Friday 11 March 2011

Soccer Moves

How to Learn Soccer Moves

"Soccer moves is a term that includes feints, footwork, dribbling and turning with a soccer ball"

You may even get frustrated if you notice that your other teammates are learning the moves faster than you. Don’t let that affect you. Instead, encourage yourself to practice even harder because it is the only way. But if you really want to know why your teammates seem to be born with some particular moves, keep on reading.

Are my teammates better than me at soccer?
Your teammates are not better on soccer than you just because they know how to perform some cool soccer moves just after a few tries. Instead, some people need a very short time to learn things, and this is not just because they are smarter than others, they simply have a natural born talent for something.

But just because you don’t have a natural born talent (e.g brazil soccer players) for soccer doesn’t mean that you should give up directly. Talent is just something that will help you on the way, but without real hard work you will never become a good soccer player.

Style or not to style? That is the question
One thing to keep in mind is that you should not learn a move just because you want to style for your friends and others. Instead, you should only learn a move if you can perform it during a soccer game. Many players seem to forget this and spend many hours practicing on soccer moves that they will never use during a soccer game.

I can agree that styling for others is exciting, I mean when people are standing there and whispering "WOW", you will feel like the worlds greatest soccer player. But, instead of practicing on some moves that you will never use in a regular game, try to use your time instead on something more valuable like practicing on your push pass or shooting skills.

Where to get inspiration?
The best way to get inspiration for you soccer moves is to watch all kind of soccer both live and on TV. Bring a notebook and write down what these players are doing when performing a move.

Instead, study how they move and apply that to your own style of play, but don’t try to copy their way of playing, it is impossible, believe me, if it was possible every soccer player on the earth would have same skills as Cristiano Ronaldo or Ronaldinho :-)

When to practice?
Do not practice on your soccer moves during a regular soccer match. Before you decide to try a move in soccer games you need to master it properly. My advice to you is to first start to practice on your backyard or similar where no one will disturb you. When you feel that you have enough skill to perform this move against an opponent, try it out on training.

You need some opponents to try your awesome moves on and the best ones are your teammates. When you can get around your teammates with your new learned moves you are ready for the last step which is trying them out in a real soccer game.

What if you fail?
First time you perform a move in a real soccer game, you may fail but don’t let that discourage you. Instead, learn from your mistakes, and wait for another chance and try out your move again. With another chance I don’t mean that you should try out your moves every time you receive the ball. You need to remember that soccer is not a one man game.

Beside you, there are 10 more players that really love to play with the ball and you must consider that before trying out your new learned moves. My advice is to pass the ball 3-4 times after a failure and then try out the same move again. Remember, to become a better soccer player you cannot be afraid of failure.

Soccer Freestyle

What is Soccer Freestyle?

You may have heard this new term floating around the soccer world called soccer freestyle but what is it actually? Well, as it sounds, freestyle in soccer is about doing tricks while juggling a ball with different parts of your body (head, shins, knees etc). You may perform freestyle tricks while you are sitting, standing or sitting on the ground.

A good soccer freestyler is creative and can produce his/her own tricks. Freestyle in soccer is something that you can do on any place. The only thing you need is a ball and little space. To become a good freestyler you need to practice a lot, have patience and the most important thing: have fun!

Benefits of soccer freestyle

The main benefit of soccer freestyle is that you will improve your coordination, balancing and ball control. It will be easier to perform advanced soccer moves like double scissors or Ronaldinho move. But if you just want to freestyle and don’t want to improve your soccer game, the main benefit of free-styling in soccer will be improved health condition.

• As a soccer player you need to have dedication and patience to learn different freestyle soccer tricks. On this way you will improve your motivation to practice more and to become better soccer player. As you already know the more you practice the better soccer player you will be.

• By practicing on your freestyle trick you will became more creative on soccer field and develop fast thinking abilities. You may also develop some own soccer movements that are unknown to others. On this way you will get advantage over you opponents and dominate your games.

Downside of soccer freestyle

Free-styling in soccer may look cool and great to watch on but on soccer field you will not have any benefits of your free-styling. You cannot start to perform an around the world in hope to fool your opponent.

But of course your opponent may get confused and wonder what is going on. As a freestyler you will have tremendous ball control but you will probably lack in other soccer attributes that you will need during a soccer game.

• As a soccer player you need to meet the in-game physical demand such as stamina, balance, agility, speed and acceleration which requires special fitness training

• Mental preparation as decision making, position, team work and other aspects that are required during a soccer game

• Control and technique with the ball:soccer dribbling, soccer shooting, soccer kick, soccer passing, etc. which needs to be practiced regularly

Others experience

Some soccer players that I personally know have reported that watching freestyle clips have helped them improve their game by several levels. They said also that other difficult soccer moves (like mentioned Ronaldinho) becomes much easier to perform after gaining some basic freestyle soccer skills.

Soccer Related Injuries Guide

Intro to Soccer Related Injuries
Soccer injuries are pretty hard to avoid because soccer is a collision sport and injuries do occur sometimes. However, increased knowledge about soccer injuries will help you decrease the risk of getting them.

That is why I created this guide because I know by experience that increased knowledge about different soccer injuries will not only help you prevent them, it will also help your recover faster. However, if you really want to learn how to give first aid, prevent and rehab all types of soccer injuries I recommend you to get a copy of The Soccer Injuries Guide. Now, let’s learn more about soccer related injuries…

Heading or not?
There have been some controversial studies claiming that repeated ball heading may cause a brain injury similar to that seen in boxing. But this is yet to be proved. However, after heading a ball in 15 years my brain cell amount have increased comparing to what is claimed in these studies :-)

Head banging
This is a common head injury in soccer. It usually occurs when you and an opponent attempt to head the ball at the same moment. Collision of this type may result in a concussion, a cut or a serious neck injury. Broken noses, cheeks and jaws are also common. My experience of this injury is an three days head ache and a big black eye :-)

Goalkeeper
As a goalkeeper you are unique in many ways! The frequent diving makes you more likely to injure your shoulder and elbow. Catching and blocking balls also causes injuries to your wrist and hands. The most typical soccer injuries for a goalkeeper are the finger injuries.

Catching a soccer ball on the top of your finger can really hurt and even result in fractures. Other soccer related injuries that you may need to suffer as goalkeeper are forearm fractures, wrist fractures and sprains.

Lower Back Pain
Lower-back pain could be a sign on ligament sprains or even muscle strains. This type of injury will often respond well to traditional treatment (ice, compression, rest and so on). But, if you feel persistent or recurrent pain in your lower back I recommend you to visit an orthopedic specialist for further evaluation.

Groin
The groin is one of the most common soccer related injuries and is really hard to avoid. The best method for healing this type of injury is rest. If you are unlucky you could be forced to stay off the field for several weeks. One thing you can do to minimize the risk of groin injury is to warm up properly. How to prevent and rehab groin injuries is discussed comprehensively in The Soccer Injuries Guide.

Lower extremity
The lower extremity injury account for more than sixty percent of all soccer related injuries. The most dominant injuries occur often to the knees, shins and even ankles. One thing you can do to minimize the risk of this injury is to always wear correct shoes and right size of shin guards.

Stress fractures and a variety of overuse injuries involving your legs, ankle, and feet’s in soccer are overuse injuries frequently encountered by soccer players.

Knee
The Knee injuries can be mild to varying degrees of severity. Someligament sprains just require rest, while others may requirereconstructive surgery. If you suffer a real serious knee injury you will usually need approximately six months to recover from it.

Dislocations of the knee-cap are a common soccer injury,especially for female soccer players. Sometimes braces can be used after an injury to provide increased protection to your knee. You may also use it to prevent a knee injury.

Meniscus tears and ligament soccer injuries are usually a result from pivoting or sudden deceleration stresses. Stretching and a proper soccer warm up can help prevent you avoid them. Treatments are rest, ice, compression and elevation. Formal physical therapy for rehabilitation is also needed in most cases.

Ankle
Ankle injury is in the form of varying degrees of ligament tears. The basic treatment can be ice, elevation, compressions and a splint. Fractures are not uncommon and all ankle injuries with accompanied swelling should have an evaluation by a specialist. If you suspect a fracture be sure to consult a specialist directly.

Shoulder
The most common shoulder injury in soccer is a separation of your shoulders which is a form of ligament sprain. This injury will require you to wear protective padding measures to control the pain. But if you are really unlucky a more serious severe ligament tears may require surgery.

Shoulder dislocation is another less common injury that you need to watch out for. But if you are unlucky I can only say that it really hurts!!!. There are two type of shoulder dislocation: a partial dislocation or a complete dislocation.

A complete dislocation is something you don’t even wish your worst enemy. The pain cannot be described with words and you will need to find a doctor or specialist who will push your shoulder back into the socket!!! My dear, it hurts just to write about it :-)

Fracture
One of the most serious soccer related injuries that you may suffer (I hope not!) is the fracture of both bones of your lower leg. This one really hurts and I hope that you will be able to avoid it. My experience is that fracture of both bones is the number one of all soccer related injuries when talking about recovery period. So, make sure to always, always, always wear shin guards no matter what!

In most cases it will occur when you and the opponent are going for the ball at the same time clash. One of you misses the ball and kicks the other with enough force to break both the tibia and fibula bones of the lower leg.

All right, this scenario may seem pretty unlike but you still need to be careful out there. So what to do when the accident is a fact? The leg needs directly to be splinted and you must be immediately seen by an orthopedic surgeon. A surgery will be a must for some fractures, usually those that are unstable or open fractures (one that breaks the skin).

Achilles
Achilles tendinitis means pain in the tendon just above your heel. One common symptom is that you will feel pain in your tendon when walking or running up hill or up stairs. Using some form of arch support will help you get rid of it.

Soccer Ball Control

To improve your soccer ball control you will need to understand that practice is the way to success. To illustrate a real world example I want you to consider this: When you started to learn how to write you felt that every sentence took a day to complete. However, after a year of practice you even managed to write a short story about your summer trip. Today, after several years of practice you are able to write a sentence in only few seconds.

The point with this example is to make your realize that the more effort you put in something, the better results you will get. You can’t expect to have great ball control if you don’t practice. To help you out I have created this article to give you ideas on how to improve your ball control. Following are the most common used methods for soccer ball control.

Inside

If you are new to soccer you should try to use the inside part of your foot as often you can. It will be easier for you to set up the ball then if you were using any other parts of your foot.

Outside

The outside is the most frequently used part for controlling a ball in soccer. The reason is pretty obvious, it is impossible to achieve same speed with any other parts of your foot. Keep in mind that you can squeeze the ball to the outside of your body with very little effort of foot readjustment. This is achieved with a smooth movement which can also disguise your intention to an opponent. This is the part you should use when you want to achieve maximum speed on the soccer field

Sole

The sole is very useful for controlling the ball when you are facing the opponents goal with your back with minimum space available but also when you are performing some particular soccer moves (e.g. 360 or Ferenc Puskas).

Different Methods You Should Learn For Heading in Soccer

Heading in soccer is vital for dominating the game in air. Having good heading ability will help you dominate in the front of both six yard boxes. You will also be able to score often at the corner kicks. With your heading skills your team can use the long ball tactic and completely bombard your opponents with long passes towards their penalty area.

As with every other soccer skill, learning how to head a ball properly may take you some time to learn. However, keep in mind to keep your focus on improving your heading skills every practice. If you do that, you will soon notice some great results in your heading skills. Now, let’s take a look at the different methods for heading a soccer ball.

The Flick Header

The flick header gives you the opportunity to play the ball in any direction off your head. This technique is usually used in front of the near post when the ball is crossed from the wing. This method of heading makes it very difficult for the soccer goalie to grip the ball.

The Diving header

When performing a diving header you must propel your body in the path of the ball. Your arms must also be stretched forward to protect you when landing on the ground. Many soccer players find this type of header very difficult to master. If you have a problem with performing this technique, try to practice the dive without ball.

The Glancing header

When performing a glancing header you need to turn your head in the direction of your aim. This motion will redirect the oncoming ball. The glancing header method provides versatility and disguise in the air. This method of heading is especially important in front of the goal when you want to direct the ball past the opposing goalkeeper but also on the field for passing the ball to your teammates.

The Standard Header

When performing a standard header you need to hit the ball with power. This is done by arching your back and swinging your head forward. When performing this type of header you must also keep your shoulders leveled and perpendicular to your aim.

Soccer Dribbling Guide

Soccer dribbling is one of the most important skills you need master. Simply, if you don’t know how to dribble your opponents you will not either know how to play soccer. So, to help you out I have created this article where you will learn everything you need to know in order to become a true dribbling master. Ready? Let’s start…

Use your soccer dribbling skills in the right situations
Dribbling is not about cool soccer moves and you should never use this skill just to increase your personal glory; instead, use it to your team's advantage. Never dribble if you have an unmarked teammate near you. Passing the ball safely to a near teammate is more effective then a dribbling solo raid. The optimal rule is to never dribble in your own half. However, you should try to dribble often in your opponent’s 18 yard box

The advantage with dribbling is that your opponents will not know what you aim to do next. To stop you, opponents will need to figure out which way you will most likely go.

Try to relax
Soccer dribbling is not just about how skillful you are with the ball; you need also to have a lot of confidence in yourself. When dribbling you must really think that you can get around your defender. Try not to panic while receiving the ball. Instead, be calm and try to figure out the best way to get around your opponent.

Balance is important
Your main mission when dribbling a soccer ball is to get around your opponent and make him/her lose balance. At the same time you need of course to maintain your own balance as well.

Equilibrium and soccer dribbling
Equilibrium is an advanced subject, but I will try to keep it simple. You and every human on the earth have something called "center of gravity". This gravity center is situated (on every human being unless you are from Mars :-) in the middle of your torso (your torso is located just about at your navel).

Your body will be in equilibrium whenever an imaginary line from the center of gravity falls in the middle of the support area. In your and every soccer player's body the space between your feet is what we call the area of support.

If your feet are together, the equilibrium of your body will be less. This is because your center of gravity may fall outside the area that is created by your feet. Here is how you can try this out:

• Stand with your feet close together

• Ask a friend to push you a little on the back (not too hard)

• In the next moment you will lie on the ground, but what have you discovered?

Well, you have discovered that falling over will be much easier than when you have some space between your feet. Squat down with your feet apart, then lean forward (just a little bit) and flex your legs slightly, and you will discover how easy it is to keep your balance.

Now start to dribble by following these steps:

• Have a space between your feet

• Lean your body forward a little

• Both legs should be flexed

• You should also have your haunches down

• Both of your arms should be relaxed and not moving

What you are learning now is another thing that is important when talking about balance.

Do you need proof?
Every movement you make with the ball will move your center of gravity forward, backward, up and down.

If you don’t really believe this place yourself on a large scale (if you can find one of course). Start to move your arms directly after the indicator of the scale stops.

The indicator will swing either up or down, and moving your arms faster will increase the swing of the indicator. What you have discovered is another important part of dribbling: rhythm! When dribbling you need to react and make decisions quickly, but your movement must still have a rhythm.

How to find your opponents’ weak side?
Your opponents will always have a weak side; it’s up to you to find it. But before spending many hours studying your opponents, let me give you a little hint: Try to check whether your opponent is right- or left-handed.

Now you may wonder what your opponent's hand has to do with dribbling. I mean, aren’t we discussing soccer dribbling here? Of course we are discussing soccer dribbling but to locate your opponent’s weak side, you need to know his/her weak leg. How do you discover that?

Well, if you dare, you could just ask him, or you could use another smart way to figure it out. Just check whether he/she is left- or right-handed. Now you may wonder how you’re going to know if your opponent is right- or left-handed?

Well, if your opponent is right-handed, his/her left leg will normally be weaker, and if he/she is left-handed, his/her right leg will be the weaker one. Your opponent will also have more problems in handling the ball using his/her weak leg, so watch out for this!

Do not completely trust this advice. There are skillful opponents who can handle the ball pretty well with both feet; therefore, watch carefully before deciding what leg is the weak one.

Finally, don't forget this one: Passing the ball to an unmarked teammate is much more efficient than trying to dribble through a wall of opponents.

The Soccer Kick Guide

Soccer Kick IntroductionWhen you start to learn how to play soccer it doesn’t seem any difficult to kick around a ball and place it into a big oversized net. Well, it may seem like that at first sight but to kick a soccer ball properly, you need to have a certain skill level in order to put the ball in right direction.

Any player can just stick around on a soccer field and play a game of grab ass, but when a competition gets really hard, you must know exactly what you are doing in order to have an effect on your team. There are numerous methods of kicking and in the soccer kick guide we will take a look at some of the most common. Let’s start…

Free Kick

Direct soccer free kick is taken from where the foul occurred. When performing it the ball must be stationary prior to being kicked. The free kick wall must remain 10 yards from the ball until you kick it. Free kick is a great opportunity for scoring goal, especially if the foul was occurred near your opponent’s goal.

Accuracy and precision is vital (see Juan Riquelme) but if you don't have these you may rely on your power mainly (see the Roberto Carlos free kick). Instead, getting the ball over your opponent’s wall and hit the goal is most important (besides scoring of course) if you want to perform well as a free kick taker.

Indirect Free Kick

The opposite of direct free kick is the soccer indirect kick. The main difference between an indirect and direct free kick is that you cannot score directly from it; instead one of your teammates must touch the ball first. Usually, an indirect free kick will occur when a player passes the ball to the goalkeeper (both of them must play in the same team) and he/she grip the ball with his/her hands.

Penalty Kick

A soccer penalty kick is a form of direct free kick which means that a goal can be scored directly from it. If you miss a penalty kick the game will continue on as usual, which gives you opportunity to repair the mistake if the ball bounces back to you. Few years ago it was allowed to pass the ball to another teammate when performing a penalty kick, but now days you must kick the ball directly at goal without letting any teammate touch it first.

Goal kick

Your team will be awarded with a goal kick when the ball leaves the field of play. The ball will be counted as out of play when wholly crossing the goal line (either on the ground or while it is in the air).

The ball must even been touched last by an opponent before it leaves the field of play. Often your goalkeeper will be responsible for taking goal kicks but sometimes you may need to take his/her role especially if he/she is injured or don’t have enough skill to perform a goal kick (which is not even unusual in professional soccer matches).

Corner kick

A corner is a soccer kick that provides very good scoring opportunities, either directly (which will not occur so often) or getting the ball to your teammates in front of your opponents goal. Another strategy for corner kick in soccer is to play a short corner, in which the ball is kicked to a teammate located near the corner kicker.

This strategy is normally used to get the ball away from the goal line in order to get a better angle on your opponent’s goal. Your opponents will usually form a wall to stop the ball from getting into the 18 yard area, however they must be at least 10 yards from the ball until it is in play.

Bicycle or the Over Head kick

A soccer bicycle kick (also known as the scissors or overhead kick) is a type of soccer kick which is basically executed in the air. In order to perform a bicycle kick you should perform a shearing movement with your legs and kick the ball with power. This is the most advanced part of the soccer kick methods and must be practiced first without ball because you can cause yourself serious injuries if you don’t know what you are doing. With other words, if you have just started to learn how to play soccer I would recommend you to avoid practicing on this one.

Instep kick

The soccer instep kick is the heavy artillery of all your soccer. This type of kick is the most powerful one and is the true winner when it comes to releasing powerful and hard to save missiles. With this kick mastered you will be true king on the field and the keepers will get scared every time you receive the ball.