Doing an Offensive Header
Do an offensive header to score on high crosses and set-pieces. With offensive headers, you score by jumping up and using your forehead to re-direct high balls. It’s a perfect goal for two people to score together, with one player assisting and one scoring. Together, you’ll put balls in the net that would otherwise sail over the top goalpost.
Keep your eyes open. You should keep your eyes open and trained on the ball from the minute you get ready to head the ball until you’re ready to celebrate or shed a few tears. This will not only help you shoot accurate goals, it’ll also keep you from crashing into other players. If you jump up high enough, you may also need your eyes to help you land on your feet safely.
Keep your mouth closed to prevent injury. If you open your mouth when you head balls, you may it shut it randomly when you make contact with the ball. This could cause you to bite your tongue or hurt your jaw.
Square your shoulders to line up with the goal. As you get ready to head the ball, it’s important to keep your body straight and lined up with the goal. You’ll be using your your abdomen and back muscles, as well as the muscles in your neck to score. If you twist your body, the amount the power in your strike will be limited by your compressed core muscles.
Jump high enough to aim the ball downwards. In order to get the ball into the net, you’ll need to head it in that direction. Jump up so that your eyes are above the ball. This will let you control your header and attack the ball with your forehead from above.
Hit the ball with the middle of your forehead. Move your head forward quickly to attack the ball with your forehead. Use the middle of your forehead (right above your eyebrows) to head the ball, since this is the largest and flattest surface on your head. This spot will give you more control over the direction of your goal. Don’t be afraid of the ball. Remember that heading the ball is one of the most effective -- and coolest -- ways you can score a goal. Be positive and follow through with confidence in your game. Be sure not to hit the ball with either the top or sides of your head. You won’t be able to keep your eyes on the ball or the goal with these approaches. This will make your headers harder to control and more inaccurate.
Make contact with the middle of the ball. Most offensive headers involve you shifting a high ball so it goes straight into the net. To point the ball downwards, hit it right in the middle with your forehead. If your forehead connects with a spot too high on the ball, it may go straight down into the ground. Too low, and the ball will soar right over the top goalpost.
Arch your back and push your shoulders forward for more power. Engaging your core and neck muscles will improve the strength of your attacks and the accuracy of your headers. As you get ready to jump up and hit the ball with your forehead, arch your back while thrusting your shoulders forward. This should get you on your way to racking up the points.
Doing a Diving Header
Dive for balls that are at your waist level or lower. Dives are perfect for scoring off low balls. This move is usually used to score off passes or corner kicks. It’s a dramatic and powerful way to get the goal in the net.
Square your shoulders to line up with the goal. As with offensive headers, you’ll need to use your core and neck muscles to hit the ball with enough power to move it into the goal. Avoid twisting and compromising these muscles by keeping your body lined up with the goal.
Flex your knees to prepare for your jump. In order to hit the ball accurately on a dive, your jump needs to get you in position to make contact with the ball. You don’t want to miss it in the air! Make sure you’re ready to strike by bending your knees and keeping your weight on the balls of your feet.
Keep your eyes locked on the ball. It’s important that you try to guess (as best as you can!) where the ball is going to go. This will allow you to meet it with your forehead during your dive. Since things move so fast in soccer, if you take your eyes away from the ball for even a second, you probably won’t be able to score on a dive.
Dive forward parallel to the ground. Launch yourself into the air in a dive that moves you forward parallel to the ground. This move should put you on the same trajectory as the ball, so you and it are moving toward each other. The dive will add power to the hit you’re about to give the ball with your forehead. Be sure to use both feet to propel yourself into the air. It’s harder to get an accurate and powerful dive when jumping off only one foot.
Tilt your head back and hit the ball with the middle of your forehead. As you approach the ball, tilt your head back and move it forward quickly to gain momentum. Hit the ball with the middle part of your forehead, using the large and flat surface for accuracy and power. As with all headed goals, make sure your eyes are open and your mouth is closed during your entire dive.
Extend your arms to catch yourself as you fall. Once you’ve headed the ball, bring your arms up to catch your body weight. Catch yourself with your arms and chest instead of your wrists. This should help you land safely and with minimal bruising. Catching too much weight on your wrists could lead to broken bones. Diving for headers can be especially scary since you know you’re getting ready to fall down on the ground. Spend plenty of time practicing with friends to perfect landing dives safely.
Doing a Glancing Header
Choose a glancing header to disguise your goal. Glancing headers involve you turning your head into the ball at the last minute. This helps you trick the goalie. This sneaky technique may be exactly what your team needs to beat your toughest rivals.
Angle your body away from the direction of your header. In order to keep the goalie from anticipating your goal, deliberately angle your body away from where you plan to head the ball. This may feel different from other headers, since you usually want your body squared up with the goal. However, this altered step is a key part of fooling the goalkeeper. Glancing headers require less force than other headed goals, as you’re usually just redirecting already-powerful crossed passes or corner kicks to fool the goalie at the last second. This means that the power you get from a squared-off body is less critical here than with other headed goals.
Turn your head to meet the ball right before impact. Run to the ball to get yourself in position. Jump up and turn your head at the last minute to change the direction of the ball. By turning your head so late, you keep the goalie from being able to move quickly enough to make a save.
Hit the ball on different sides to move it to the left or right. When you want to make the ball quickly go left, hit it on the right side with the center of your forehead. To shift it to the right, strike it on the left. These quick changes in direction will increase the sneakiness of this move.
Practicing Headers
Head balls to yourself to practice your forehead placement. Throw balls up in the air and jump up to head them into the goal. This low-pressure drill will allow you to work on centering the ball on the middle of your forehead to get accurate and powerful strikes.
Practice with a partner to head balls on the run. It’s harder to head the ball when you’re on the run and not just standing still. Of course, during games, you’re usually going to need to run to meet the ball! Grab a partner and practice scoring while you’re running. Your partner can either pass the ball to you normally, or throw the ball up into the air.
Sit down and head balls to develop core strength. It’s important to develop the muscles you need to powerfully attack balls with your head. To make sure you’re strengthening especially your core and neck muscles, sit down while you strike the ball with your forehead. You can throw the ball up in the air, head it, and catch it yourself for this drill.
Practice diving headers on a mat. Diving headers can be tough and even a little scary. To learn how to score these goals, practice your dive by bringing a mat out into the soccer field. This will allow you to dive without worrying too much about the hard landing, and you’ll be able to focus on your technique and accuracy. This will also let you practice landing safely on your chest and arms instead of on your wrists.
Comments
0 comment