How to Fall When Diving as a Goalkeeper in Soccer

Many professional goaltenders don't even think about how they will land, they are only concerned with saving the ball - landing comes naturally. The soft pitch will protect you from virtually any injury. But when starting out as a soccer goalie, or if you find you have a tendency to injure yourself when diving, you should modify your routine and focus on finding ways to soften the impact after diving for a ball.

Instructions

    • 1

      Land as flat on your ribs and hip as possible. The more you distribute the impact of the fall, the less it will hurt.

    • 2

      Curve your arm after either stopping or missing the ball. Your upper arm, just above your elbow, should hit the ground first, along with your hips and ribs. Slightly push against the ground with your elbow to absorb some of the shock. Only do this if you aren't holding the ball in your hands, because it may bounce out.

    • 3

      Push yourself up as quickly as possible and track down the ball if it hasn't gone into the net or went wide, and you aren't holding the ball. A potential second save is just as important as the initial one.