How do I improve physical leg strength&skills?

[ilya123]

I'm 14 and I take soccer very seriously. Over the past years i've been playing mostly on the right wing until this year when the coach put me on the left. I thought that this would be a good time to work on my left foot. Except I don't know how to improve the strenght of my left leg, I know I should control the ball and shoot it more with my left, but I don't know how to physically make it stronger. What simple exercises can I do???

[NC_ODP02]

just work it out...really it is stronger than you think, you just dont know how to use it correctly yet...

do lots of touch drills concentrating on getting everything out of your left foot...

work on connecting with a ball on a shot correctly, or setting up your right foot...or chipping.......

these things will make your skill a lot better...power comes mostly from technique...but if you want more brute strength, just lift weights...

[empennage]

I was going to say just about the same thing as NC_ODP. Ask yourself, is your left leg really any weaker than your right. Or is it that you've had a few years to get muscle memory in your right leg. It will take time and lots of practice for you to become proficient at your left leg.

They say it takes a 1000 repitions before actions begin to feel natural. Afterall, how many times have you kicked a soccer ball with your right foot? Just do lots of practice with your left, and you should see a huge improvement.

[hambone]

I agree with the other 2 posters so far, it is probably not strength you need, but more left leg technique.

I am also starting to work on my left foot a lot right now. Just try dribbling cones or just random obstacles using only your left foot. Try to learn to juggle with only your left foot. Do shooting drills only with your left foot.

Also, what i have noticed is it is good to recognize what your right foot is doing while your left foot is kicking the ball or dribbling. i have noticed that i have a lot more balance on my left leg than i do on my right leg, especially while shooting, dribbling, etc. Sometimes I feel like my left foot is actually pretty close to my right foot, but the supporting right leg is holding me back.