Perfect Soccer Kicking Form
Soccer is a complex sport that requires excellent kicking form in order to play your best game. Because of the agility, balance, and speed required, soccer kicks are harder to execute then in other sports, such as football. These two basic kicks are a great way to perfect your form before moving on to lesser used moves.
Instep Kick
When it comes to nailing the perfect kick, keep in mind that you'll be using both feet. Even though all the power you deliver to the ball appears to only come from your kicking foot, a great deal of your power actually comes from your other foot as well. Your plant foot, or non-kicking foot, should ideally be positioned near the ball and in alignment with it while still leaving enough room for the other foot to swing; this is the basic stance you want before gearing up for a kick.
Your kicking foot should be perpendicular to your plant foot (so that they form a "T" shape) and pointed outward in order to connect correctly. The worst kicks happen when the ankle is too loose, so take care to lock up your leg and keep your foot firmly positioned all the way through the backswing until connection. Ideally your foot will come in contact with the ball directly in the center, also known as the midline; a good technique is to envision the ball's equator and aim for that. If you kick below this point chances are the ball will pop up in the air resulting in less distance and direction.
Following through is important when it comes to the kick. Even after your foot connects with the ball you want to ensure that you continue its forward motion with the ankle locked; this is because your follow-through still greatly affects the power and accuracy of the ball.
Your kick is correct if the ball travels low to the ground swiftly. The instep kick is generally used for shorter passes to team members rather than as a way to achieve crucial distance towards the goal. Body position is important. Make sure to keep your body over the ball, and not to lean back, as this can easily result in an undirected, wobbly kick.
Laces Kick
When performing a laces kick, your plant foot should be in a similar starting spot next to the ball, while the kicking foot will be more parallel instead of perpendicular, with the toe pointing down, knee and ankle locked, and the laces pointing forward. The follow-through should lift the ball instead of drive it. To put more power into your kick, some experts suggest trying to land on your kicking leg instead of staying on your planted foot. This also assists the kicker in keeping their power and momentum afterwards and aiding them in transitioning easily to a run. For a successful laces kick, your body position needs to be a little different than your instep kick. To achieve more height, you'll want to lean slightly back upon contact with the ball and point your toe all through the kick. To adjust the height, keep your knee and chest over the ball.
