Supplemental Instep Drive Instruction
© CoachingAmericanSoccer.com®
It is strongly recommended that soccer coaches also consider the following information as they teach the instep drive: proper demonstrations; ongoing observation and correction; “locking the hip,” “locking the ankle” and, the possibility that full-grown males may need modifications because of larger feet.
Demonstration
It is mandatory to have a first-rate demonstrator available and properly utilized. Ideally this is the coach. However, if you, as a coach, cannot perform the instep drive fully, or feel uncomfortable doing so, you need to research how the skill is performed correctly to select a proper demonstrator. Although it may appear to be dated, coaches should look carefully at the following Hubert Vogelsinger 30-minute YouTube video, especially from minute 4 to minute 12: Hubert Vogelsinger Soccer Clinic/Soccer Warrior. This may be the only way you will see the instep drive done properly because so many of the other videos have serious problems, such as – very short follow-throughs, the legs crossed after kicking (sometimes viciously toward the sideline), the body too erect through the leg swing, and even the wrong contact spot on the foot.
If you are a volunteer coach, who may have never played serious soccer or been properly coached yourself, by watching Vogelsinger, you can get a clearer picture in your mind of how the instep kick is done properly. You can also teach the first sitting exercises demonstrated in the video, showing kids how to lift their leg while standing, how to plantar-flex the ankle, and how to use the hip joint only so that the leg (knee bent) is parallel (or a bit higher) to the ground. In addition, you may show how the upper body should be pushed forward so that the thigh is nearly touching the chest. Then, with the ball in hands, you can show how to touch it at waist level with the instep. In other words, you can teach a lot without an experienced person nearby.
If you get a chance, watch “Pistol Pete” Maravich teach basketball skills – ball handling, dribbling, shooting, etc. – on the computer. He is excellent and is as close to Hubert Vogelsinger’s methods for soccer as I have seen. Another master of step-by-step instruction is teacher-coach Florian Meier of tennis, – serve, forehand, backhand, volley, etc. Both translate well to the approach for soccer instruction. The problem is getting coaches of all sports to buy into this education method. It is hard to convince them that the step-by-step style is the fastest way to technical excellence and, once mastered, makes it very easy to learn any drill.
Observation and Correction
To effectively observe and correct errors in teaching the soccer instep drive, focus on the player’s approach, plant foot placement, body posture, and follow-through. Also, pay attention to the angle of the plant foot, the strike point on the ball, and the overall leg swing for power and accuracy.
- Approach and Plant Foot: Observe if the player’s approach is balanced and if the plant foot is positioned correctly beside the ball, pointing toward the target. A common error is the plant foot being too far forward or behind, affecting the flight of the ball either up or down. Similarly, if the player seems to be straining or stretching to reach the ball, the plant foot is usually too far behind. If the plant foot is incorrectly placed too close or too far away from the ball, this affects accuracy and power. Stubbing the toe is also possibly an indicator of the plant foot being too close to the ball. (It is also possible that, usually with an grown male, the foot may be large. (See “Large Feet” below.)
- Body Posture: Notice if torso of the player is leaning too far forward or backward, which can affect ball flight. The hips and shoulders should be aligned perpendicular to the target for optimal power and accuracy. If the player is leaning excessively one way or the other, guide them to maintain a balanced posture, with hips and shoulders aligned with the target.
- Leg Swing and Ball Contact: Check if the kicking leg swings freely from the hip, with the ankle locked and the foot angled to strike the ball with the laces (instep) with the laces striking the ball dead-center. Ensure that the player is striking the ball in the center, not too low, too high or left or right. If the leg swing is not fluid and in the same plane from front to back, encourage a free, powerful swing from the hip while balanced on the plant foot. (See “Locking the Hip” below.)
- Follow Through: Observe if the player follows through in the direction of the target, completing the motion with the kicking leg, not letting it stop right after the strike or putting the kicking foot on the ground. A good follow-through ensures power and accuracy. If the follow-through is incomplete, emphasize swinging the kicking leg through the ball, extending it toward the target.
- Ball Flight: Analyze the ball’s trajectory. If it is consistently off target, analyze the approach, plant foot, and body position. If the ball goes too high, the player may be striking it too low or is not getting the torso over the ball. If it lacks power, the ankle may not be locked, the contact point may be incorrect, or the femur is being allowed to swing radially at the hip.
- Power and Accuracy: If the kick lacks power, reinforce the importance of locking the ankle and striking the ball with the laces. If the accuracy is poor, focus on the plant foot placement and body posture.
- Video Analysis: If possible, use video analysis to show the player their technique and help them visualize the corrections.
The Concept of “Locking the Hip”
In the soccer instep drive, “locking the hip” refers to stabilizing the hip joint of the kicking leg during the swing, which carries the leg through a single plane from the backswing to the follow-through, so that it essentially moves straight back and then straight forward. This involves maintaining a forward-facing hip position while flexing the kicking leg at the hip and knee during the backswing, then extending forcefully through the hip and knee to strike the ball. A stable hip joint allows for a more efficient transfer of power from the leg swing to the ball. By keeping the hip stable, the energy generated by the leg muscles is focused into the forward motion of the leg and foot, rather than being dissipated through unnecessary hip movement. In other words, inappropriate radial movement of the leg at the hip joint – due to improper medial adduction or lateral abduction (outward or inward swings) – is to be eliminated.
Players who try to perform the instep drive while allowing their legs to move radially will never achieve success. “Locking the hip” is the way to unlock a smooth leg-swing for a better instep drive. Do the following to help achieve success. (The steps below use the left foot as the placement or plant foot, and the right foot as the kicking foot.)
1.) Stand with the feet parallel, about hip-width apart, the knees slightly bent, the upper body slightly forward, and the left shoulder slightly ahead of the right.
2.) Raise the heel of the right foot upward so that the foot is vertical to the ground with the toe still on the ground and the foot locked in the plantar position. Notice that, to do this, the hip of the right foot must also go up. The right foot remains locked, with the toe still on the ground.
3.) With the toe on the ground, turn the right knee outward, then snap it back to where it was. As the knee turns outward, the hip goes down. When the knee is snapped back, the hip goes up. This move locks the hip in the correct instep drive position.
4.) Swing the leg slowly from the hip. The toe of the right foot, still plantar-flexed, should not touch the ground during the swing, as the right hip is elevated.
5.) After some swings without the ball, place a ball alongside the toe of the left foot, hip-width away, and kick it slowly.
6.) Kick with a partner, then add a commitment step when kicking. Before every kick, do the knee-out, knee-in maneuver, to assure that locking the hip becomes a habit.
7.) Switch legs.
Making this a habit will help cure the turning of the foot outward which makes it impossible to shoot a ball with the full instep and to follow through toward the intended target. Most important, locking the hip will take the fear players have of stubbing their toes when kicking with the full instep.
Learning first to kick a ball without actually kicking it is a shortcut to mastering the instep drive technique. Kids, even first or second graders, enjoy swinging at an imaginary ball. I suggest that the coach, or parent, should watch the leg swing and corresponding body behavior very carefully so that they can, with authority, positively improve a player’s technique. This can even be done in a living room on a rainy day. If you asked a player, no matter what their experience or level, to show you their leg swing without a ball, they may look at you like you were from Mars, but this type of demonstration is very likely to expose bad habits that can be corrected. If a coach or parent (or any inexperienced adult) can visualize the swing properly, then he or she will have a critical tool at their disposal to make corrections for the instep drive.
Ankle Lock
One of the first things Hubert Vogelsinger did that made him almost revolutionary as a teacher of soccer was the “barefoot session.” If you Google “Hubert Vogelsinger YouTube” you will see part of it in the 30-minute lesson video. He felt that if students had a very good look at their feet by sitting down, they could learn foot control and where the sweet spot is – in that order – in a crystal-clear fashion. Vogelsinger felt that the barefoot session was the most important one they would ever experience, emphasizing technical competence. Coaches seem to always be looking for tactical drills that they feel will win them games, essentially putting the cart before the horse. A technically competent player will learn tactical skills with ease and then the team will be successful.
This exercise is one of the very earliest ones used for youth at the Vogelsinger camps during the “barefoot sessions.” It remains appropriate even for much older kids. Here is something a parent (or anybody else) can do which involves an all-important skill of foot control. A player needs to be able to lock their ankle firmly and then hold it in both the plantar and dorsal positions. With the player sitting on a chair- no shoes on – first with one foot locked in the plantar-flection (“down”) position, the parent should be able to gently slap (or push) the bottom of the foot and the foot should remain firmly in the plantar position. Then, with the foot in the dorsiflection (“up”) position, slap (or push) the instep. Again, the foot should remain firm. After doing this daily for a week or so, have the player gently kick a ball, maintaining foot control, especially after making contact. (The ankle is to remain locked the entire time with no “flopping.”)
Start these exercises (ideally) at an early age, approximately 6-years old. If the child can achieve full control in these foot positions by the time they are in third grade, they will have a real head start when learning shooting and passing. The player will have mastered what is the most important skill in learning kicking technique. It is not as easy as it seems. Patience is required. Do the drill with both feet. Work on the weaker foot after mastering the preferred foot. Later, add locking each foot to the lateral (“outside”) [push pass] and to the plantar/medial (“inside”) [bending balls] positions. This can be used all the way to senior players.
Large Feet
Sometimes players, particularly full-grown men, have trouble performing the instep drive because they are not blessed with feet that are size-11 or below. If the player shooting an instep drive has long feet, say size 12, 13, or 14, two aspects of the kick are a little different, as locking the hip may not suffice to keep the ankle firmly plantar-flexed on contact.
First, the sweet spot on the kicking foot will be lower on the foot – from the top of the big toe bone to about four or so inches toward the ankle.
Second, the placement foot will be put a bit farther away (laterally, maybe 2-3 inches more from the ball). Instead of the kicking leg being vertical upon contact, the kicking leg will be at an angle when contacting the ball.
Everything else is the same. On the follow-through, the kicking leg may need to cross the plant leg a bit, but the “magic hop” is still there when possible, and the thigh should be close to the chest and the knee bent and ankle still locked.
Soccer Coaching Tips:
See “Bending Balls.”
Deepest appreciation to Coach Rick Sewall for his insights and narrative contributed to this article.
© John C. Harves