Vaughn:
At what age can you start practicing butterfly saves?
Markus:
There's no rule for that. You can start when it feels natural
and the best way to make certain saves.
Vaughn:
What can a young goalie do off-ice to develop him/herself?
Markus:
Work on your mobility and hand-eye coordination. Play a lot
of different team sports. Also badminton and tennis are good
sports for you.
Vaughn:
How much time should goalies devote to stretching?
Markus:
Stretching is vital for you already just to stay healthy.
Before each ice practice you should do a little warmup and
then stretch about 20 minutes to go through all the major
muscles. I stretch on top of that every evening for about
30 minutes going carefully through my whole body.
Vaughn:
What criteria do you use when you choose your equipment? What
else is important for you?
Markus:
The most important criteria for me is that my gear feels comfortable
and "my own". The harder the shots, the more important
the protection becomes. Lighter weight is also important and
good looks like the Vaughn style. |
