how to juggle a soccer ball
Horacio Ibarra
Learning to juggle a soccer ball
Juggling a soccer ball is a great way to practice your soccer skills when you are by yourself, but it can take a long time to master this talent. Practicing your juggling skills helps to improve your touch on the ball and control of the ball at your feet. Many players practice juggling with their whole body, especially their feet, thighs, chest and head.
THINGS YOU'LL NEED
- soccer ball
- soccer shoes
Step 1
Choose a flat area with space to move around to begin juggling. Make sure that there is nothing on the ground to trip over, as the majority of the time your focus will be on the ball and your body, not on the ground or your surroundings.
Step 2
Drop the ball from your hands to your dominant foot, and kick the ball lightly back up in the air to chest height. Let the ball bounce, and then try to kick the ball again with the same force, back up to chest height. When juggling for real, you will not want to let the ball bounce, but learning to juggle takes some time to work up to that level. You can catch the ball if you need to start over and drop the ball onto your foot again.
Step 3
Work up to kicking the ball with your feet more often than you catch it or than it hits the ground. Keeping a rhythm and not kicking the ball too hard is the key to keeping the ball under control.
Step 4
Incorporate your other body parts into juggling as you feel comfortable. Use both feet, both thighs, your chest and your head to assist your juggling. Bring your thigh up with your knee bent at a 90-degree angle to create a flat surface for the ball to bounce off of. Your chest will be a way to control the ball and bounce it back down to your thighs or feet, and your forehead is a way to control balls that you have popped up too high in the air.
Tips and Warnings
- Point your toe upwards when juggling with your feet. This creates a flat surface on the top of your foot that promotes popping the ball gently into the air. Avoid using your toe or your kneecap as these will most likely bounce the ball in a direction you are not expecting.