As soon as you do start to add in more hits of the ball with your thigh between catching the ball. Age Decent Juggler Record Highly Skilled Juggler Record, 6-7 3-5 10 15+ 35 100+. Toggle navigation. We strive to serve you better and appreciate your feedback He has run half marathons, done mud runs, placed in body transformation contests, coached wrestling and now coaches girls soccer. Try and juggle five times in a row with one foot. Once you have this part of heading down, it is time to stand up and attempt the same drill. You might see players juggling while sitting down or juggling with their heels or with the soles of their feet. Be sure that the soccer ball is also inflated to the proper size. Once you have this down, try changing the direction of the ball in the air. While it may appear as a fancy skill that is used for showboating, its usefulness goes much beyond that. However, some coaches and managers believe there is a right way and a wrong way to learn how to juggle. In my article How to Juggle a Soccer Ball in 10 Easy Steps (Beginner and Kid-Friendly), I take you through a step-by-step guide showing the best way to learn to juggle a ball. How long does it take to learn to juggle a soccer ball? Be careful of your balance, though, as some people might be too overzealous and lean back too far. After it bounces once, wait for the ball to descend again, then kick it back up in the air. Juggling the ball refers to keeping the ball in the air by bouncing it off your feet, chest, head, thighs and other parts of the body. Finding a rhythm with the ball helps you learn to control the ball in different situations. This part of our series about how children can improve their soccer without team play provides video to emulate the stars and variations of juggling for players of all levels. Whether youre a beginner or want to get better, youll find some helpful techniques here. This enables you to put power and direction behind your header and should make it more comfortable. Should the ball veer off in another direction other than that, fix the way the toes are pointing. Alternate feet and thighs. Work your way up until you are comfortable hitting the ball at least 10 times in a row with your thigh between catches. Combine thigh/foot juggles: Left thigh, left foot, right thigh, right foot etc. For the head, juggling by yourself can be difficult because you have to toss the ball by yourself to meet your forehead, which can lead to some painful hits on your nose or eyes. But with the right techniques, you too can learn how to juggle a soccer ball like a pro! The shorter the touch, the harder it to control the ball. Whether you're new to soccer or you've been enjoying it for years I'm glad you're here! Please keep up the good work!". When heading a soccer ball while juggling, the critical thing to remember is that the contact should be between your forehead and the ball and not any other part of your head. First to the line of your thighs, then your knees, then shorter as you can. One might be that you are too forceful when the ball is hitting your thigh. One of the biggest mistakes beginner jugglers make is only using their dominant foot. Best Exercises to Increase Sprint Speed for Athletes, 10 Best Exercises for Weight Loss: Calorie Burning Movements, 11 Best Appetite Suppressants For Weight Loss in 2023, 15 Best Testosterone Boosters On The Market for 2023. If you have a ball that is a little under-inflated (not flat) you will have the best results with that. Although many people refer to this part of juggling as using your knees, the reality is that you should be using your thigh and not your knees. To juggle a soccer ball for a long time, you will need to practice juggling with a soccer ball regularly. This tip comes from Carli Lloyd who uses a size 2 ball for juggling practice. The video later in this end of this article will demonstrate that. These cleats are specifically designed for soccer players and no other sport. Also, try to start juggling with the ball on the ground. If you get frustrated, just take a break and come back to it later. It should help. Even today, the expert jugglers on Instagram look like magicians performing a trick. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. 9. Improving in this area will be key to becoming competent at juggling for a long time. Juggling is all about technique, so it's important to first make sure your form is correct and you're able to start to gain control over each touch of the ball. Step 3:Aim to head the ball as straight up towards the sky above your head as possible. Step 2:As the ball comes back down, use your neck muscles to move your forehead towards the ball, aiming to make contact at the moment your neck is fully extended. Getting the timing of this right can take a while, so keep practicing until you get it right. Knees slightly bent. Practice repeated juggles with the same foot, then swap to the other foot. (Each mention of a body part represents a kick of the ball with that part of your body.). Now, lets start combining each of these aspects of juggling. Watch this video to learn the basic steps to juggle with the feet, thighs, headers, and even shoulders. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. Then, when you are comfortable doing this, kick the ball three times, then catch it. 9 9 comments Best BrianLefev_ 5 yr. ago Honestly the best way is to keep trying and fucking up. Step 6:Knock the ball up twice with your head before allowing it to drop back down and catch it. If you are at home and dont have a yard or a lot of space to work with, the best way to practice at home, especially as a beginner is to use a solo soccer trainer like this. Once you have the ball moving, slide your foot underneath the ball while it is in motion. For more tips from our Professional Soccer Player Reviewer, including how to juggle a soccer ball with your knees, keep reading! Finally, the head is the last part of the body you can learn to juggle with. Make sure that your laces are not double knotted at first. This allows you to get a feel for how the ball should come off of the forehead. You also need to be comfortable juggling with all parts of your body. Hold the ball with your hands; drop on thigh and bounce back up to your hands.2. Here are seven basic steps to get you started: Start by kicking the ball up into the air with your dominant foot. There are five steps to learning how to juggle without shoes. DO NOT QUIT after a few bad days, it will get better, there are lots of ups and downs to becoming a good juggler, pun intended. When you can do this comfortably, you are ready to move on. This will help you in a real game of soccer, as heading a ball involves using ones neck to direct and power the ball in certain directions. Be able to bring the ball under control in awkward situations. Therefore, beginners should always start practicing with their thighs first. Here is a good stage to start learning to put some backspin on the ball as you kick it up. When starting, make sure you have a stable balance on both legs. It can take a long time to master juggling a soccer ball. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Indoor soccer is a fast game that requires the players to have a firm connection to the ground, or they could miss a scoring opportunity or even harm themselves. Juggling a soccer ball is a great way to get introduced into the game of soccer. Working on your one footed balance will help a lot in maintaining control of the ball. Distance, Dedicated to everything backyard related, with information about backyard games, projects, activities, and maintenance. I hate to break it to you but just training a little here and there isnt going to make much difference if any. catch the ball with your hands and repeat at leas ten times until you are comfortable to do two bounces in a row and then catch with your hands. Its a great way to develop comfort with that foot. The thighs might be the easiest part of the body to juggle with because they tend to be bigger and offer more surface area. HOtw to Juggle a Soccer Ball: Hold the ball in you hands. Keep doing this with both legs to get a feel for how the soccer ball comes off of your thigh. Do you have any other useful tips that might help me master this? We do a lot in our backyards, and this site is where we share everything we learn along the way. For years, trainers taught players to shuffle their feet while the ball was in the air. If you want to be a good juggler you are going to have to practice. 12-14 30 100 To start out, do fifteen to twenty rotations. The younger you are, the more balance issues you are going to have (as you get older, your muscles and body become more adaptable to holding up). The only trick to learning these slick moves is to attempt to execute them. While juggling may seem difficult at first, the key to absolute success is to practice, practice, practice. Soccer Drill Titled: How to Juggle a Soccer Ball. Ryan is a former college wrestler and lifelong fitness fanatic. Backyard Sidekick is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Have you ever scored a goal after juggling the ball on your thigh a few times like Inter Milan defender Maicon? As soon as you feel comfortable with the first step, add in more kicks between catching the ball. You can start out and improve over the first week or two then you have a couple of days where you will think you are havent made any progress and that you stink, then you will have a good day then a bad day and so on. 17,636. In this blog post, we'll share some tips on how to improve your juggling skills. A wobbly ankle leads to a wobbly kick. Next, drop the ball and let it bounce. Be aware of your surroundings, and if you are unsure about using your head when juggling, ask a medical professional for their opinion. Use other parts of your body for example knee, chest or head. Youre getting better even if you dont set a new personal record every day.Playing games like soccer tennis with friends will also help. As you feel more confident, add in more kicks between catching the ball. Tap the ball upward, putting a little backspin on the ball. The biggest key to balancing is to keep your knees bent and your eyes on the ball. So then, some coaches think it's a showy skill for the streets, not the pitch. Learning how to juggle a soccer ball can improve your touch as well as your overall balance. Learn how to juggle a soccer ball with your thighs!Subscribe - http://bit.ly/Yl0FulDo you like FREE Soccer Training Videos? If youre doing everything right, you will be able to catch the ball at the original position from where you dropped it. Making contact with the ball in this position pushes the ball straight back up rather than away from you. When starting out you want to try and kick the ball up to only belly button height or lower. You should also always move your head towards the ball rather than letting the ball hit you. Step #1 Drop the Ball to Your Thigh It is easier to juggle a soccer ball with your thighs than your feet. Step 7:Repeat these steps as often as possible, increasing the number of kicks/touches between catching the ball. from the ground, and I can already see my ball control getting better, not only while I'm juggling, but in real game situations. One footer. This time, the leg should form a right angle, with the bottom of the leg pointed straight down from the knee. You can see the difference in this video where a 6-year old kid is showing off his skills. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 786,894 times. Any soccer skill, including juggling the ball, requires a player to practice as often as possible if they want to see an improvement. So, lets look at each step now, and Ill walk you through the process of learning how to juggle a soccer ball. Step 1: Stand on the Balls of Your Feet With Your Knees Bent The foundation of successfully juggling a soccer ball is to ensure your body is in the correct position. There are 7 touches in total: It requires an extra level of skill to control the juggle while walking or even jogging forward. Learn how to juggle a soccer ball with your thighs!Subscribe - http://bit.ly/Yl0FulDo you like FREE Soccer Training Videos? I recommend following a pattern to improve your control. This allows you to get a feel for how a soccer ball bounces off of the foot. Side Effects? You can slightly progress by lifting your head off the ground and placing a pillow underneath it. Heres a step-by-step look at one way of learning to juggle. Top Tip If the ball is bouncing too high or is hard to control with your foot, deflate the ball a little. The options are endless! When you are juggling it is important that you hit the ball with the right part of your foot or you will send the ball flying in the wrong direction. Practice this until you are confident before moving on. When heading a soccer ball while juggling, the critical thing to remember is that the contact should be between your forehead and the ball and not any other part of your head. Getting the timing of this right can take a while, so keep practicing until you get it right. For me personally, this is one of my favorite kicks when juggling that gives a lot of control, dont forget to use the insides of those feet. Make sure you always include your non-dominant foot in all your drills. Soccer is the world's number one sport for one big reason in particular: all you need to play is a ball and your body. To juggle a soccer ball for a long time, you need to practice juggling every day for at least a month. Hold the ball out in front of you at chest height and drop it to the ground. You will be able to practice without damaging your house! The shuffling of feet helps with timing and balance, and these things may later on become second nature. Consistently practicing is the most important lesson I want to leave you with from this article. With the ball in your hands drop it on your right thigh, then with your right thigh bounce the ball off your thigh and . But, if you're new to soccer, where do you begin learning how to juggle a soccer ball? The basic exercises for learning how to juggle a soccer ball are done by rotating the entire body, using both hands, and balancing the lower body and upper body. It can be done by yourself, with a friend or relative, or in a group of people. The head is the most vulnerable part of the body because of the repeated use of your head hitting the ball. second, your going to want to start off with picking up your ball. However, practicing these skills could at some point mean the difference between losing the ball and creating a scoring opportunity. Begin again at step 1 but after completing step 2, knock the ball up high enough to be able to use your head. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Bend your knee 90 degrees and raise your thigh so that it is at a right angle to your body, providing a flat surface to hit the ball with. Now, this is where it really starts to become fun! Let the ball drop to the ground from high enough distance that it will bounce slightly in the end, Tap it upwards after it lands, then let it bounce again, Increase the number of times you tap the ball upwards, then work your way to using both your left and right feet. The only other thing I want to mention about juggling for a long time is that it requires a high level of fitness to keep going. Then practice over and over again bouncing on first your right leg then your left leg alternating . It will also allow you to keep the ball more in control. If you have the skills but not fitness, take the time to improve in this area. When you successfully flick the ball up, try to keep it up by using the previously practiced juggling techniques. Be sure you are not leaning too far backward when juggling. Controlling the ball with every body part except the hands looked cool, like some kind of magic. Ideally, you dont want to kick the ball higher than chest height. Knees bent slightly, head slightly down, on the balls of your feet and continually shifting weight from side to side. Although many people refer to this part of juggling as using your knees, the reality is that you should be using your thigh and not your knees. Overfilling a soccer ball with air might make it feel like a rock while underinflating a ball will prevent the ball from popping up in the air easily. As the ball comes down, bring your thigh up to meet the ball. The key to learning how to juggle a soccer ball effectively is to become comfortable juggling the ball with your feet and to commit to practicing this skill for at least 20 minutes every day for a month. Before playing professionally, he played on the Stanford University Varsity Soccer Team. Just like with the feet, you should start with one leg bent and the other on the ground to stabilize. ", "I liked that you discussed about how the ball starting in your hands helped. Another thing beginner jugglers do is kick the ball too high. In my experience, the players that are the best jugglers are the ones that practice it the most. If you get frustrated, just take a break and come back to it later. As soon as you are confident using both thighs, start to add in more hits of the ball with your thigh between catching the ball. Feel free to begin using different combinations than the ones Ive mentioned above. If you only follow one tip from this article make sure it is this one. 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