A weak shot is more often a saved shot and that is not going to help you in scoring more goals. Follow these 5 tips to develop more power and confidence in your shot taking and see how your game improves.
1. Lock your ankle
Shooting the ball with a weak ankle that’s moving all over the place is not going to generate any power whatsoever. Avoid those airy and powerless shots that no goalkeeper is afraid of by keeping that ankle locked and strong as you make contact with the ball.
2. Lean over the ball
If you lean back too much when shooting the ball not only are you going to send the ball sky-high to row z but you’re also not going to generate any real power. So make sure to get that chest and upper body over the ball and you’re going to feel more powerful and more in control of the shot. The result is you will strike the ball a lot better
3. Aggressive run-up
If your run-up to the ball looks like you’re tiptoeing to the ball at a jogging pace you’re not doing yourself any favors. A more aggressive run-up is an important part of developing a powerful shot. Pay close attention to firmly planting your standing foot next to the ball to generate even more power momentum behind the strike. Experiment with this technique by running up to the ball at different speeds and you will certainly feel the difference in the quality of your strike.
4. Hit the center of the ball
Actually, do whatever it takes to avoid hitting the ball too low. Do this and you will generate a heavy backspin which is not going to have the power we are looking for. If you’re shooting curveballs, knuckleball, or power shots you’re always better off aiming to hit the ball just below the center half instead of slicing under it. Work on hitting the right part of the ball to get rid of that annoying backspin that eats all the power away from your shots,
5. Practice with the game
Some players spend a lot of time practicing their shooting technique in a way that’s too comfortable to be effective in matches. Simulate match play as much as possible. Rolling the ball forward for a couple of yards and taking a nice and easy run-up and shooting the ball is not how it happens in a game. In a real game, everything is happening much faster, there are a lot of defenders around and you simply don’t have much time to set up a shot. So when you’re out practicing by yourself make sure to push yourself to try and reach game speed. Doing so will allow you to prepare for those game-like situations.
Lastly, as always you need to spend countless hours practicing but you already know that. Adopting these 5 easy steps will improve your shot, improve your game, and improve your reputation as you bulge that net game after game.
