How do I do a soccer bicycle kick?

I have been playing soccer since I was a kid and have yet to perfect my bicycle kick. I play left striker and for some reason I can’t get enough force on the ball. Any tips?

2006-08-21T11:55:00Z

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2006-08-23T11:25:39Z

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Anthony V2006-08-16T12:21:04Z

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if you are a right footed kicker, you have to throw your left foot up first and use the swinging motion of your kicking foot as momentum for your kick. it just takes practice and the realization that you're going to hit the ground with a pretty good thud. there are usually 2 reasons a persons bicycle kick lacks power. the first is that they are not connecting with the ball on the proper part of their foot. this usually make the ball not go straight foward and limits the power. you gotta connect on the sweet spot on the top of your foot. the 2nd reason is that they are preoccupied with bracing for impact before they kick the ball. like i said before if you do it well.....you're gonna hit the ground from a drop of about 3 feet up. if you dont swing your feet up for that kick as much as possible because you're hoping to land on your arms and feet instrad of the top of your shoulders your kick is not going to have the power it should. not only that you are more likely to get hurt. if you land a bicycle kick properly you should hit the ground with your feet in the air and land on the area of your back where your shoulder blades are you will not get the wind knocked out of you if you land in that area....any lower however you run the risk of knocking the wind out of you on impact with the ground. also getting a bit of a running start helps with the momentum of the kick....an attempt of a bicycle kick from a stationary position will not have the same power as someone who's had a jogging start. it takes timing to catch a bicycle kick while jogging, but it's the best and most powerful way to do it. if you want to learn how to stick the jump for the kick...my advise is watch or practice highjumping....... to see the motion of how their body goes up in the air and how the feet follow. just keep at it and you'll get it down

Nyla2015-08-24T18:04:11Z

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RE:
How do I do a soccer bicycle kick?
I have been playing soccer since I was a kid and have yet to perfect my bicycle kick. I play left striker and for some reason I can’t get enough force on the ball. Any tips?

Anonymous2006-08-18T15:15:21Z

G'day Katie,

Thanks for the question. By the way, you and the team are doing a great job.

Bicycle kick or overhead kick is an expert move in football, which is made by throwing the body up into the air, making a shearing movement with the legs to get one leg high overhead to reach the ball (in original head height), which gets kicked backward over the player's head and ideally into the goal.

The common English name comes from the two legs that look as if pedaling a bicycle with one leg going forward to the ball and the other backward to create an opposite moment. The overhead kick is commonly known as Chilena or Chalaca in most of Latin America because it was Chilean teams which first used it.

There are two major situations (apart from showing off) where the bicycle kick would be useful in a game situation:

* When a defender is desperate to remove the ball from near his side's goal, but he stands facing the goal and with his back to the direction he wants the ball to go, and the ball is bouncing around and thus difficult to control.
* If a striker has his back to the opponent's goal and is in the opponent's penalty area or nearby, and the ball is bouncing at head height.

Pele was the best exponent of it. The steps are:

1) Keep your back to the target while keeping your eyes on the ball.

2) Bring the knee of your non-kicking leg towards your chest followed by the same motion of your kicking leg. This will look like you're riding a bicycle hence the name.

3) Extend your kicking leg to meet the ball while you're airborne and falling backwards.

4) Pedalling down with your non-kicking leg, kick through the ball.

5) Pull your toes back so your ankle makes a right angle as you connect with the ball.

6) Extend both arms and your palms to brace yourself.

7. Watch the knee of your kicking leg until you're on the ground to ensure you don't accidentally kick your head.

It takes practice to learn so you might need to work out a drill with a friend tossing a ball to you to practice. You might want to get a tumbling mat to practice on. Given the difficulty, it takes a while to get the timing right so don't be discouraged.

If you increase the speed of the pedalling, it gives you more power. That might be the area you need to work on.

I enclose some sources for your reference.

Good luck for your soccer team.

Thanks again for the great job you're doing and don't let the Yamster work you too hard.

Regards

IM THE GAY GOD ALL FEAR ME2006-08-23T15:10:27Z

It's glitzy. It's glamorous.

Steps:
1. Keep your back to the target and your eyes on the ball.

2. Bring the knee of your non-kicking leg toward your chest followed immediately with the same motion of your kicking leg. The movement of your legs will appear as if you're pedaling a bicycle backwards.

3. Extend your kicking leg to meet the ball while you're airborne and falling backwards.

4. Pedaling down with your non-kicking leg, kick through the ball.

5. Pull your toes back so your ankle makes a right angle as you connect with the ball.

6. Extend both arms and your palms facing the ground behind you to brace yourself.

7. Watch the knee of your kicking leg until you're on the ground to insure that you don't hit your head.

If you increase the speed of the pedaling motion, the force of the kick increases.

There's a lot of timing involved, so don't get discouraged if it takes a while to do this kick.


Warnings:
Practice on a soft surface like a tumbling mat or your bed to learn how it feels to fall doing a bicycle kick. If you're a kid, it's probably not a bad idea to ask your parents before you start jumping on the bed.

Overall Warnings:
If you have any condition which would impair or limit your ability to engage in physical activity, please consult a physician before attempting this activity. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.

First, start to jump (and jump with full commitment), with your kicking leg and start to lean back. Then bring your non-kicking knee up toward your chest and look at the ball. You should be almost horizontal in the air and a good distance in the air at this point. Then, fully extend your kicking leg and kick the ball with the laces. As you fall, watch your non-kicking knee and put your palms out to brace the fall. When you hit the ground (which should be the non-kicking side of your body), roll quickly from your back to your chest so you can get back up quickly.

vanamont72006-08-23T11:52:43Z

I know zip about soccer but it sounds like a lack of focus and timing. A soccer ball looks formidable but it appears more of a marshmallow that can absorb what you give it. Left leg is always going to be less power - it's what you lead with no matter how well you're tuned and timed. It starts in your head. The body follows. Angle and point of the foot, like putting a little English on a cue ball.

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