Soccer: Juggling for starters
Basic eye-foot dexterity and coordination.
Begin with one touch at a time. Toss the ball out in front of you high enough so that it bounces thigh to waist high and with-in comfortable kicking reach. Using the instep, or the laces of your shoe, kick the ball back to yourself and catch it. Ideally you should try to kick (or touch) the ball back to a specific target such as your hands held approximately 10 to 15 inches from your chest. Alternate left and right foot with each touch. Repeat this until you can kick or touch the ball back to your target consistently. Progress to two touches, using a bounce between touches, before catching the ball, and then three, four, five.... still using the bounce between touches, still using your laces, and always trying to alternate feet with each touch. Progress should come quickly once five touches is reached without catching the ball. A good mid-range goal is 100 without allowing the ball to bounce twice between touches. Hands should only be used to restart the ball at this point.
Emphasize a loose and relaxed kicking form, making contact with the ball using the instep or "laces" of the shoe. Try to touch the futebol below or at knee height, not at thigh or waist height, about 6-18 inches in front of your planted foot. Call this your "sweet spot". The kicking leg should hinge at the knee, ankle locked, and toes curled under to create a flat surface as the foot touches the ball. Try to become comfortable with the number of touches before progressing. A good exercise after having accomplished 5 or more consecutive touches is to regress to a smaller number of touches. This will increase confidence, continuity, and rhythm.
Good footwork; Moving your feet to or away from the ball is important in order to position your body so you are not reaching for the ball or crowding yourself by being too close to the ball. Try not to twist or reach across your body to touch the ball. Use footwork to square your body to the ball, distancing yourself properly so you are consistently touching the ball in your "sweet spot". Everybody's "sweet spot" is different, but should produce a consistent accurate result if the ball is touched properly in this area.
Progress to the next phase by eliminating the bounce between touches. Toss the ball just as before and allow to bounce. Touch the ball twice, alternating feet, before the next bounce, using good footwork to find your "sweet spot", but more importantly, using a good first touch to set up a good second touch. Ideally the first touch should knock the ball straight up allowing it to fall into your "sweet spot". Repeat until comfortable. Progress to three touches and a bounce, alternating feet with each touch. Continue progressing to four touches, five, six....This will be more difficult because you will have less time to react. If frustrated, regress back to one touch using the bounce, then try two touches and a bounce, three touches and a bounce or any combination you can think of or get away with. In any case, don't be afraid to use the bounce, that's the way the ball was designed.
For accelerated development try using a smaller ball like the Brasilian Futebol. You will see a difference with consistent use.
Begin with one touch at a time. Toss the ball out in front of you high enough so that it bounces thigh to waist high and with-in comfortable kicking reach. Using the instep, or the laces of your shoe, kick the ball back to yourself and catch it. Ideally you should try to kick (or touch) the ball back to a specific target such as your hands held approximately 10 to 15 inches from your chest. Alternate left and right foot with each touch. Repeat this until you can kick or touch the ball back to your target consistently. Progress to two touches, using a bounce between touches, before catching the ball, and then three, four, five.... still using the bounce between touches, still using your laces, and always trying to alternate feet with each touch. Progress should come quickly once five touches is reached without catching the ball. A good mid-range goal is 100 without allowing the ball to bounce twice between touches. Hands should only be used to restart the ball at this point.
Emphasize a loose and relaxed kicking form, making contact with the ball using the instep or "laces" of the shoe. Try to touch the futebol below or at knee height, not at thigh or waist height, about 6-18 inches in front of your planted foot. Call this your "sweet spot". The kicking leg should hinge at the knee, ankle locked, and toes curled under to create a flat surface as the foot touches the ball. Try to become comfortable with the number of touches before progressing. A good exercise after having accomplished 5 or more consecutive touches is to regress to a smaller number of touches. This will increase confidence, continuity, and rhythm.
Good footwork; Moving your feet to or away from the ball is important in order to position your body so you are not reaching for the ball or crowding yourself by being too close to the ball. Try not to twist or reach across your body to touch the ball. Use footwork to square your body to the ball, distancing yourself properly so you are consistently touching the ball in your "sweet spot". Everybody's "sweet spot" is different, but should produce a consistent accurate result if the ball is touched properly in this area.
Progress to the next phase by eliminating the bounce between touches. Toss the ball just as before and allow to bounce. Touch the ball twice, alternating feet, before the next bounce, using good footwork to find your "sweet spot", but more importantly, using a good first touch to set up a good second touch. Ideally the first touch should knock the ball straight up allowing it to fall into your "sweet spot". Repeat until comfortable. Progress to three touches and a bounce, alternating feet with each touch. Continue progressing to four touches, five, six....This will be more difficult because you will have less time to react. If frustrated, regress back to one touch using the bounce, then try two touches and a bounce, three touches and a bounce or any combination you can think of or get away with. In any case, don't be afraid to use the bounce, that's the way the ball was designed.
For accelerated development try using a smaller ball like the Brasilian Futebol. You will see a difference with consistent use.
This entry was posted by BrasilianFutebol, on
Wednesday, February 6, 2008.
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