Instep Kick

The instep kick is the most powerful kick in the sport of soccer. Even we can not master it in a short period of time, it actually is one of easiest kick for most younger players.

The instep is the region on top of the foot where the shoelaces are tied. When kicking with the right foot, the approach is made from behind and to the left of the ball.

1. The support foot (left) is planted farther from the ball, about your body width. But the plant foot is still positioned directly to the side of the ball and the toe is pointed in the direction of the intended kick.

2. The player should approach the ball from a starting position of about three (3) steps behind the ball and two (2) steps to the left of the ball.

3. The hips and knees of the kicking leg do not need to be flexed at impact with the ball in order for the extended foot to clear the ground. This is because the body leans away from the ball, providing a sufficient distance for the kicking leg to fully extend into impact.

4. The player must drive his kicking foot through the ball and not stop at impact.

The order of events in the kicking leg, following hip extension, are:

1. Hip rotation

2. Forward swing of the thigh

3. Forward swing of the lower leg.

Each of these movements helps to increase the overall velocity or speed of the kicking foot. The action of the leg should be like a whip “snapped” at the ball.

After you are able to simulate the movements of the instep kick, a variety of control problems will be evident. The following is a list of frequent performance results and their probable causes:

• Ball kicked into the ground

• This is probably caused by a placement of the support foot too far forward with respect to the ball. Contact was made with the instep, but it was on the downward swing of the kicking leg, resulting in the ball being compressed between the ground and foot.

• Ball flight is too high

• If the support foot is planted too far back from the ball, foot contact will be made on the upward swing of the leg. This may also be accompanied by a backward lean of the body away from the ball.

• Excessive backspin on the ball

• This usually occurs when contact has been made with the toe below the centerline of the ball.

• Clockwise or counterclockwise ball spin (“curving or bending” the ball)

• This may or may not be a desirable result. It depends upon the intent of the kick. One cause for lateral spin is off-center instep contact with the ball. A second cause of ball spin is a glancing kick.

• Lack of velocity on the kick

• If the hip of the kicking leg is not fully extended prior to landing on the plant foot, the leg swing velocity will be reduced.

• If the supporting leg flexes too much during foot plant, the velocity of the kicking leg will be reduced.

• Improper coordination and sequencing of movements in the kick will reduce ball velocity.