How to Shoot a Football with Power - Six Steps

How to Improve Power in Football

Being able to strike the ball with power is a crucial skill in football. Whether you’re trying to shoot past the keeper, or just clear the ball up field, knowing how to hit the ball with conviction is something you need to have in your locker. It’s important to note that getting the perfect strike isn’t all about kicking the ball as hard as you can. A powerful shot is all about getting the right technique. In this article, we’ll cover how to shoot a football with more power in six simple steps.

Keep in mind that you’ll need to practice these tips on the field to start seeing results. It’s through repetition and mastering your technique that you’ll start to notice improvement in your shooting. If you’re looking for other ways to improve your skills, check out our article on 20 Individual Soccer Drills to add to your training.

Six Steps to Increase Shot Power

1. Prepare the Run Up

Before you take your shot, it’s important to set yourself up for success. First, take a few steps back and begin to approach the ball from an angle. Keep in mind, it’s not about how many steps you take. You should only need about three steps in total.

Move towards the ball with pace and intent. You want your final step towards the ball to be at a running speed. You should almost feel as if you’re lunging towards the ball with your planting foot. This will ensure that you have enough momentum as you approach the ball.

2. Place Your Plant Foot

As you take your final step, your plant foot should be placed about a foot away from the ball. This will give you a solid base to push off from as you shoot. Make sure that your plant foot is also level with the ball.

Placing your standing leg too far back will result in the ball going over the bar. Additionally, if you misplace you plant foot, your shot will have much less accuracy.

3. Swing Back Your Shooting Leg

This is a crucial step that often gets overlooked. You want your leg to kick through the ball at a high speed in order to generate power. In order to get that power, it helps to swing your shooting leg behind you.

As you approach the ball, pull your shooting leg back behind you. Then, let it release, almost like a spring. This will help you generate much more power and torque as you strike through the ball. This is why it helps to really lunge with that last step.

4. Strike With Your Laces

When you’re ready to take the shot, you want to strike the ball with the laces area of your shooting foot. This will ensure that you’re striking the ball with the hardest part of your foot. If you want to know exactly where this is, reach down and feel the top of your foot. You should feel a hard bone, and this is where you want to strike the ball.

Striking the ball with this part of your foot will ensure that the ball travels straight, and has ample power behind it. If you’re hitting the ball correctly, there shouldn’t be too much spin on the shot.

5. Keep Your Chest Over Ball

As you take the shot, be sure to keep your chest over the ball. This will help you maintain proper balance and alignment, and will give you more control over the ball as it flies through the air.

Additionally, keeping your chest over the ball will ensure that your shot doesn’t go too high. If you lean back when striking the ball, it’s likely to make its way up and over the crossbar. You really just want to keep your upper body level as you approach the ball.

6. Follow Through

After you’ve struck the ball, be sure to follow through with your shooting leg. This will help you maintain your balance and keep your shot on target.

You want to ensure that you transfer all of your momentum into the shot. You may notice that some players even leave the ground after they strike the ball. Just focus on naturally letting your shooting leg swing through after you take your shot.

Shot Power Video Tutorial

If you’re looking for a great tutorial on increasing your shot power, Billy from F2 Freestylers has made a video showing how he makes his shots so clean. I’ve linked the video above so you can see a real demonstration. So make sure you get out on the field and start practicing!