How to Kick a Soccer Ball With Power

Tony Wyman

Striking a soccer ball is a lot like striking a golf ball with a golf club. Soccer players and golfers often make the same mistake when they hit the ball: trying to hit it with everything they've got. The problem with trying to crush the ball is that our bodies tense up before we strike the ball, which actually reduces the swing arc and lowers the velocity of the foot (or club) as we strike the ball. Trying to hit the ball at only 80% of our full capability actually produces a more powerful shot because the body relaxes and becomes more flexible, creating a whipping effect that increases the velocity of the boot as it comes into striking position at the bottom of the swing arc.

Getting the most out of a shot requires a number of things to happen in sequence leading to the foot striking the ball.

• Front load your kicking arc. Do this by taking a "soccer hop" prior to striking the ball. This small hop widens the distance between the leading leg (the plant foot) and the trailing leg (the kicking foot) thus loading the shot by building and storing energy in the body.
• Relax and become loose. Allow the tension to leave the body allowing it to stretch to its maximum capacity.
• Lock the ankle of the kicking foot. This ensures that the stored energy is entirely transmitted through the foot when it strikes the ball squarely. Failing to lock the ankle will cause the foot to slide under the ball which dissipates the stored energy and causes power-wasting backspin.
• Drive your knee through the ball before the foot. In golf, this is the equivalent of the arms preceding the hands through the ball. Driving your knee through the ball causes the hip to rise, which lifts the foot and prevents the toe from striking the ground.
• Rise up on the toes of the plant foot. All great strikers do this just before they hit the ball. The additional force generated by rising up on the toes of the plant foot, coupled with the proper knee-first striking action, adds significant power to the shot.
• Make sure the leg is bent in a V-shape throughout the strike. Allowing the leg to go straight at any point of the motion robs the body of stored energy and greatly reduces the amount of power the striker can get on the ball. The leg should create a V-shape during the load period of the shot and maintain that V-shape all the way through the finishing of the shot.
• Get the arm in on the action. Rotating the arm opposite the kicking leg adds additional forward momentum to the shot. Create additional energy through the windmilling motion of the arm by bringing the arm up in a circular motion from the waist. The arm should be at the top of the arc as the approach to the shot is made and the leg is in it's fully loaded position (in other words, the lead leg is as far away from the trailing kicking leg as possible) and it should be rotated down to it's lowest point as the ball is struck. This creates as much forward momentum as possible by getting the upper body involved in the shot.
• See the foot strike the ball. Coaches want their players to play with their heads up, but not when they are striking the ball. It is imperative that the shooter see the foot strike the ball to make sure that it is struck properly. Make sure to hit the ball with the laces of the boot at the equator of the ball. Doing so will result in a low, driven shot that has little or no spin on it, making it's flight unpredictable for the goalkeeper. A ball struck this way actually builds a wall of turbulence in front of it which results in a "knuckleball-like" flight, rising and diving unpredictably toward the net.

Land on your shooting foot. There is perhaps no more important element of the shot, other than locking the ankle, when a striker wants power on the shot than ensuring he land on his shooting foot. Finishing a shot this way causes the shooter to get his entire body weight into the shot, adding his forward momentum to the shot. Players, especially young ones, often make the mistake of believing they are kicking with their legs. The reality is a well executed kick is accomplished with the cooperation of the entire body. The ankle, the leg, the groin, the hip flexors, the stomach muscles, the arm, all conspire together to get the most power on the ball possible. Players striking the ball should hop into the air, flying past the point where the ball was when it was struck, and landing on their shooting foot a distance away. A player executing a shot well and who lands on his kicking foot will most likely be looking over his shoulder on his kicking side as he sees the ball blow past a defeated keeper on its way into the back of the net for a well-deserved goal.

Bob Dawon

The V-load and the follow through are the two most important elements of the power strike. Before the strike, the kicking foot must swing back so the leg forms a “V” and after the strike the momentum of the kick should carry through the ball and propel the body forward, beyond the point of impact. There are other elements that also contribute: The ankle must remain locked all the way through the strike, the shoulders and head have to be over the ball (eyes on the ball all the way through the strike), the plant foot should be next to the ball and, of course, the strike must be in the center of the ball with the the laces or instep of the foot.

Of course all this is done in the blink of an eye and at pace for the great players. Mere mortals (and even the greats started somewhere) have to build this up through repetition, repetition, repetition. Start with the sweet spot and the locked ankle. When a player learns to strike the ball with the instep with the ankle locked, it is a life moment for their soccer career – one of the sweetest, lights-on moments a coach will have the privilege to witness!

From there you can work on the timing, the plant foot and the follow through.

As the player gains confidence and begins to attack the ball more aggressively, the V-load may develop naturally. If not, though, you can add that after they have gained some element of competency with the other components.

Developing a power kick takes patience and perseverance but it is what takes a player to the next level because it not only improves their shooting options but they gain the ability to confidently and consistently switch fields and clear balls out of their defensive third. Coaches, the timeline is not short but success is greatly rewarding.

Coach Ed

First, for younger players teach proper kicking technique... Non kicking foot aimed at target, approach ball with instep of kicking foot under center of balance, briefly looking at ball point of impact and then complete follow through by shifting weight-Onto other foot. Then have the players pair up to practice accurate kicks and build more distance until reaching long distance accurate kicks. Coach can time how long it takes for each pass to go from kicker to target receiver or goal to gauge speed of kick.

Pete Bisiules

• Proper technique - plant foot being at right distance from ball and twisting at the hip to bring the power, following through with the leg swing and hip motion.
• Additionally the flex of the knee is important to the impact on the ball. It should be snapped forward to provide highest impact and transfer energy into the kick.
• A good means to practice this is taking penalty shots on an open goal.
• Another concept to remember is using the proper part of the foot for the kick.
• At younger ages, toe kicking is common and many kids see how hard they can kick using their toe, but it is always without proper control.
• I've found it is important to break the toe kicking habit at as early an age as possible so they can develop a similarly strong kick using the proper parts of their foot.
• Another drill type exercise to practicing hard kicks is to line two kids up far enough apart with cones setup as wide as goals - they then get both goalie practice, as well as practice taking far/hard shots by keeping score against each other.