How to Kick a Ball With Power

Kicking a soccer ball, football or rugby ball with power is not about how 'hard' you kick. Similar to baseball, golf and tennis where powerful contact with the ball is generated by the speed of the swing and torque of the body, kicking power is produced by the speed and whip of your leg in motion–and proper contact with the ball (see reference 1, 2 and 3). Trying to kick the ball ‘hard’ can cause your muscles to tense, which slows movements. In soccer, powerful contact with the ball can increase the range of your passes and effectiveness of your shot. Power can be improved through practice and the employment of some basic techniques.

Things You'll Need

  • Soccer ball
  • Soccer shoes
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Instructions

    • 1

      Take a long last stride. According to coaches at Soccer U, an organization featured on the Fox Soccer Channel, you want to take a long enough last stride to create a “forward hopping load”; your last stride should include a bit of a hop.

    • 2

      Plant your support leg a foot to a foot and a half to the side of the ball to allow your leg and ankle to swing on a 45-degree plane with the ground. This will allow you to strike the ball with the correct part of your foot.

    • 3

      Draw your leg back, bending at the knee to bring the heel of your kicking foot as close to your backside as possible. The further back you draw your leg, the more energy and power you are "loading."

    • 4

      Release your leg from the retrieval position, allowing your knee to come through first. According to coaches at Soccer U, you want to “keep the v” (created between your lower and upper legs when they are bent behind you) as long as possible to increase whip action through your contact with the ball. The speed of your leg’s movement from retrieval to propulsion is a determining factor of the power you will generate in your kick (see reference 1).

    • 5

      Contact the center of the ball with top of your foot. Most soccer authorities advise you to kick the ball with your laces for power, however Soccer U recommends that you aim to strike it with the knuckle of your big toe as “the first metatarsal” is the largest bone in your foot, and thus generates the most force and energy at impact. Point your toes and lock your angle to provide a flat, hard surface to contact the ball. Contacting the center of the ball causes the most pressure to build within it, which will cause the release of more energy and make the ball travel faster.

    • 6

      Continue your forward momentum through the shot. Imagine there is a pane of glass standing just in front of the ball. You want your whole body to break through it after you shoot, not just your leg or your foot. Your momentum should cause you to land forward on your shooting foot, not on your planting foot.