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I was taught that your hips, waist, and upper body should be in the exact same position when you drop into a butterfly as when you are in your stance. To accomplish this, you have to have your feet wider than your shoulders and a deep knee bend. If you keep your back straight (sitting in a chair as Badger said), then you will bring your knees together and down to the ice, and theoretically everything from your waist up shouldn't move. You should be driving your knees down to the ice, not just dropping and relying on gravity (as Hills said) and your knees should move in an inward, not forward, direction. Picture it this way, if you get in your stance with your feet on the blueline, when you drop your knees should end up on the blueline, not in front of it. This will improve balance and closing the 5 hole. It is also important because you have to keep your back straight and shoulders back to be able to do butterfly pushes and get around the ice once you are down. Beedee, you look good. The first goal, other than dropping forward instead of down, your depth was a little shallow. You could have been at the top of the crease there. At that spot with your stick on the ice, there wouldn't have been anything for the guy to shoot at. If you think about what I just posted, and look at how you drop to make the save, you can see how your knees went forwards. That essentially created a hinge where you dropped "over" the puck - as your knees went forward, your pads ended up almost parallel to the ice, and the puck went under the pad. That's why you couldn't figure out if/how it went 5 hole. In your mind you dropped quickly (which you did) and your pads should have been there in time. But the direction of your movement meant that your pads were there, but not on the ice. The second goal, was as you said, you just didn't get over in time. But you made one fundamental mistake that is what caused the problem. You got up on the wrong foot. The puck went around the net to your left, but you got up with your left foot. That means you were heading the wrong direction and had your weight on the wrong foot to get moving where you needed to go. Then you had to switch feet and stand all the way up onto your right, so you could move left. Watch the video and you'll see what I mean. Practice standing up on both feet using the foot that puts you the direction you want to move. A good way to practice this is to get up on the foot you want to go every time you get up, so on whistles for faceoffs, get up on the foot the moves you towards the faceoff dot.

I like Cory Wogtech's videos for goaltending. He has a newer DVD series available for sale, but there are some videos on youtube. He does a good job of explaining and demonstrating basic technique and philosophy in a way that will help you translate it into your game. It's not just - "do this". It's - "do this. Here's how, and here's why."

Biggest thing to remember on butterfly pushes is to get your weight on to the push leg, When I coach adult goalies, all the ones that have problems with butterfly pushes are all because they don't get their weight onto the push foot and then don't control it in the slide. They want to get the weight onto the front leg which increases the friction on the sliding pad by a lot, and shortens their slide and/or causes them to spin in circles. The nice thing about this section is that most people are novice goalies. It's not a board for experienced goalies. So things will be more constructive and less 'dude, you suck."

So just a few tips. As OR said keep your back Straighter, your stick is actually resting on its heel because you are bending over so much. Second when you are going down, don't just drop down. You want to DRIVE your knees down. Right now you are just falling down onto your pads which makes 5-hole shots really easy. But this is something a lot of goalies have issues with but is something you should try and remember.

I know people have posted occasionally about something to put in the toe box to reduce the open space. I saw these being reviewed on youtube. Nothing amazing about them it seems, but someone that is commercially selling a solution made by Adrenaline Design. I've spent far more on many a dumb thing so I ordered a pair to test out as I hate the open space feeling above my toes. I'll post a review once I get them and try them for a bit. So you can see what they are: (mods remove if not allowed) http://adrenalinedesign.ca/powerfoot/

Those looking for not bulky, comfortable knee pads might want to consider Maltese KTPs. Yes they are expensive, but they are flexible and light and just as protective as the big boys. http://maltesesports.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=3&zenid=2289e55e3e852a7000776d1f1c6c6d9c It's tough because it's counter-intuitive. Your thought would be to get your body going to where you are moving. But in reality, you want to keep your weight on the push side and behind your movement. So on pushes, T-pushes, and even shuffles, you want to keep as much weight as possible off your lead leg to reduce friction. This is important on T-pushes because you can't pivot your foot as well with the weight on it. So you can't turn it to point it were you want to go, and it's even harder to get it back to straight to stop once you start moving. It's also helpful to think of it in terms of consecutive movements. You're not just doing something to make one save. You have to do it to set up the next save if you have to make it. If you put your weight in the front of your movement, you have to do that much more to get it back centered and going the other way. If you keep it trailing, it's centered and requires less time and energy to change your direction. You can use your momentum to load the push leg.

thanks for the pointers psulion22! all the things you called out about novices and the BF push explains my poor technique when I first tried how to do it! that is exactly the advice i was looking for, proper technique when learning new moves. when i first tried it, i had no idea of what i was doing, but thinking back i had WAY too much weight on the front leg. i will try these again tomorrow night, now that i understand the proper way to do them. OR, regarding the socks. I haven't tried compression pants yet, but honestly the socks I use aren't all that hot at all, they are game-used LA Kings away socks, not sure the maker, but they breathe very well. I also like them due to the fact (like you mentioned) they keep the knee guards in place, not only that, they protect the insider liner of my pants so the velcro tabs won't tear them up. And yes, this thread is a God'send. I'm very happy you made it, I love coming here and seeing the new replies from fellow new goalies and the veterans who have been so helpful!

I bought a pair a couple weeks ago and I've got to say my skates do feel better. I feel like I have more grip plus they're really comfy

Yes. Do some digging into logistics and learn what it takes to accomplish what you are asking and you'll understand that you are asking too much for many companies.

It definitely doesn't look as bulky from the front. Equipment can be so variable in sizing - I tried on a senior medium bauer once, and it was a tight squeeze, but I was swimming in a medium CCM. I actually ended up in an intermediate XL in the CCM, I could've gone with senior small but my arms are kind of stubby. If it feels like you can get around okay, turn your head, see everything going on, not get tangled up trying to go up and down, it's probably fine. The upper arms look extra beefy, so it's probably just the way the model looks.

Thanks OR, I plan to keep on trucking! I am really wanting to learn the position, this new venture has renewed my passion for playing the game! My knees are doing fine actually, I just turned 40 in November. I definitely need to stretch more and I think I over did it last week, played 4 times in 7 days. I am feeling a slight strain behind my left knee, so I have been taking it easy since Saturday. I'm hoping it feels better by tomorrow night, as I want to do the Wednesday night clinic at KHS! Thank you Hills! I totally see what you mean, and I think that is how that first goal got by me in the video, my stick was down, but it was resting on the heel, leaving most of it up off the ice! I hear ya on the butterfly needing to be driven into, I'm sure in time I will get that down. Really appreciate your pointers, thank you. Thanks Badger. Each time out I feel like I am getting better at keeping the stick down, and like Hills said, once I get that back up and straight, it will help me keep the stick flat on the ice. Regarding the C/A, I am not too sure of the size, it is either a medium or large. The side angle definitely shows that it is kind of bulky, being that it is the first one I've ever worn, I'm not too sure if I should be able to feel more mobile in it than I am. Although I do think I should be slightly more mobile that I am in it. I have looked everywhere on it and couldn't find a size tag. I got it from a buddy whom is maybe an inch taller than me, so I am leaning towards a medium? Here is a pic of the gear I am using, except I am not using that glove and blocker. The C/A is an older Bauer Supreme, not sure of what exact model though.

It's definitely the hips for me, too, and I'm already a very flexible person. If I don't stretch out properly, my right leg stiffens up completely because the hip flexor just. Won't. Move. And then the muscles spasm around it and that's no fun at all. When I go and work out, about a quarter or more of my time is just stretching and flexibility, just to keep things loose. What's hard on the knees is those shots that slip through that one tiny gap between my pants and my pads ... (yes, I know I should get kneepads, but I also want a pet miniature unicorn and neither of these things are going to happen right now.) BeeDee - you look good! Yes, you do need to keep your stick down when you're in stance, for sure, although you do seem to keep it down when someone's coming at you. Your chest protector looks huge - is it really that huge, or is it just the angle? Can you move well in it? Like Optimus says, back straight and chest up - settle your body like it's in a chair at a fancy dinner, butt down and chest high. It'll be murder on your thighs for a while. Something my goalie coaches have us do is, right at the start of the game, get into stance right against the boards so you can feel where your body settles. Sort of like tapping your posts to get aware of where you are in the net - same principle, bodily awareness. The coaches have us practice lots of shuffles and even just side-steps - down the red line, back the red line, down and back. Slaloms, same thing. The other week the coach had us do the Iron Cross - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBr0RI8Idk0

How are all your knees holding up? I think if i tried to butterfly at 49 it would be tough.

Alright guys, please go easy on me, here is some video from my very first game in goal (same game as the breakaway video I posted above). I have only had 3 clinics under my belt before taking the plunge. Only 1 clinic had a small lick of goalie instruction. First two clips are of two goals (not consecutive shots). The first one, I don't think it went 5-hole, but Im not too sure to be honest. Second one I was too slow to get over to the near post…and there weren't any of my team I was subbing for picking up BOTH guys wide open in front. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iow_3516Qc&feature=youtu.be https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iow_3516Qc&feature=youtu.be

Seriously. If you're gonna take the time and money to buy them, you can spare 15 minutes and read the same exact thread you posted in.

I wear a Supreme girdle and the spine protection is a bit... lacking. So, hopefully this extended piece will cover the gap in between the shoulder pads and girdle:

Have my trip to Lake Powell planned and set(end of the month). So excited to get down there for some great time with family and friends. Let the Summer begin!!!!

Small CCM Crazy Light shoulder pads with medium U+ 08 shoulder caps and a removable extended spine protector!

Will say they have good service so far. Ordered them late last night and got email from them this morning that they shipped out and suggestions on the use for my skates. Suggested trying with additional shim piece before adhering since Bauer toe box tends to be taller than other brands.

Baby Pens eBay haul

Went to Total hockey today to get Inlines baked, Ive skates sharpened etc. sat down and looked to my right, Daniel Alfredsson was a few seats over. Didn't want to bother him because he was there with family, but i was pretty geeked