Soccer is an entertaining game to learn and play with a bunch of friends. Because of its simplicity and ease of learning, it has become one of the most popular sports in the world.
While learning ball control, which is one of the basics of soccer, players often practice juggling. When juggling, you can easily utilize many parts of your body depending on your level of mastery.
Most beginners often start juggling with just their feet and knees alone before progressing into using other parts of their body like the head, shoulder, chest, back, and neck.
Juggling requires you to keep balls above the ground as long as you possibly can by allowing them to bounce on different parts of your body. Learning and mastering how to keep soccer balls in the air as a beginner using your knee will help you make faster progress.
For balls to bounce on your knee successfully over some time, you need to apply a few techniques which we will be showing you in this article. We will also tell you the most crucial points to consider.
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What are the key points to note when bouncing a soccer ball on your knee?
Knowing how to juggle a soccer ball on your knee is a terrific way to wow your mates while also improving your balance, concentration, and ball control. When starting this process, it is always scary.
The secret to doing it successfully is persistent practice. If you practice and follow instructions, you’ll be an expert in no time.
There are a few things you should take note of before you start practicing how to bounce a soccer ball on your knee. Some of them are listed below:
1. Identify your skill level
Firstly, measure your skill level based on your age. The younger you are, the more problems you might have with balancing your body while performing this skill.
Your muscles and overall body mass will grow more adapted to holding up as you age. In terms of skill level, the more soccer you have watched or experienced, the more adapted your mind will be when engaging in soccer drills.
2. Use the correct size of soccer ball
There are different sizes and textures of soccer balls for various age groups. Younger children usually use smaller and softer soccer balls while adults use professional balls.
Soccer ball sizes are usually increased as children advance in age. They don’t get to use professional balls until they reach the age of twelve or thirteen when their muscles, bones, and joints are mature enough.
Also, make sure that balls are properly inflated before use. Overinflating a soccer ball may make it seem like a rock while underinflating it can prevent it from bouncing properly.
3. Use proper footwear and clothing
When it comes to soccer, using the right footwear and apparel is vital. When juggling a ball, wearing the right boots and attire will help you jug better.
There are cleats out there specially designed for soccer players. Since you will be raising and dropping your legs in the process of bouncing them on your knee, having footwear with the right traction and grip is extremely important.
Also, wearing shorts that are above the knee will prevent any hindrance when raising your legs to bounce the ball on your knees. enables them to perform numerous skills without hindrance.
Last update on 2023-11-10 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
How to bounce a soccer ball on your knee?
Anyone can bounce a soccer ball on their knee but knowing how to keep the ball bouncing on the knee for a while is where the hard work lies.
Here are the steps to accomplish this seemingly impossible task and make it look like a child’s play. We will start with the ball in your hands first.
Step 1: Hold the soccer ball
Hold the soccer ball in your hands and stretch your arms out in front of you at the level of your neck or chest region. You may lower the strength of the bounce by slightly deflating the soccer ball.
The ball will be easier to juggle with your knee and wouldn’t fly off after every hit. You can go ahead to further inflate the ball when you have mastered how to bounce it on your knee.
Step 2: Raise one knee
Raise one leg to make it perpendicular to your body. This will keep your thigh flat and provide you with better control of the ball.
An angular surface is far more difficult to deal with than a flat surface.
Step 3: Plant one foot on the ground
Maintain a flat and solid foot plant on the ground with your non-kicking foot. It is critical to maintaining equilibrium when bouncing the ball.
It is difficult but useful to try to rebalance yourself in between touches so that you can keep control of how you strike the ball each time. Always attempt to keep balance on your toes and be ready to act quickly.
The most important aspect of balance is to keep your knees bent and your eyes on the ball.
Step 4: Bounce and catch the ball
Bounce the soccer ball with your knee like you would with your feet. Catch the ball with your hands when it bounces on your knee.
Repeat this step until you can control the direction and height of the ball with your knee. Repeat this technique with the opposite knee as well.
Step 5: Continue practicing
Continue to practice until you can catch the soccer ball in front of your chest easily and consistently. To catch the ball, you do not have to bend or try to reach it.
Repeat every step with your other leg. Remember that practicing with your non-dominant leg will be more difficult.
Step 6: Increase the number of bounces
Experiment with letting the ball bounce off your knee more frequently. Rather than catching the ball each time you hit it, launch it into the air and then hit it again as it comes down.
Maintain possession of the ball and focus on bouncing with one knee until you feel confident, then move to the other leg. Keep practicing until you have mastered this skill.
Step 7: Switch between knees
Do not hesitate to do a switch when you are sure of your ability to manage the ball with both knees. Try bouncing the ball with both knees.
Once you’ve grasped this without dropping the ball, try bouncing it off each knee twice, three times, and so on.
Another way to juggle soccer ball on your knee
There is another way to start with juggling the soccer ball on your knee. It involves starting with your foot. Below are the steps that you need to take.
Step 1: Set the ball down at your foot
Position your dominant striking foot on top of the soccer ball. Roll or drag your foot down the ball from the top to bottom, hard enough to produce backspin.
Place your toe beneath the ball and let it roll up your foot. Kick the ball up towards your chest region as though you were going to catch it with your hands.
Step 2: Establish your position and juggle the ball
Place yourself in a spot where you can easily catch the ball with your knee. Do this as the ball returns to the ground.
Keep hitting the ball with your knee when it bounces up and comes back down as much as you possibly can.
When the ball falls to the ground, do not pick it up. Instead, roll it back up on your feet and resume juggling with both of your knees.
Conclusion
Bouncing a soccer ball on your knee is an excellent technique. When mastered, it can be used to control balls in the air without losing concentration or balance while playing a game.
Didier Drogba is one of the few soccer players that mastered how to bounce the ball with different parts of his body in an attempt to set it up for a shot.
It can also be fun to practice this skill with a couple of teammates during training. Hopefully, the steps we made available in this article on how to bounce a soccer ball on your knee will provide you with the needed information.
The most essential thing when trying to juggle a soccer ball on your knee is to remain patient, knowing that you mustn’t get it right at the first couple of tries. Your skill level will steadily increase over time as long as you keep practicing.
Hi there, I’m Jay.
Soccer is everything in my life! My friends and I have created this blog with all our enthusiasm, passion, and understanding after years of playing pro soccer. Hope you will enjoy it!