How to Block Like G. Ochoa

Francisco Guillermo Ochoa, also known as G. Ochoa, is a Mexican soccer goalkeeper and one of the best in the world. He is known for his exciting play and cat-like reflexes. Ochoa's reputation precedes him and he consistently excites the crowd by making incredible saves. He has a knack for making big saves; he will fly through the air and deflect the ball over the top of the goal. As one of the world's best keepers, Ochoa holds to the training standards of all elite athletes.

Instructions

    • 1

      Condition your body, as a goalkeeper is at his best when he is able to perform at peak physical capacity for as long as necessary. Strength conditioning and core muscle conditioning will help with this. Traditional weight lifting exercises and abdominal work, such as medicine ball crunches, aid a goalie in his routine. Bench press, squats, lunges and "clean and jerk" are all ideal exercises to develop upper and lower body strength, and explosive power.

    • 2

      Develop cat-like reflexes through plyometric conditioning. Plyometrics involves box jumping and step jumping. These exercises develop the fast-twitch muscles required for explosive jumping ability. Perform a box jump by standing with your feet together, facing a knee-high tall box. Jump up onto the box, then backward onto the ground. Repeat this exercise for 10 to 15 repetitions. To perform a step jump, step up onto a smaller-sized box with one foot, then step down. Alternate with the other foot. Repeat this exercise for 10 to 15 repetitions. Stretching and exercise ball drills are ideal to increase flexibility and develop balance.

    • 3

      Practice proper form when executing dives. The collapsed dive is used on balls fairly close to you and requires you to get your body behind the ball. G. Ochoa is a maser at the extension dive, which is used for balls further away. Work on getting full extension of your body when you dive.

    • 4

      Practice parrying techniques to deflect the ball. Parrying is a technique in which you chip the ball over the top of the goal, or just outside the posts. Often, a goalkeeper will have to parry the ball while performing an extension dive. This is why explosive power is so important.

    • 5

      Study clips of G. Ochoa and watch how he plays the game. Watch how he reads the ball and when he decides to come off his line. Watch how he organizes his defense to prevent opponents from taking shots. Examine the ball angles and his positioning. Also, watch other top-level goalkeepers. The more of them you watch, the more you will learn. Lean how to organize a defense.