Saves of Low Shots From 9 Meters
Saves of low shots from 9 meters present one of the greatest challenges for handball goalkeepers. These shots travel close to the floor, requiring goalkeepers to cover significant distance while maintaining proper technique and balance. The physical demands are considerable: explosive lateral movement, deep positioning, quick recovery, and the coordination to direct the ball away from danger.
There are two most common techniques for saves of low shots from 9 meters in handball goalkeeping: the step to the side and the sliding technique. Each has its place in a goalkeeper’s toolkit, and understanding when and how to use each one makes the difference between consistent saves and consistent goals against.
What I’ve observed across my all years of coaching goalkeepers worldwide is that many young players struggle with low saves not because they lack athleticism, but because they were never taught proper technique. Or worse, they learned incorrect technique that now works against them in every match. This article covers both primary techniques in detail, explains why training progression matters so much for low saves, and provides numerous video exercises you can use in your training sessions.
Key Takeaways
- Two primary techniques exist for saves of low shots from 9 meters: side step and sliding –Both belong to different historical goalkeeping schools, but modern goalkeepers should master both. The choice depends on the situation, the goalkeeper’s physical abilities, and the specific shot trajectory.
- Side step should be taught before sliding with young goalkeepers – Sliding requires significant hip mobility, flexibility, and strength that most young athletes haven’t developed yet. Teaching sliding too early leads to improper technique and potential injuries from harsh joint impact.
- Body weight must transfer to the reacting leg during the side step – When weight stays on the supporting leg, the reacting leg lifts from above rather than moving laterally close to the floor. This common mistake leaves open space under the foot where the ball travels into the goal.
- The foot position in low saves is critical – The reacting foot should be “open” with the internal part facing the direction of the incoming ball, and the goalkeeper should lean on the whole foot, not just the toes. Lifting the heel creates instability and reduces coverage.
- Corrective exercises fix wrongly learned technique – It’s always easier to teach proper technique from the start than to correct bad habits later. However, when goalkeepers have already developed incorrect movement patterns, specific corrective drills can retrain proper mechanics.
Step To The Side Saving Technique for Low Shots From 9 Meters
Historically, the step to the side save technique belongs to the ex-Yugoslav goalkeeping school, but nowadays it’s applied by the majority of goalkeepers. A good goalkeeper is one who uses many different saving techniques for different kinds of shots. Therefore, it’s very important to work step by step with young goalkeepers on education and learning different saving techniques. In proper young goalkeeper training progression, the step to the side low save reaction should be one of the very first elements of saving techniques that we work on.
The most important things about the step to the side saving technique are:
From the basic stance, the goalkeeper makes a step to the side where the shot is coming. If the shot is coming to the goalkeeper’s left side, then the push off has to be from the goalkeeper’s right leg. At the same time, the left leg makes a side step toward the ball with external rotation of the thigh, so the foot is positioned properly for the low save.
The opposite arm (in this case, the right arm) remains extended diagonally in the air, maintaining balance and covering space. The reacting arm (left arm) stretches down, passing in front of the knee and toward the space above and in front of the reacting foot to cover that open space depending on where the ball is directed.
The size and length of the side step depends mostly on the path and direction of the incoming ball. Therefore, it’s very important to work with goalkeepers on different lengths of side step, from shorter to deeper. The step length also depends on the physical abilities of the goalkeeper performing it. If the goalkeeper has problems with hip flexor mobility or flexibility, it will be much harder for them to perform proper movement.
Young goalkeepers often lack hip flexor mobility and leg muscle strength, so it’s advisable to teach them a shorter side step with the addition of a middle step before the reaction. This way they can reach far enough with the reacting foot while making it easier to push off and return faster into the basic stance after the reaction.
In the low side step reaction, body weight transfers to the reacting leg. This is one of the reasons why it’s so important for goalkeepers to have strong leg muscles and good balance and stability. The upper body moves toward the place of contact with the ball, keeping the back straight and head up, looking straight at the incoming shot.
The foot of the reacting leg should be “open” with the internal part facing the direction of the ball. A common mistake many young goalkeepers make is not leaning on the whole foot in this position, but just on the toes while lifting the heel. Keep this detail in mind while explaining proper technique. It’s advisable to make the side step slightly toward the ball (only a few centimeters) with the purpose of cutting the angle.
There are certain common mistakes in low save reactions, and every goalkeeper coach should point out these mistakes to young goalkeepers and then work to correct them. To teach, improve, or identify mistakes in goalkeeper technique, the coach first has to become familiar with elements of proper technique.
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Why the Side Step Matters for Saves of Low Shots From 9 Meters
Understanding the mechanics behind the side step helps both coaches and goalkeepers commit to proper execution. When a shot travels toward the low corner, the goalkeeper must cover a significant distance laterally while getting low enough to block or deflect the ball.
The side step technique accomplishes this through efficient weight transfer. The push off from the opposite leg generates the power needed for fast lateral movement. The external rotation of the thigh on the stepping leg allows the goalkeeper to present maximum surface area to the incoming ball while maintaining stability.
When executed properly, the goalkeeper creates a barrier from their foot up through their hand that covers the entire low corner. The ball has nowhere to go except into the goalkeeper’s body or away from the goal. When executed improperly, gaps appear, usually under the foot or between the hand and leg, and skilled shooters find these openings consistently.
This is why saves of low shots from 9 meters require dedicated technique work before adding speed and game-like pressure. A goalkeeper who has internalized proper mechanics will execute correctly even when fatigued or stressed. A goalkeeper who has only practiced at high speed without mastering fundamentals will break down exactly when precision matters most.
Sliding Saving Technique for Low Shots From 9 Meters
The other way to react on low shots from 9 meters is sliding. Traditionally, the sliding saving technique belongs to the Scandinavian goalkeeping school. But just like with the side step low save reaction, sliding is now applied and used by all top-level goalkeepers.
In my work with young goalkeepers, I never start with the sliding save reaction as the first choice of technique for saving low shots. The reason is that sliding technique is very challenging physically, and young goalkeepers more often than not have poor flexibility and hip mobility, so they are physically unable to make proper sliding technique. But regardless, they keep performing it.
What happens over time is that they develop injuries due to overuse of wrong technique and harsh impact on their joints (hips, knees, ankles) before they have the needed range of motion and flexibility for such a challenging movement.
I discovered this “phenomenon” of sliding technique after having several goalkeeper camps and coaches’ educations in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Iceland. In these countries, sliding was the predominant technique for saves of low shots from 9 meters for young goalkeepers. This was mostly because they get to see a lot of high-level handball either live or on TV, where very skilled senior goalkeepers perform perfect sliding technique without any problems.
Young goalkeepers naturally copy the style of their idols, but their young bodies aren’t capable of performing such a challenging and demanding movement. So I like to start working first on the side step low save technique with my young goalkeepers, and then slowly progress to sliding while working on flexibility, mobility, and other needed physical aspects.
How To Perform a Proper Sliding Save Technique
If we take the same example as in the previous case, reaction on a low shot to the left side, then the sliding reaction starts from the basic stance with an explosive push off from the right leg toward the left side. The left leg slides on the heel to the left side where the shot is addressed. The sliding movement of the leg is often accompanied by one or both arms extended toward the foot of that leg, thus covering larger space.
Sliding can be done as a one-leg slide (with one leg sliding to the reaction and the other bent) or with a full leg split slide (with both legs making a full split). Both techniques have their strengths and weaknesses, and the effect of both can be maximized only if you recognize which will work better for your goalkeeper. However, it’s advisable to teach both techniques by following the abilities and proper progression for your goalkeepers.
Besides the push-off sliding reaction on low shots, there is also a “sit down” slide reaction without lateral push-off movement. However, this technique is even more aggressive and harsh physically for young goalkeeper bodies (especially hips, knees, and ankles), so we should be careful about when to include this technique in training progression.
In training young goalkeepers, it’s very important to teach them a wide range of movements and different technique elements so they could later use what suits best to their personal goalkeeper style in specific saving reactions.
In the video below, you can see a “king of sliding saves,” Niklas Landin, performing the sliding sit reaction and getting up immediately without any problems, in the blink of an eye.
Physical Prerequisites for Low Save Techniques
Before goalkeepers can execute either technique effectively for saves of low shots from 9 meters, certain physical foundations must be in place. Coaches who ignore these prerequisites set their goalkeepers up for frustration and potential injury.
Hip mobility allows the legs to move through the required range of motion. Without adequate hip mobility, goalkeepers compensate with their lower back or knees, creating strain and inefficient movement patterns. Testing hip mobility is straightforward: if a goalkeeper can’t perform a proper deep side lunge with their torso upright, they aren’t ready for deep side step saves or any form of sliding.
Hip flexor flexibility determines how far the stepping leg can extend while maintaining control. Tight hip flexors limit step length and force the goalkeeper to bend forward excessively, compromising their ability to see the ball and react to its trajectory.
Leg strength provides the foundation for explosive push-offs and the stability to hold positions under load. The stepping leg must support the goalkeeper’s full body weight in a deep lateral position. Without adequate strength, the leg collapses or the goalkeeper can’t push back to recover for the next shot.
Core stability connects upper and lower body movements. During low saves, the core must maintain proper positioning while the limbs move explosively in different directions. Weak core stability leads to energy leaks and slower, less controlled movements.
Ankle mobility and stability affect foot position during contact with the ball. The “open” foot position requires the ankle to rotate externally while bearing load. Limited ankle mobility leads to compensations that reduce coverage and increase injury risk.
Assessing and developing these physical qualities should happen alongside technique training, not after a goalkeeper has already developed compensatory movement patterns.
Important Things When Saving Low Shots
Saving low shots is a critical aspect of a handball goalkeeper’s skill set. Here are some of the most important points to consider when working on saves of low shots from 9 meters:
Positioning and Stance
Low center of gravity: Maintain a low center of gravity with slightly bent knees and a forward-leaning torso. This position allows for quick movements in any direction.
Foot placement: Keep feet shoulder-width apart for stability and readiness to slide or step quickly laterally to either side.
Anticipation and Reading the Shooter
Study the shooter: Pay attention to the shooter’s body language, their movement, arm position and angle, to anticipate the direction of the shot.
React fast: Use the cues picked up from the shooter to make a decisive move toward the ball.
Quick Reflexes and Agility
Develop reflexes: Work on drills that build your reaction time to ensure you can respond quickly to low shots.
Stay agile: Agility training helps improve the ability to move quickly across the goal, essential for reaching low shots.
Use of Hands and Legs
Hand positioning: Keep hands ready and slightly forward, allowing for quick ground coverage. Decide quickly whether to use a hand, leg, or both to stop the ball based on its speed and trajectory.
Leg work: Practice using one leg to push off for additional reach and the other to support and balance, enabling you to cover more ground when reacting to low shots.
Saving Technique
You can use either the lateral side step or the sliding reaction when attempting saves of low shots from 9 meters. Whichever you use, you need to master the technique, always aiming to either catch the ball (if it’s not a strong shot) or deflect it away from the goal. Make sure your save reaction is controlled and directed properly toward the incoming direction of the ball.
If you’re using the sliding technique, practice safe landing. Learn how to land safely to minimize injury risk and to recover and position quickly for the next attack.
Mental Toughness
Stay focused: Concentrate on the game and be prepared for shots from any direction at any time.
Resilience: Don’t let a received goal affect your confidence. Stay mentally resilient and always be ready for the next shot.
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Friendly Reminder for Coaches
Please don’t choose sliding as the first technique option for saves of low shots from 9 meters in work with young goalkeepers.
There are many reasons why you shouldn’t start with sliding, but mostly you shouldn’t do it because many young goalkeepers are simply NOT CAPABLE of performing it properly.
During many years of my coaching work worldwide, I have seen a lot of young goalkeepers performing sliding without having even a basic level of mobility and flexibility. This is very dangerous and aggressive “attack” on the hip joints, as well as on the knees and ankles.
Just imagine having a goalkeeper who can’t perform a proper squat or side deep lunge, but then they go ahead and keep making sliding save reactions. This is, unfortunately, very common.
Besides the physical aspect of why sliding technique is difficult for young goalkeepers, there is another reason why this save reaction shouldn’t be your first choice. Very often, young goalkeepers adopt the sliding save as a “cool” reaction they see senior goalkeepers making on TV, so they start using it all the time and it becomes their habit. They end up very soon getting the habit of reacting on every low shot with sliding technique, so you will later have a lot of trouble getting them to “stay on their feet” or to perform side step at all. It’s much easier to teach them first the proper side step save reaction, and after they learn and adopt it, then in a later stage you can start with the sliding technique.
If you want to learn how to work properly on teaching your goalkeepers to perform the sliding technique, you can check out my video course on that topic: Sliding Technique Video Course.
Common Mistakes in Saves of Low Shots From 9 Meters
Understanding some of the most frequent technique breakdowns helps coaches identify and correct problems before they become ingrained habits.
Lifting the reacting leg from above instead of moving it laterally – This is the most common mistake that young goalkeepers do. The goalkeeper makes a side step motion, but the leg travels in an arc upward rather than moving sideways close to the floor. The result is open space under the foot where the ball passes through. This mistake usually stems from keeping body weight on the supporting leg instead of transferring it to the stepping leg.
Keeping body weight on the supporting leg – Related to the above, when goalkeepers don’t transfer their weight properly, they can’t create the low barrier needed to block the shot. Their body stays upright while only the leg extends, which isn’t sufficient coverage.
Leaning on toes instead of the whole foot – When the reacting foot is in position but the heel is lifted, the goalkeeper loses stability and reduces their blocking surface.
Bending forward excessively at the waist – Some goalkeepers compensate for limited hip mobility by bending their torso forward. This takes their eyes off the ball and compromises their ability to use their hands effectively.
Using sliding when side step would be more appropriate – Young goalkeepers who have fallen in love with the “dramatic look” of sliding use it even when a simple side step would be faster and more effective. This becomes an automatic habit that’s difficult to break or change.
Failing to recover quickly after the save attempt – Even successful saves don’t end the play. Goalkeepers who commit fully to low saves often struggle to get back into the basic stance and proper position for follow-up shots or rebounds.
Not cutting the angle before the save – Moving the side step slightly toward the ball (just a few centimeters) reduces the angle and makes saves easier. Goalkeepers who move purely laterally, or go backwards with their reacting leg, miss this advantage.
Take Your Training Further
If you want to master saves of low shots from 9 meters with your goalkeepers, consider these resources:
Level 1 Video Course for Coaches: Covers proper technique for saves of high, middle, and low shots from 9 meters, including detailed progressions and common mistakes.
Sliding Technique Video Course: A complete course dedicated to teaching proper sliding technique, including all steps of progression from the very basics to advanced applications.
Conclusion
Mastering saves of low shots from 9 meters requires patience, proper progression, and attention to fundamental technique. Whether you’re teaching the side step or sliding technique, the physical prerequisites must be in place before demanding complex execution.
Start with the side step for young goalkeepers. Build the mobility, flexibility, and strength needed for sliding while they’re developing their basic technique. Use corrective exercises when you see common mistakes developing. Progress through complexity gradually, ensuring each foundation is solid before adding the next layer.
The video exercises in this article provide a range of options from basic corrective drills to advanced combo exercises with vestibular stimulation. Choose the appropriate level for your goalkeeper and resist the temptation to skip ahead. Proper technique learned well is always more valuable than impressive-looking drills performed incorrectly.
Video – Corrective Exercise For Low Saves
Please keep in mind that it’s always easier to teach young goalkeepers how to make a proper low save (or any other kind of save reaction) than to correct their wrongly learned technique.
What Are Corrective Exercises?
What does a “corrective exercise” actually mean? Well, for example, if you have a goalkeeper who lifts their leg while reacting with a side step low reaction to low shots, then the ball will go into the goal under their foot. Your goalkeeper will make a side step low reaction, but since they’re doing it wrong, instead of moving the leg laterally close to the floor, they make the reacting leg movement from “upwards,” and they won’t manage to “close” the low space. This results in the ball going into the goal under their foot. If this is the case with your goalkeeper, you can use corrective exercises to fix that wrong movement.
When making the side step low save reaction, the goalkeeper should transition upper body weight to the reacting leg while making the side step. When done properly, the goalkeeper’s reacting leg won’t move too high, and there won’t be open space under the foot in the low corner they’re trying to protect.
When covering low shots, the goalkeeper’s main task is to cover that space in the low far corners. But very often during reactions on low shots, goalkeepers leave their body weight on the supporting leg (the leg that isn’t reacting to the shot), which results in the reacting leg coming from “upwards,” thus opening the space under that foot. The goalkeeper ends up opening the space they’re trying to cover.
There are several things that can be done to correct this wrongly learned movement, and in the video below you have a suggestion for one corrective exercise you can use.
Video – Corrective Exercise For Saves of Low Shots – One Sided Kneeling Option
In the video below, you can see another option of a corrective exercise for saves of low shots from 9 meters. This version is performed while kneeling on one knee.
You can see a combination of save reactions of two shots: the first shot is aimed toward the head, which makes the goalkeeper start the reaction from basic stance position, after which comes the second shot, which is a low shot to a decided side. The main focus in this exercise is on proper side step leg reaction and proper foot position during the low save reaction.
Pay attention to the goalkeeper’s hips and back position in this movement. If the goalkeeper is bending forward while reaching down with the hand, then the movement isn’t correct.
You can learn more details about proper form and movement for saves of low shots from 9 meters in my Level 1 Video Course for Coaches.
Video – Combo Exercise For Saves of Low Shots
In the video below, you can see a combo drill for saves of low shots that I like to use when working with young goalkeepers. I especially like using this combo drill when I want to stimulate the vestibular system and work on spatial awareness, cognitive processes, speed of decision making, and execution of proper goalkeeper technique.
On an audio stimulus, the goalkeeper does a 180-degree jump turn (either to a freely chosen side or to the given side), after which they receive a visual stimulus. Based on this, they need to touch one of the posts and then as fast as possible adjust their position and react on a low shot to the opposite side.
For the visual stimulus option, I like to combine either showing one of the two sides or for more challenging versions, I like to give certain cognitive tasks, all of which impact and activate certain brain areas.
All for the purpose of adding difficulty to the task and working on speed of information processing, working memory capacity, and speed of decision making.
Video: Combo Exercise for Saves of Low Shots (Advanced)
After you get the basic understanding for how to work on saves of low shots from 9 meters with your goalkeepers, you can proceed to including more complex exercises in your training.
Complex exercises are what I call “combo exercises,” and you can find several options here on my website.
My main purpose with these combo exercises was to offer more ideas and inspiration for you, so that you could use them and get inspiration to create your own combinations. This can only happen if you understand and know very well the basics of proper goalkeeper technique and after you work on elements of proper basic technique with your goalkeepers.
One of the more complex exercises is a combo exercise for saves of low shots shown in the video below. This exercise consists of two low save reactions of shots from long distance: side step for the low shot save to the front low corner (closer to the goalkeeper) and sliding technique to the back low corner (further from the goalkeeper).
If you would like to learn more about proper sliding technique, check out my Sliding Technique Video Course.
Generally, it’s advisable to avoid sliding to the front low corner because in that case the goalkeeper’s leg usually covers about 1 meter of space outside of the goal, which isn’t the most optimal use of the body. But then again, we won’t complain about chosen technique if the shot is saved, right?
Video – Footwork and Double Low Save Reaction
In the video below, you can see an option of footwork performed with the right leg, and the side step low reaction performed to the left side with the left leg.
Video – Cross Leg Footwork and Low Save Reaction
In the video below, the goalkeeper does “front cross, back cross” footwork movement until the coach gives an audio stimulus, after which the goalkeeper reacts on the low shot while performing proper technique for saves of low shots from 9 meters.
I don’t recommend this exercise with very young goalkeepers because of the specific footwork drill where one foot crosses the other. We don’t want to introduce crossing legs movement before we make sure our goalkeeper understands proper basic movement and the intentional task in certain exercises.
On the other hand, with more experienced goalkeepers this is a great exercise, since it’s “breaking” the habit and “breaking” the normal movement pattern, thus making it more challenging from the cognitive aspect.
Video – Some of The Steps of Progression for Saves of Low Shots From 9 Meters
In the video below, you can see some of the steps of progression when working on save reactions of low shots from 9 meters.
These exercises are ideas for you as inspiration to create your own exercises. You can do them individually with one goalkeeper or with a few goalkeepers at the same time. But you need to make sure that you can give proper instruction and explain proper technique for each exercise to every goalkeeper individually.
Always make sure to start with the simplest exercise and then progress toward more complex drills.
Video – Low Save Combo Drill With Vestibular Stimulation
Many of my combo drills for saves of low shots from 9 meters incorporate vestibular system stimulation. Understanding what this means helps coaches use these exercises more effectively.
What is Vestibular System Stimulation?
The vestibular system is a key part of our inner ear and brain that helps control balance and eye movements. Imagine it as a sophisticated internal gyroscope that keeps you oriented and stable as you move through the world. It tells you which way is up, helps you walk straight without getting dizzy, and ensures you can focus your eyes on a point even while moving. This is very important for handball goalkeepers: laser focusing on a point (the ball) while moving and positioning in front of the goal.
Vestibular system stimulation involves activities or exercises aimed at activating or training this system. It’s like giving your internal balance system a workout. Therapies may include exercises involving head and body movements, balance training, and visual-spatial activities. These are designed to challenge and improve the vestibular system’s function, helping individuals improve their balance, reduce symptoms of dizziness, and improve overall stability.
What Does This Mean for Handball Goalkeeper Training?
Incorporating vestibular system stimulation into handball goalkeeper training is about improving a goalkeeper’s balance, spatial orientation, and reaction times, all key elements for peak performance in the goal.
This training involves exercises that challenge and improve the vestibular system, which is crucial for maintaining balance and coordinating movements, especially during quick, dynamic actions. For a handball goalkeeper, this could mean drills that simulate the quick changes in direction, sudden stops, turns, twists, head movements in different directions, or fast visual tracking of the ball that they would experience during a game.
Examples include quick jumps in different directions, 180 or 360-degree turn jumps, practicing head movement in various directions while maintaining balance on one or both feet, or spinning around before trying to catch or save a shot. These exercises help goalkeepers become more adept at maintaining orientation and balance, even after quick, disorienting movements. This leads to improved performance in goal, as they’re better able to quickly and accurately respond to shots with a well-tuned sense of balance and spatial awareness.
If you would like to read more about cognitive training in goalkeeper work, please check out my article on Cognitive Training in Handball Goalkeeping.
In the video below, you can see an example of a shooting low save combo drill with different difficulty levels of vestibular system stimulation, including 180 and 360-degree turn jumps. The jumps are followed with a proper reaction on a cognitive task first and then, depending on what the cognitive task was, reaction on a low shot to the left or right side.
This is a complex combo that can (and should) be progressed or regressed if needed, depending on the skill level of the goalkeeper you work with.
As always, when working with young goalkeepers, please respect the main rules of proper basic technique and remember to go backwards in progression when needed. The point isn’t to “copy/paste” the drill and do it with beginners, but to educate and coach them properly until they’re capable of performing this (or any other) combo drill.
This is a very advanced drill, so please make sure to first do all separated elements with your goalkeepers before proceeding to this full combo.
This is a very advanced drill, so please make sure to first do all separated elements of it with your goalkeepers before proceeding to make this full combo.
Vestibular system stimulation is basically exercises or activities that give your body’s balance system a good workout. Think of it as doing exercises for the part of your inner ear and brain that helps you stay balanced and keeps your vision stable while you’re moving.
360-degree turn jumps in goalkeeper training are a great example of an exercise that activates the vestibular system. When you do a 360-degree jump, you’re not just testing your strength and coordination, but you’re also giving your balance system a challenge. As you spin around, your inner ear (part of the vestibular system) gets to work, helping you figure out where you are in space, and keeping you from falling over when you land.
It’s a fun, and efficient way to keep the balance system functional! And it’s especially useful when we combine 180 or 360 degree turn jumps in some of the more specific goalkeeper combo drills.
Video – Double Jump Turn and Double Low Save Reactions
This is a more advanced idea for a combo drill for practicing saves of low shots from 9 meters: on an audio stimulus, a goalkeeper starts with a 180-degree jump turn, and right after landing, does a 360-degree jump to the other side, followed by a visual stimulus. Depending on which arm the other goalkeeper lifts, the goalkeeper performing the drill makes a double low save reaction, starting to the opposite side from the one shown after the two jump turns.
This exercise is also great for practicing goalkeeper dexterity and spatial awareness, which are very important in goalkeeper training.
Video – Jump Turn and Somersault Combo for Low Save Reaction
This is a very demanding combo drill with the main focus on save reactions of low shots combined with vestibular system activation, reactions on audio and visual stimuli, and speed of visual perception.
As always, please don’t perform this combo drill with your goalkeepers if they aren’t able to perform properly all separated elements first.
Here are all the steps of this combo drill:
- “In and out” footwork
- On an audio stimulus, goalkeeper makes a 180-degree jump turn in basic stance
- After proper landing in basic stance, goalkeeper watches and tries to perceive as fast as possible which side (left or right) is shown by the shooter’s hand
- Goalkeeper reacts by touching the goal post on the opposite side from what the shooter showed
- Goalkeeper makes a fast reaction on a low shot to the opposite side and one more low shot to the other side
- Goalkeeper makes a somersault forward and gets up in proper basic stance (getting up without pushing off from the floor with hands)
- While getting up in basic stance, goalkeeper makes a 360-degree jump turn
- Landing in basic stance and right away reaction on two additional low shots, but in the opposite order from the previous two
As you can see, there is big cognitive load and big physical load in this combo exercise. This combo drill is recommended only for experienced and skilled goalkeepers who can do all separated elements properly.
Video – Cartwheel in Low Save Combo
There are many different ways you can use cartwheels in handball, especially in goalkeeper training. Once you understand how proper technique for saves of low shots from 9 meters looks and what the most common mistakes are, it will be easy for you to design and create your own ideas for exercises.
Proper goalkeeper technique should be imperative for every coach at the start of work with young goalkeepers, because it enables a good basis for all the work that has to come afterwards. Also, it’s much easier to teach young goalkeepers proper technique than to work on correcting wrongly learned technique.
In the video below, you can see two options of combo exercises for saves of low shots from 9 meters that you should use later in progression with your goalkeepers.
First, make sure your goalkeeper can manage separate elements of these combo exercises: 1) the cartwheel and 2) the side step low reaction.
Cartwheels are a good demonstration of overall coordination and agility, and they can show us where our athletes are lacking in particular areas of strength and flexibility.
Including cartwheels in drills with your goalkeepers is a great idea. Besides adding bigger challenge, it also targets the vestibulo-ocular system, dexterity, and spatial awareness, all extremely important for goalkeepers.
In this video, the first version shows a cartwheel exercise where the goalkeeper does the side step low save right away after landing, from the same place where the cartwheel finished. In the second version, the goalkeeper does a middle step before the side step low save.
Video – Double Lateral Push Off Step From the Same Leg
In the video below, you can see a combo drill for saves of low shots that I did with young goalkeepers on my first camp in Iceland.
The first shot comes to the goalkeeper’s right low side, on the outside of the right leg (more exactly, from the right side of the goalkeeper’s right leg), while the second shot comes from the inside of the goalkeeper’s right leg.
The main idea in this combo drill is to first react properly to the low shot on the goalkeeper’s right side by making the first lateral push off step from the left leg. Immediately after that shot, the goalkeeper has to make a fast second lateral push off step with the same (left) leg to save the second low shot coming between their legs.
A very common mistake in this combo drill is that during the reaction to the second shot, goalkeepers make a lateral push off step with the “wrong” leg, meaning with the right leg in this example. The second common mistake is that some goalkeepers make a middle step before the first low save reaction, or they make a middle step before the second reaction. For this combo exercise, there should be no additional steps or middle steps other than those shown in the video.
Try out this drill and let me know how you liked it!
Video – Rotation From the Hurdle Sitting Position and Low Save Reaction
In the video below, you can see how the 360-degree body rotation from the hurdle sitting position should be done, and then in the second part of the video you can see the same rotation followed with a save reaction to the low shot.
Video – Long Pass After Fast Low Save Reactions
This exercise focuses on a small but very demanding goalkeeper combination that connects physical readiness, mental sharpness, and emotional composure under pressure. It starts with a fast transition from the ground, the goalkeeper must get up fast, finding balance and awareness immediately, just like in real match situations after a save movement.
As soon as they regain their feet, a sequence of fast, short, low bounce passes follows, enough for a goalkeeper to make fast sequence of low save movements to the left and then to the right side. Besides working on technique, these bounce passes are supposed to challenge reaction speed, focus, and the ability to stay calm while the body is still recovering from movement. The rhythm is intentionally intense, simulating moments in a game when chaos happens close to goal and decisions have to come from trained intuition.
After completing several fast low save reactions, the goalkeeper receives one final pass somewhere further away, but still inside the six-meter area. This is supposed to change the task from low save movements, to fast coming into possession of the ball, and perceiving where on the court to throw it. The goalkeeper collects the ball, regains control, and immediately transitions into attack by delivering a long throw towards another goalkeeper, coach, or a player who chooses where to position and wait for the pass. Goalkeeper needs to “scan” the court very fast and do the pass.
The long pass can be directed toward a predefined static target, such as another goalkeeper (coach or a player), helping develop precision and consistency. Alternatively, it can be played to a moving target, which adds a layer of perception, timing, and communication, requiring the goalkeeper to read movement, judge distance, and commit confidently to the decision.
Beyond technique, this drill trains something deeper: the ability to move from stress to control, from defense to initiation of attack (which is one of the core responsibilities of every goalkeeper). It teaches goalkeepers to recover quickly after effort, stay emotionally composed under repeated pressure, and finish the action with clarity and purpose. Just the same way as they have to do in real matches when one moment of chaos turns instantly into an opportunity to build the next attack.
Video – Low Save Reaction From A Kneeling Position
This exercise starts from a kneeling position on both knees, intentionally placing the goalkeeper in a slightly restricted starting point. From here, the movement is triggered by either a visual or an audio stimulus, encouraging the goalkeeper to react rather than anticipate, just as they have to do in real game situations where decisions happen in fractions of a second.
At the signal, the goalkeeper brings one leg forward (in this example, the right leg), establishing it as the push-off leg. This moment is short, but important. It teaches the body to organize itself quickly, to find structure and balance under time pressure. The movement should feel decisive but controlled and stable.
Immediately after placing the foot in front of the body, the goalkeeper pushes laterally to the right side, executing a proper low-save technique. The emphasis is on efficient power generation from the push-off leg, keeping the body compact, low, and aligned toward the ball. The save is not just about reaching the ball, it is about moving with intention, staying connected to the ground while reacting explosively.
What makes this exercise especially valuable is how it builds the progression toward saving low shots from 9 meters distance.
Beyond technique, the exercise develops confidence in “imperfect” moments. It trains the goalkeeper to remain calm when starting from disadvantage, to rely on learned movement patterns, and to respond with clarity instead of panic. Over time, this repetition helps transform reaction into instinct, allowing the goalkeeper to move decisively even under pressure.
Video – 180 Degree Jump Turn Combined With Side Step Low Save Reaction
Clean and proper technique should always be the number one priority when working with young goalkeepers!
Here are some of my Danish “ninja goalkeepers” in action from our camp in Denmark, from 2019. In this video you can see a 180 degree jump turn combined with side step low save reaction. This is one of the exercises I love to use in progression for low save reactions with the side step.
In this version, we perform the 180 degree jump turn to the left side and then side step low reaction to the other (right) side. The next combination alternates: jump turn to the right side and then side step to the left side.
This exercise includes additional activation of the vestibular system, and you should use it only after your goalkeeper is able to perform properly the separate elements of this whole drill.
What to watch for in the jump turn:
The jump turn for 180 degrees has to start from basic stance and land in basic stance, without putting hands down during the takeoff, turn, or landing. Pay attention to proper landing (position of feet and body overall). After performing a proper jump turn, without any middle steps, the goalkeeper performs the low save reaction with the side step.
What to watch for in the side step low reaction:
The most important element is a deep enough side step. The reacting foot should move sideways close to the floor, not coming from up! The most common mistake is that goalkeepers step with their reacting foot from above, and by the time they react in that way, the ball already goes under their foot into the goal.
Another common mistake is that some goalkeepers bend their upper body forward during the side step reaction, compensating for lack of hip mobility or hamstring flexibility.
The reacting hand should be positioned in a way that covers the space above and outside from the reacting foot. The first goalkeeper in this video has his reacting hand just in front of the reacting leg in the first and third repetition (this should be corrected), but in the second repetition, the position of the hand is as it should be.
With good hip mobility, goalkeepers can also “prolong” the movement of that reacting hand towards the space in front of the toes of the reacting foot, if and when needed. 🙂
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