Twice The Fun With Two m-stations
M-station Used For Improved Goalkeeping at Club Brugge
2016 Belgian league champions and Champions League participant Club Brugge has incorporated the m-station football rebounder into its daily training sessions. Not having a strong goalkeeper can be detrimental to the success of a team, which is why goalkeeping coach Jan van Steenberghe utilizes the m-station for optimized preparation.
We at Munin Sports had a chance to talk to both Jan van Steenberghe and former Club Brugge goalkeeper (now with Valencia FC) and Australian international Mathew Ryan to learn why the m-station football rebounder is their preferred piece of practice equipment.
The Belgian Jupiler Pro League is home to many talented footballers. Several such footballers play for domestic-league winners Club Brugge, who in May 2016 brought home the club’s 14th championship. In a competitive league with multiple contenders each year, such as Gent, Anderlecht, and Standard Liege, bringing home the title takes hard work and dedication. With multiple appearances in the Champions League, Club Brugge knows how to provide the right environment for its players to continuously improve.
Unpredictable and fast rebounds improve reflexes and positioning
Saving a shot as a goalkeeper requires two things: reflexes and positioning. Some goalkeepers compensate for poor positioning with greater reflexes, and some goalkeepers compensate for poor reflexes with better positioning. However, these two elements of goalkeeping do not contradict each other; goalkeepers can excel at both and become exceptionally strong keepers. Goalkeeping coach Jan van Steenberghe elaborates on how the m-station football rebounder can take your goalkeeping skills to the next level:
“[The m-station rebounder] creates enormous amounts of opportunities for exercises to keep our goalkeepers busy. With the m-station rebounder, they have to judge every ball differently because it never returns the same way, which automatically makes them more focused on the ball while doing the exercises.”
The peculiar movement created by the rebound is due to the m-station’s unique design and material composition. The design allows great versatility and flexibility as you can twist and turn the device in almost any direction. Also, the strings have been strung in a way that makes the rebound incredibly fast, providing the goalkeeper with an in-game experience during practice.
“The m-station is a frame on which strings have been strung, similar to a tennis racket. You can tilt the net in almost any direction, which trains you for even the most impossible shots.”
Jan van Steenberghe also notes that Club Brugge players stick around even after training sessions have ended to continue working on their skills with the m-station:
“Since the m-station has been in use during training, the players have been happily staying back to play a few games. For fun, but of course also to win.”
Goalkeeping is more than shot stopping
Due to Mathew Ryan’s success at Club Brugge from 2013 through 2015, Ryan was picked up by Valencia at the start of the 2015/2016 season. In addition to playing for one of the most successful Spanish sides in recent years, Ryan is also the starting goalkeeper for his national team. As a top-level goalkeeper, he knows how to help himself become a better player with the right equipment.
“With [the] m-station, I can practice my footwork, I can make saves, and most importantly, I think the way the ball reacts off the net is a bit unexpected, and you cannot always predict what is going to happen in a game. This allows us to work on the unpredictability of a shot or something else that you do not expect in a game, so it is a very useful piece of equipment.”
The flexibility of the m-station football rebounder allows Ryan to work on every aspect of his goalkeeping in scenarios comparable to those in real games. The best way to improve is by continuously challenging yourself, and with the unpredictability and speed of the balls coming off the rebound, the m-station football rebounder truly challenges you and serves as a multifunctional piece of equipment designed for goalkeeping at any level. To Ryan, helping his team achieve success is all that matters, and one way of doing that is by using only the best equipment.
“I am happy with the m-station! Anything that can improve my game as a goalkeeper and at the end of the day help the team win the game will make me very happy.”
If you have any questions about the Club Brugge use case or if you want to know how your goalkeepers can benefit from training with the m-station, please get directly in touch with our Marketing Manager, Simon Secher, at simon@muninsports.com.
A Tool for Success in Women’s Football
UEFA Women’s Cup winner and former Swedish U-19 international Madelene Göras is one of Sweden’s most decorated female footballers. She began her career as a coach back in 2005 when she was still playing for AIK. For more than 10 years now, Madelene has worked as a women’s football training coach and instructor.
She initiated her very own project in 2011, the Goeras Football Education, to provide an educational environment for young female football player with dreams of turning their hobby into a profession. For the last couple of months, Madelene has been using the m-station football rebounder for her training sessions, and she has been pleasantly surprised by how the m-station can be utilized in many different exercises regardless of how many players are using it. Madelene elaborates:
-I think it’s a very helpful tool, especially with individual training, but also with teams or with small groups of players.
WATCH VIDEO: How Arsenal use m-station in Talent Development
Flexible, Intelligent Football Equipment
The ability of the rebounder to accommodate multiple players at once is not its only attractive feature. The m-station allows a wide range of specific exercises to be carried out in women’s football training sessions without the help of others, as the strings at the “sweet spot” are designed to enable you to improve every aspect of your game.
-It’s easy to hit the sweet-spot and the rebound is the best I have tried.
The rebound is easily the most critical part of the m-station football rebounder. If the rebound is not optimal, the player will not improve sufficiently, and if the player does not improve using the equipment, there is no purpose for the equipment. Top-notch training equipment is essential, as it allows the player to develop in the specific areas he or she needs to improve. The best equipment and great determination are what will always enable you to improve.
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The Multifunctional m-station football rebounder
As one of the leading female football coaches in Sweden, Madelene knows what it takes to make it to the top level. Football is a game with many details, and only by endlessly practicing can you become the player you want to be. Whether you are developing skills in defense or attack, the m-station allows you to improve your movement, passing, first touch, turning, reflexes, and shooting without the help of another player.
-You can practice a whole sequence, including passing, receiving, followed by finishing at target.
ALSO SEE: Improve your Short-Passing with the m-station rebounder
To Madelene, the m-station offers a unique type of utility that cannot and should not be underestimated during women’s football training sessions. This sophisticated tool ensures that players can practice what they need to practice and not just wait in line for poorly thrown balls by coaches or players. In other words, players improve more in a shorter span of time.
-I will use the m-station at my camps and at individual training, but also with teams or small groups.
Find more info on the m-station football rebounder here or get directly in touch with our Marketing Manager, Simon Secher, on simon@muninsports.com if you have any questions.
Enhance Your Goalkeeping Skills with the m-station
As a goalkeeper, you have a skill set distinct from that of every other player on the field. You might not have the best raw skills on the ball, but your position is arguably the most important one on the field, as every mistake you make is costly. The pressure of being a goalkeeper is something only very few can cope with, but by practicing the right exercises, you can learn how to become a better goalkeeper, which ultimately will increase your confidence on the field.
The m-station football rebounder allows you to improve every aspect of your goalkeeping. In this article, we present 5 examples of how you can improve your goalkeeping using the m-station football rebounder. If you feel like taking your goalkeeping skills to the next level after watching these m-station drills, you should sign up for the NEXT11 training program here to receive new drills every week.
1. Handling — Aerial dives and catches
Being able to handle and catch shots is what most people think of when speaking of goalkeeping. It is extremely important as a goalkeeper not to allow rebounds, and this drill teaches you how to make sure that you catch the ball and not give the attacker a second chance to score a goal. The way you approach the ball in the air is critical to the outcome of the action, and this drill teaches you how to position yourself, jump, and catch the ball correctly.
Stand in your start position with your weight on the front of your feet and your hands in front of your body. When you take off reach for the ball with both hands and make sure that the leg closest to the ball points diagonal forward. Try to catch the ball at a forward going movement.
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2. Jumping Reach — Catching high balls from the side
For defenders, having a goalkeeper able to catch high balls from crosses is calming and reassuring. Goalkeepers have the benefit of being allowed to use their arms and hands, so in theory, goalkeepers should always have the advantage over attacking players when high balls enter the danger zone. However, goalkeepers with poor aerial skills are quite common nowadays, and such poor skills often lead to unnecessary goals. This drill will allow you to become a better goalkeeper in the air, and a goalkeeper with a strong aerial presence boosts the confidence of the entire team.
Start the drill by making an early forward-moving take off. Make your last step longer than the preceding ones, catch the ball high in the air, and try to land on one leg.
3. First touch — Receiving and passing
In modern football, most top goalkeepers are not just good shot stoppers; they are technically adept with a strong sense of outfield player movement. Manuel Neuer is a great example of why having a technical and skilled goalkeeper (who is almost as technical with the ball as an outfield player, in Neuer’s case) is greatly beneficial. Neuer functions as a libero, also known as a sweeper keeper, due to his superior awareness and technical ability. The ability to participate in the game like this is becoming increasingly important for goalkeepers. With this drill, you can practice your first touch as well as your passing, and you will learn how to put yourself in a position on the pitch where you are able to help your defenders when under pressure.
To begin, take the ball with your front foot. Pull the ball past your standing foot and accelerate after the ball.
ALSO SEE: Kasper Schmeichel: Shot-stopping
4. Reflexes — Close-up shot stopping
Goalkeepers are often defined by the strength of their reflexes. Reflexes are at the core of goalkeeping, and being able to stop shots properly largely depends on the sharpness of your reflexes. Gianluigi Buffon, David de Gea, Manuel Neuer, and Joe Hart are all incredibly strong shot stoppers due to their reflexes, and it is fair to conclude that these players would not be as decorated as they are if they did not have reflexes of the highest level. Improving your reflexes takes time and determination, and in some cases your physical traits limit you from reaching the absolute top level, but this drill allows anyone and everyone to improve in this particularly important area of goalkeeping.
To do this drill, start by making a fast turn towards the rebounder or wall as soon as you have thrown the ball, and focus on keeping your balance when you turn. Keep your hands in front of you.
WATCH VIDEO: Improve your goalkeeping reflexes with the m-station rebounder
5. Throwing — Overhead throw
When you want to punish the opposing team for over committing on offense, utilizing the space behind them is important for increasing your chances of scoring a goal on a counter attack. Throwing the ball with an overhead throw is much more accurate than kicking the ball to an outfield player, and with the right amount of space granted, a quick throw from the goalkeeper could very well lead to a goal. Much of Leicester’s success in the 15/16 season came down to Kasper Schmeichel and his ability to throw the ball out quickly in order to initiate a counter attack. There are different ways of throwing the ball as a goalkeeper, but this drill focuses on the overhead throw.
Make your last step longer than the preceding ones. Point your front foot in the direction you want to throw the ball. Hold the ball between the palm of your hand and the lower part of your forearm. Point your free hand at the spot you want to hit, and let go of the ball.
If you have any questions about the m-station or these drills, please do not hesitate to get directly in touch with our coaches at coach@muninsports.com.
m-station Wins “Best Individual Training Innovation” Award
Each year, we encounter new ways to improve football training. The best place in the world to see the latest innovations in football equipment is at the NSCAA convention. The convention is held in the US by the NSCAA, the world’s largest organization for football coaches.
The floor of this convention is filled with more than six hundred booths exhibiting the latest training equipment, mobile apps for training analysis, and much more. This year, Munin Sports was at the convention with the m-station football rebounder, and it was a great experience. In fact, we received an award for the m-station from the American website TopDrawerSoccer.
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TopDrawerSoccer.com is the home of non-professional football in the US, focusing on football at the college level and high-school level. The site has become the official provider of college and club scores for more than 100,000 players in the US, which has led to TopDrawerSoccer being the biggest and best website for non-professional football in the US.
It was therefore a great honour for us to receive the award for “Best Individual Training Innovation” for the m-station football rebounder from TopDrawerSoccer. But what is it that separated our rebounder from the rest? Here’s what Will Parchman of TopDrawerSoccer wrote about the m-station:
-For one, it extends to the ground, providing full coverage for ground passes, but it also eliminates sweet spots with the high grade material used for the strings.
In lieu of rubber or more typical composite, m-station essentially uses strings similar to what we see in Tennis, which gives it more consistency, a more realistic pass feel and gives it corrosion resistance.
WATCH VIDEO: Improve your volley finishing with the m-station rebounder
The mobile app for m-station, MuninPlay, was also mentioned as one of the key reasons the m-station won the award:
-The ability to establish a direct connection between your phone and the m-station football rebounder was something that really impressed us.
To be at one of the biggest footballing conventions in the world with our m-station football rebounder and receive an award along the way was a great honour and experience, and it’s something we are very proud of here at Munin Sports. But as our co-founder Joachim Christgau told TopDrawerSoccer,
-The m-station is, I guess, the best rebounder in the world.
Find more info on the m-station football rebounder here or get directly in touch with our Marketing Manager, Simon Secher, on simon@muninsports.com if you have any questions.
How Arsenal use m-station in talent development
With 13 English league titles and 12 victories in the FA Cup, there can be no doubt that Arsenal is one of the true giants of English football. A large part of the club’s success comes from its own academy.
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Arsenal’s academy has a long and proud history of producing quality players for the first team. This high quality of players from the academy has turned the development of young talents into one of the main philosophies of the club.
Chief executive officer of Arsenal, Ivan Gazidis, to www.arsenal.com:
– Our future is going to be built around how well we develop our young players and bring them through to our first team. That’s always been an underlying principle of the club and that’s going to continue to be the case. We have top, top coaches here for young players, we have fantastic facilities that we are investing in.
If you want to see how the m-station is used during training sessions at Arsenal’s youth academy, watch this video:
Implementation of m-station in Training Sessions
To have one of the best youth academies in the world you need to have some great facilities. As stated above by Gazidis, Arsenal is currently investing in improving their facilities and one way they have done that is by incorporating m-station by Munin Sports into the training sessions. Carl Laraman is one of the academy coaches at Arsenal’s youth academy and he describes the m-station as:
– A marvelous piece of equipment!
WATCH VIDEO: Improve your volley finishing with the m-station rebounder
Laraman explains how they use the m-station in many different ways at Arsenal’s academy:
– You can use it in different elevations. For our outfield players you can do a lot of individual stuff in regards to control and passing, you can use it as a rebound facility for shooting, defensive heading and attacking heading.
The m-station is a great piece of training equipment for improving areas like ball control and precise passing, which are two qualities that are very commonly found amongst Arsenal players.
ALSO SEE: Improve your goalkeeping reflexes with the m-station rebounder
“Great Equipment For Goalkeepers”
It is not only the outfield players at Arsenal that enjoy the m-station in training. Also the goalkeepers at the academy make good use of it. The goalkeeping coach at Arsenal’s youth academy, Lee Smelt, is also a big fan of using the m-station in training:
– As a goalkeeping coach, the m-station will give the goalkeepers an opportunity to do different sessions, in a different way, give them a different view of things, and I like it. I like the way the ball springs back at different angles.
If you have any questions about the Arsenal FC use case or if you have a m-station user story yourself that you believe should be featured here, please get directly in touch with our Marketing Manager, Simon Secher, on simon@muninsports.com.
Paul Lambert, USA
“The m-station Talent is a pro piece of training equipment in your backyard. I now understand why all the football trainers in Europe swear by it.”
Munin Goal Show – Week 7
This week’s winner of the Munin Goal Show is…
… David from Sweden who wins a m-station Talent for scoring the best goal this week – Check it out right here!
Remember to upload your goals to Instagram and hashtag #muningoalshow to participate in the contest! So grab you cameras and record those beauties!
Munin Goal Show – Week 6
Its friday and time for the Munin Goal Show!
Congrats to Frederik from Denmark who wins a m-station Talent for scoring the best goal this week – Check it out right here!
Remember to upload your goals to Instagram and hashtag #muningoalshow to participate in the contest! So grab you cameras and record those beauties!
Munin Goal Show – Week 5
This week’s winner of the Munin Goal Show is…
… Marius from Norway who wins a m-station Talent for scoring the best goal this week – Check it out right here!
Remember to upload your goals to Instagram and hashtag #muningoalshow to participate in the contest! So grab you cameras and record those beauties!
