How to Juggle a Soccer Ball
In soccer, juggling the ball (for the soccer lingo illiterate, basically how to keep a ball bouncing up off your foot continuously without it hitting the ground) is a very useful form of practice. It’s a great way to get warmed up before playing, or to improve your touch with the ball. It is also an easy way to get some exercise. You can do it with other people; you can do it on your own. All you really need is a ball. A good juggler makes it look like a form of dancing.
Steps
- Find somewhere relatively flat that you can stand on such as a driveway, street, park, or yard.
- Hold the ball above your preferred foot.
- Drop it onto your foot and try to kick up your foot a little as the ball lands on it, not too much so that the ball goes flying up into the air but just enough so that it rises about a foot then falls again.
- Concentrate on keeping your toes slightly higher than your heel, so the ball spins a little towards you. Make sure you have control of the ball.
- Catch the ball when it is in the air.
- Do this continuously over and over again with each foot.
- Try to do it twice in a row. Don't catch the ball, let it fall back to your foot and bounce up again. Try to kick the ball up as many times as you can without letting it touch the ground or your hands.
- Put your kicking foot on the ground and take a little hop to move where the ball is once you kick the ball into the air. This helps to get into a rhythm. When you have mastered this technique, you can start to get rid of moving each time you kick the ball, and try it with your head, etc.
- Learn to start with the ball at your feet.
- Place the ball at your feet. Take your predominant kicking foot, and place it on top of the ball.
- Quickly roll your foot down the ball creating a backspin on the ball.
- Place your toe underneath the ball, and allow the ball to roll up your foot. Then kick the ball straight up, but keep it pretty low no, i.e. higher than your chest.
- As the ball comes down, position yourself so you can hit it again with your kicking foot or your other foot.
- Just keep going till the ball touches the ground and then start over.
Tips
- The great Pele, arguably the best soccer player of all time, once said, “Everything is practice." Take it to heart.
- The easiest way to learn is to find someone who plays soccer and try juggling with them.
- Don't wear long pants; shorts are perfect.
- You may want to start by hitting the ball with your strong leg, or by keeping it at knee level or even by heading the ball repeatedly. You can use any part of the body to keep the ball in the air, with the obvious exception of your hands and arms.
- It is important to be balanced while juggling the ball. In between touches, it is risky but useful to try to re-balance yourself such that you can maintain control of how you hit the ball each time. Always try to stay balanced on your toes, ready to make quick movements. The biggest key is to keep your eye on the ball.
- An easy way to juggle is by only using your thighs. It is easier than using your feet or head, though it's not recommended because you will get little out of juggling this way. You will improve much more if you can learn to juggle only using your feet.
- Try to make the ball spin towards you in the air. This is a sign that you have mastered juggling.
- You can "catch" the ball on your foot with careful practice by cushioning the fall of the ball and holding it in place with your foot and shin.
- Also, if you are starting to get the hang of juggling a ball, alternate feet/thigh this is easier so you don't balance on your strong foot. Instead it is almost as if you are walking, making juggling easier!
- Juggling after games or workouts is great for improving your touches while you're tired.