KICKING TECHNIQUE

by

NICK NOVAK

(CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE)

Focus on the holder's finger which is on the spot. Think about swinging smoothly and hitting the target beyond the uprights. The brain will remember exactly the location of the target you pick, so when you drop your head after picking the target, there is no reason to look up during the approach or after the ball has left your foot. The entire movement is predicated on keeping your head down and focusing on making good ball contact. The mind is clear and very confident. Know exactly where the ball needs to go and how to do it. The only thing to think about during a game or competition is hitting the target. At no point do you think about mechanics during competition of any kind. The only time to think about mechanics is during practice.

The Jab-step: The jab is a very short step. Your weight is on the ball of your front foot, and the back foot (right foot) is pushing your body forward getting the momentum going. The left foot initiates the movement. For a right footed kicker the left foot leads off. The left foot is pointed at your plant spot. Always keep your right shoulder inside of the ball. I have always taken a 2 1/2 step approach. Some people take 2 steps to the ball; either way works. Approach the ball in an even plain, do not bounce or move side to side. Keep your hips open until contact and take them through the ball. After the ball has left your foot, make sure your hips and shoulders are going to the target. Inconsistencies arise If you waiver too far off the target line. I take 3 steps back and 2 over.

The second step is getting the body in position to take off and explode through the ball. The second step is about a yard longer then the jab step. When you take the three steps back from the ball after picking the spot, take two steps to the left at a 90 degree angle. The angle from the ball to my final position in the stance is about 45 degrees. Try to keep your upper body still during the approach, keep a big chest and focus on the spot. Don’t bounce the head up and down, keep it still. Use the arms for balance; the left arm for a right footed kicker is doing most of the work. Keep the right arm close to your body. The goal is to be as efficient as possible, so you do not want any unnecessary motion.

The lunge step: This is the final step into the plant spot. Your kicking leg is in the back swing. The farther you take your leg back, the more force and leg speed you can potentially generate. Remember to take the hip back as well. The entire body must be engaged, not just the leg. The plant leg is slightly bent; this leg is the stabilizing leg so the ankle needs to be strong. Like a scope on a gun the plant foot should be even or slightly in front of the ball. Make sure your foot is not pointed to the target at an angle. The plant foot should be a foot away from the ball. It shouldn't be any closer or you will crowd yourself and prevent your hips and leg from fully coming though the strike zone. Notice in the picture that my the head is looking down at the ball. Imagine a line going straight down the center of your chest to the ball. Look down and watch the foot contact the ball. Notice that the chest is up and the arms are in a position to balance the movement. Keep the ankle locked during the down swing; you must contact the ball with a locked ankle. The knee of the kicking leg should be slightly bent right before contact. The instant after contact the leg locks out and the entire leg is one moment arm moving at maximum speed. In applying the principles of kinesiology to my training and examining best outcomes, I have found that the leg moves faster when the leg locks out right as the ball contacts the foot. Avoid locking out before contact and hitting the ball on the up swing, causing the leg to reach maximum speed too soon. The leg will have slowed down during the follow through and lessened your power at contact. Mechanically, you have the upper leg and the lower leg. The lower leg is called the shank. The shank is like a whip; it comes though after the upper leg has passed the ball. Mind you, I don’t mean that the upper leg is far past the ball causing the lower leg to lag behind. Rather, the knee is a lever; force is generated though it when used correctly. The knee is almost over the ball when the lower leg contacts it. Imagine the upper leg and lower leg in a straight line coming up through the ball. If everything is already locked out and in a straight line the leg has reached its max speed. You will muster more leg speed if you lock the knee out right as the ball is leaving your foot. It is too hard to notice at full speed, so I recommend that you video tape yourself in practice and look at it in slow motion.  

Follow through: Notice that I crunch in this picture; the correct way to kick is to have a big chest, try not to collapse the upper body at or after contact. Collapsing the body at or after contact will prevent the leg from coming up through the ball to its maximum range of motion. Keep the toe locked out and pointed to the target. Notice my left arm is coming across my body. This is important because it will help control your follow through. After you bring your arm across, don’t throw it back out and open up. This will help keep your body in the frame of the field goal. Think about touching your kicking foot as if the foot and hand meet in the middle of the follow through. Don’t cross the leg over! The leg comes up through the ball and lands on the imaginary target line. Have a good heal to toe progression with the plant foot. Push off the ground and move down field with your follow through about a yard. Make sure the hips do not lag behind or you will push the ball. Do not bring the hips too far through or you will pull the ball; there is a fine line. Finally, make sure you close the hips at contact and bring them through to the target.

The end of the kick: Once the kicking leg hits the ground, you can look up and see the end result. Never peek too early; make sure the follow-through is complete. Your shoulders and hips should be in line with the field goal. Make the kick and celebrate. Train yourself to feel a good kick. When you do this you prevent your head from coming up too soon.

Be confident and trust your swing.