Goalkeepers need strength to deal with the hustle & bustle of the congested penalty box, to overpower the force of tough shots, to win as many 1v1 situations as possible, and for long-distance distribution.
While regular practice remains the most important part of goalkeeper match preparation, the work doesn’t have to stop at the training field or in the gym. Keepers also need to eat well in order to endure the stress and strain demanded by lengthy football seasons. Recovery between training and matches is vital for season-long success — and that’s where protein comes in.
How Can Goalkeepers Benefit From Protein Intake?
It’s sounds cliché to say “you can’t out-train a bad diet” — but it’s true. To achieve the fitness goals you’ve worked on in the gym and at goalkeeper training you need to fuel your body with the right foods in the kitchen and, crucially, at the right time. Protein should be one of the most important components of your diet.
Our bodies use protein to build and repair tissues. We also use protein to make enzymes, hormones, and other body chemicals. It’s an important building block of bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood.
Goalkeeping puts your body under a huge amount of stress. Bare in mind that no Keeper can avoid contact. Even during training drills Goalkeepers will inevitably need to make saves by diving onto (often hard) the ground, or barging through crowds. The combination of training, matches, and working out in the gym leaves goalkeepers’ bodies is in constant need of repair and recovery.
Almost all muscle growth takes place outside of training — especially during sleep — and depends upon ‘what’ and ‘how much’ nutrition you fuel your body with in order to initiate muscular repair. This is the time to ‘up’ the protein intake.
How Much Protein Should Goalkeepers Take?
The key to building the desired physique for Goalkeeping is ensuring that you’re consuming not only the the right amount of protein between your Goalkeeper workouts, but also the correct quality of protein, on a daily basis.
Protein and Weight Gain
A modern goalkeeper’s build should be robust — but not overweight. I’ve discussed this topic in detail in my post: Do Goalkeepers Need To Be Fit?
Protein should not be over-consumed. Excess protein intake is usually stored as fat, while the surplus of amino acids is excreted. This can lead to weight gain over time, especially if you consume too many calories while trying to increase your protein intake.
Recommended Quantities of Protein
For the daily quantity, there’s no precise science. But typically nutritionists calculate the minimum daily protein requirement by taking your body weight in kilograms and multiplying that by 0.8. The value you get is the weight (in grams) of protein you should aim to be eating as your daily minimum.
So, for example, if you weigh 90kg, you should be consuming at least 90 x 0.8 = of 72 grams of protein every day for health purposes.
Those involved in regular strength training can consume as much as 2.2g of protein per every kg of weight. Just keep in mind that this formula is better suited to those with a regular build. If you’re substantially overweight then multiplying the intake may not have the desired result you want.
It’s important to emphasise that protein is ingested through food — but supplements and there as a ‘top up’. This means they’re additive to an already existing, healthy diet. Use it to ensure you maximise all the hard work you’ve put in. Protein intakes shouldn’t be treated as meal replacements.
Where Can Goalkeepers Buy Protein Powder?
I don’t recommend buying protein from specialist football suppliers, as several of them are too expensive and do not offer the large catalog of products found at other general sports protein suppliers.
Furthermore, goalkeeping is such a specific part of football and it overlaps with many other sports — such as basketball, netball, rugby, Gaelic football, and so on. There’s no real benefit to buying from a source that specialises only in onfield footballers, when you can find all those products, and more, from a larger supplier.
Here’s the protein brands I recommend buying from.
1. The Protein Works
TheProteinWorks is one of Europe’s fastest growing Sports Nutrition Brands.
Unlike most other brands that third party manufacture, TheProteinWorks have full control of the development and quality standards at every point in the production process. All products are fresh, produced in the UK — providing maximum nutritional benefits. Their prices are very reasonable, and delivery is fast (next day in most cases).
If you’re aiming to follow a goalkeeper training/gym regime and require specialist protein supplements, then be sure to take advantage of the the 25% discount off your first order at TPW, by clicking through the banner below and using code FIRST25 before you check out.
Also eligible in Non-UK Countries:
Recommended Products
All of your football (and other sports) fitness requirements are catered for by TheProteinWorks‘ extensive, innovative product range.
To start off with, you can’t go far wrong with TPW‘s most popular product — Whey Protein 360. It’s an exclusive premium protein shake which blends premium grade protein powders with a full amino acid profile. It’s low in fat and sugar, comes in a range of tasty flavours, and a single 30g (23g protein) serving is perfect for supporting your goalkeeper fitness plans and body goals.
Whey Protein 360 comes in 600g/1.2kg/2.4kg/4.8kg packs.
Prices start at £17.99 for 600g (20x 30g servings)
Claim 25% Off Your First Order »
Code: FIRST25
Also eligible in Non-UK Countries:
Per 30g serving of Whey Protein 360:
- 23g of high grade protein
- Less than 1.4g of fat
- Less than 0.2g of salt
- Premium flavours.
Whey Protein 360 should be used as part of a calorie controlled nutritional plan and ideally regular sustained exercise for optimal results.
2. MyProtein (UK)
Multiple-award winning MyProtein provides an enormous range of over 2,500 premium quality supplements. Everything is produced in-house, guaranteeing the highest possible quality and cutting down third-party costs to deliver low prices.
Launching in 2004, MyProtein has grown exponentially to become one of the world’s largest online supplement brands. Key product lines include whey protein, vitamins, amino acids, free from ingredients, protein foods, snacks, gym accessories, and clothing made from cutting-edge performance fabrics.
MyProtein is known for offering frequent special offers, major weekly promotions and flash discounts.
Recommended Products
I recommend starting out with MyProtein’s most popular product — Impact Whey. It’s a premium whey packed with 21g of protein per serving.
Impact Whey includes 3.6g of glutamine and all the essential amino acids, including 4.5g of BCAAs — which helps to build and repair new muscle — so you’re always ready for the next training session. It comes in over 40 flavours, with delicious favourites including Chocolate, Vanilla, and Strawberry Cream.
Impact Whey Protein comes in 250g/1kg/2.5kg packs.
Prices start at £6.99 for 250g (10 servings)
Ships Worldwide.
Per 25g serving of Impact Whey Protein:
- 21g of high grade protein per serving
- 4.5g BCAAs
- 0.13 g of salt
- 1.9g of fat / 1g of carbs / 103 calories