Today, we’re going to dive into a topic that’s not often discussed but is crucial for improving your football kicking skills – how to kick a football better using your hips.
The video, which you can watch here, provides a comprehensive guide on how to use your hips to kick a football better using your hips.
The Good and The Bad of Using Your Hips
Firstly, there’s a right and wrong way to use your hips when kicking a football. Some professional kickers, like Billy Cundiff and Stephen Hauschka, have a unique technique that involves a significant amount of hip rotation. While they are successful and accurate in many instances, this technique can lead to inconsistencies. If the timing is off, the kick can result in a shank, pushing the ball off to the side or pulling it to the opposite kicking side.
The Ideal Technique
Instead of an aggressive twist, I would suggest a more controlled approach. Imagine a set of train tracks leading to the ball and maintaining a consistent, smooth approach along these tracks. This technique minimizes unnecessary energy expenditure and ensures that your hips are in the right position at the right time.
Swinging vs. Pushing Your Hips
The next important point of how to kick a football better using your hips is between swinging your hips and pushing your hips. Swinging your hips can lead to over-rotation and timing issues. Instead, engage your hips from the beginning and push up through the ball. This approach allows for a more efficient transfer of energy and a more accurate kick.
Engaging Your Hips
A simple trick to engage your hips effectively is to pull your hips in a little bit and compress your belly button towards your chest. This slight adjustment engages your entire body – your glutes, hamstrings, and quads – and prepares you for the kick.
The Direction of Your Kick
Finally, we’ll cover the direction of your kick. If your kicks are getting height but not enough distance, or barely making it inside the uprights, it’s likely that your hip is not pushing through the ball enough. To correct this, ensure that your hips are in line with the direction of your kick.
In conclusion, the key to a better football kick using your hips lies in the control of your hip movement, engaging your hips from the beginning, and ensuring your hips are pushing through in the direction of your kick.
Remember, practice makes perfect. So, take these tips, head out to the field, and start improving your football kicking skills today!
Thank you for reading this article, leave any key takeaways below in the comments!
