Step Forward in Saves of 6-Meter Line Shots

Before attempting to save shots from 6-meter line, goalkeepers first need to make the step forward, towards the shooter (whether it’s a line player / pivot, or whether it’s a breakthrough shot). The reason for stepping forward is to shorten the shooting angle, and increase the chance of saving the goal.

The most important thing when it comes to the movement forward is timing. This is often easier said than done. But coaches should take a lot of time to work with their goalkeepers on this aspect of saves of 6-meter line shots.

Before reading this article, please check out this one as well: Saves of 6-Meter Line Shots.

In my work, I like to test which leg is goalkeeper’s dominant leg in stepping forward, because that will tell me if a goalkeeper has a “preferred” leg to step forward with, regardless from which position the shot comes. This is very important, because if we analyze young goalkeepers – we will realize that majority of them have “favorite” or preferred ways to position and to react on majority of shots. And very often, young goalkeepers will not make a distinction between positioning and reactions on 6-meter versus 9-meters shots. Thus making themselves more vulnerable in the goal, and making themselves more predictable for the shooters.

Video – Exercise For Practicing The First Step Forward

In the video below, you can see two options of one of the many exercises that you can do for practicing the first step forward in saves of 6-meter line shots.

Both options of the exercise can also be used as an additional footwork in the warm up, depending on what you want to work on in your training.

The first option of the exercise in the video is done in fast rhythm, reacting on each pair of cones as fast as possible and positioning in stable and proper basic stance after kicking the cones forward.

In the second option of the exercise, the goalkeeper reacts on each pair of cones after receiving an audio stimuli from a coach.

In both options of the exercise, the first starting leg in step forward can be by free choice or it can be pre-decided and agreed whether it’s left or right.

I like to work on a decided option – for example, first starting with the left leg the whole round and then in the next one reacting first with the right leg. In my opinion, it’s always a good thing to work also on goalkeeper’s non-dominant leg in the first step forward.

The main goal of both options of this exercise is to work on a little bit faster and more agile reaction in step forward (when reacting on 6-meter line shots).
Besides that, the main focus should always be on keeping the proper basic stance before, during and after the reaction on each pair of cones (meaning – not pulling arms down). After kicking the cones forward – goalkeeper should not be unstable in the basic stance (leaning forward or backwards), but aim to keep the proper and balanced basic stance.

You can be as creative as you want with this exercise, you can change the distance from the goal line, you can change the order of the first reacting leg, alternate starting leg, change the order of reacting leg after every 2 cones: goalkeeper can react on an audio, visual or tactile stimuli, etc. Options are endless when you turn on your coaching creativity! 

The distance from the goal line did not matter in the shown options in the video, since we have worked on the dominant / non-dominant leg in the step forward and on the more explosive and more fast step forward. It just depends what is your selected goal with the exercise. 

After working on this exercise, goalkeepers are always able to make more explosive movement in that first step forward, and that’s what I was going after in this specific case! 

Video – Step Forward and Leg Kick Save Reaction For 6-Meter Line Shots

In the video below you can see one of the exercises which combines a few of the most essential things when it comes to reactions on shots from 6-meter line: the step forward and the save reaction. In this particular exercise, we have worked on the leg kick save reaction for the middle height shots from 6-meter line.

Going forward towards the shooter should be practiced with one step or with two steps. In both cases movement forward is followed with a save reaction – high, middle or low. You can work only on one saving technique, or you can combine a few different options and versions, depending on what you are working on.

In the further steps of progression, when working on the first step forward with young goalkeepers, we can also work on the step forward, after which we can implement the correction of the supporting leg. That would basically be shifting the body weight from the leg that stepped forward to the other leg by bringing it forward as well, and then a goalkeeper could make a save reaction (high, middle, or low) to either the left or the right side. 

In this exercise, I have used two additional external loads, because previously we have already done proper steps of progression until this version of the exercise. External loads that I have used in this exercise are: SKLZ resistance band (around the waist), and resistance bands for legs (above the knees). Both of these resistance bands are adding the load, thus enhancing power and speed of the movement, making it more explosive – which is one of the main things for every goalkeeper in any save reaction on 6-meter shots.
Advice: please, don’t do this version of the exercise without first making sure that your goalkeeper is physically and technically able to do it properly.

The save save reaction that was used in this exercise for middle shots from small distance was leg kick save reaction with corresponding arms movement.
As explained in the video – the leg kick save reaction should be done in two phases: 1) external rotation and knee raise and 2) knee extension, lower leg kick. In this way the reaction is faster and more explosive.
The most common mistake that many goalkeepers are making in this kind of save reaction is that they are lifting up straight leg with the knee locked. To read more about the leg kick save reaction, please check out this article: Leg Kick Save Reaction.

Video – Shooting Exercises for Working on Step Forward in Saves of 6-Meter Shots

In the video below, you can see a few shooting exercises and progression steps for working on proper stepping forward towards the shooter, and proper save reactions for different kinds of shots from 6-meter line, from pivot positions.
One of the most challenging things, when working on saves of shots from 6-meter line with young goalkeepers, is to get them to understand the importance of stepping forward towards the shooter, and to understand the proper timing for that.

Please keep in mind – if you are working with young goalkeepers – there are a lot of exercises and steps of progression that need to be done before proceeding on shooting exercises like in this video! So make sure that your goalkeeper first understands how, why, and when to make the step/s forward towards the pivot, and also make sure that they are familiar with different techniques for reactions on high, middle and low shots from 6-meter line.

Once when your goalkeeper is understanding proper stepping forward towards the shooter, a good timing for it, and how to react on different heights of shots, then you can proceed on shooting exercises.

You can start with working on “decided” straight shots first – when the goalkeeper knows where the shots are aimed at, and when all shots come to the straight corner (in regards to the side of the “passive defender” from which the shooter is shooting). The most simple version would be to just have high, or just middle, or just low straight shots for the whole round of shots.

And then, the more advanced version would be to combine high and low straight shots, or high and middle straight shots, or low and middle straight shots.

After that, the next more advanced version would be to continue with cross shots – shots to the back corner, and to shoot only high, only middle, or only low cross shots: or to combine high, middle and low cross shots.

In the next step of progression, straight and cross shots could be alternated, while alternating the height of shots as well.

After this, the choice of height of shots, as well as if it would be cross or straight shots could be completely free choice made by shooters.

All of these versions are done with the passive defense (defending “doll”), so the more challenging options would be to add active defense (one or more real players).

Stay in Touch

You can let me know what topics you have the biggest challenge with in goalkeeper coaching by filling out this form.

If you would like to get updates about my online and in-person projects, my research papers, my creative projects (such as blog posts, books and e-books), about my ongoing and new online programs, please subscribe to my newsletter and then you won’t miss any updates and news.

Here you can find my online video courses: Level 1 Video Course for Coaches; Level 2 Video Course for Coaches; Sliding Technique Video Course and Agility Ladder Drills Video Collection with 102 drills.

Subject to Copyright

Unauthorized use and/or duplication of any part of content from this website without express and written permission from this site’s owner is strictly prohibited.  All content (such as text, data, graphics files, images, illustrations, videos, sound files), and all other materials contained in www.vanjaradic.fi are copyrighted unless otherwise noted and are the property of Vanja Radic Coaching. If you want to cite or use any part of the content from my website, you need to get the permission first, so please contact me for that matter.