need help doing bicycle kick!

[rptr666]

ive been trying to do good bicycle kicks for the last couple days and im having problems with the timing of when to jump and how high? can anyone help me?

[nicodemus]

So few people ever connect on these, there is virtually no point in practicing them. I've played pretty high level amateur soccer and have only ever seen one person score on a bicycle kick so I don't really see the point of putting a lot of effort into practicing them.

[helmzgk]

Bikes happen in very special circumstances. You can go seasons without pulling one off. Literally, you have to be wide open, the ball has to be RIGHT there for you. You'll know when you see it. I've been playing gk for 8 years and only had to face one bike attempt ever, which went well high and wide.

[Omahacrew]

Put on a Brazil jersey call yourself Pele and it will happen without thinking of it.

[EQuakes No1]

You are better off practicing volleys and headers, instead of wasting your time trying to pull off a bicycle.

[kcscsupporter]

try kicking the ball up to yourself. that way you can practice what height you need to expect it at, plus you don't have to depend on someone to cross the ball right where it needs to be.
in general, however, you're better off practicing something more useful that you might actually use in a game. on top of this, bicycle kicks can be potentially dangerous if you don't know how to land properly.

[russ]

A bike is a skill that can be practiced.It is an advanced skill ,so be sure you have your kicking technique solid.From there it's a matter of using your body to get your leg in proper position to strike the ball.

Three points :

1)don't expect to get this in two days

2)use a suspended ball (tether ball,e.g.) to start.

3)use a mat to land on till you're sure of your landing technique.

I actually think the bike is a more necessary skill for a defender.Sometimes it's the only way to clear the ball without risking an o.g.

[NACIONAL]

mmm beautiful move... of course.. it sounds better as chilena...

practicing the move is not hard at all... using it in a REAL game is HARD

[Boro_lad]

no way of practising them. It can only happen spur of the moment. If it is there just go for it...dont think about style just look to kick it towards where you are aiming. 1 big point. Always prepare for landing, many a man has been winded from trying overhead kicks. Instead of thenking "yea i got it" think "$h1t must land on arse"

[Ictar]

You have to land on your back an let out air as you land. In Ju Jitsu they used to throw us around like that all the time on concrete and such. The proper technique so you don't feel anything or get your breath knocked out of you is to land on your back and as your back hits the ground slam your hands palm down onto the ground at about a 45 degree angle and yell 'Oosh!'.

Really. It works. Just yell 'Ugh" or something if you think 'Oosh' sounds stupid. =P

[Dr. Wankler]

Originally posted by EQuakes No1
You are better off practicing volleys and headers, instead of wasting your time trying to pull off a bicycle.

Just to re-iterate this point.

This would be a much, much better use of your time. When you can put volleys and half-volleys on goal 80% of the time under game conditions, then you can start screwing around. Until then, there's no point to practicing the bike other than wasting your time.

[RoHo]

Originally posted by Dr. Wankler


Just to re-iterate this point.

This would be a much, much better use of your time. When you can put volleys and half-volleys on goal 80% of the time under game conditions, then you can start screwing around. Until then, there's no point to practicing the bike other than wasting your time.

I remember being a young kid when the movie "Victory" came out. There was the scene during the match when one of the players (it's been years since I've seen the movie) stepped over the ball and used his back heel and trailing foot to kick the ball up and over his head and back into his path towards the goal.

I must have tried that damn move a thousand times in the back yard. The best I could ever do was to get the ball to go straight up and smack me on the top of my head. Complete waste of time.

Take our advice and stick with improving ball control and trapping and/or volleying.

[Megatron]

You're better off practicing more important parts of you're game rather than focusing on the bicycle kick it plays such a small role in the game of futbol.I never saw anybody try it when i played.

[jjayg]

Originally posted by RoHo


I remember being a young kid when the movie "Victory" came out. There was the scene during the match when one of the players (it's been years since I've seen the movie) stepped over the ball and used his back heel and trailing foot to kick the ball up and over his head and back into his path towards the goal.

I must have tried that damn move a thousand times in the back yard. The best I could ever do was to get the ball to go straight up and smack me on the top of my head. Complete waste of time.

Take our advice and stick with improving ball control and trapping and/or volleying.

I agree on the bicycle kick but this move (it is called the rainbow around here) is not that difficult and I have quite a few U-10 boys who can do this. It actually works better as a tricky pass then flicking it over to yourself. If I remember the part in victory he may have used it for a pass as well. Anyway, the rainbow can be practice and learned pretty easily but a bicycle is probably a waiste of time. Of all the people I have ever seen do a bicycle, it has always been a natural attempt by a great athlete.

[RoHo]

Originally posted by jjayg


I agree on the bicycle kick but this move (it is called the rainbow around here) is not that difficult and I have quite a few U-10 boys who can do this. It actually works better as a tricky pass then flicking it over to yourself. If I remember the part in victory he may have used it for a pass as well. Anyway, the rainbow can be practice and learned pretty easily but a bicycle is probably a waiste of time. Of all the people I have ever seen do a bicycle, it has always been a natural attempt by a great athlete.


This was all many years ago, and now that you mention it I do remember it being called the rainbow. For some reason, we were always trying to get it up and over the defender and back into stride, not using it for what it is best suited for which I imagine would be a quick redirection of the ball.

It's nice to know that some U-10's are practising moves like this. When I was playing U-12 way back when, any kind of "goofing off" like that caused us to run laps. Probably has to do with soccer people actually coaching kids now rather than frustrated football dads stuck with the soccer kids.

[kickin365]

Bikes are fun to practice and pull off, just be careful. Like some of the other people said I agree, its not used often enough to make it useful to practice, but lets face it - its fun, so go do it anyway. My friends and I used to spend a while after practice sometimes sending chips in and getting our "bike on."

An easy way to practice on your own is to kick a ball straight up so that it bounces about 4 feet high, then attempt the kick off the bounce (similar to the teather ball approach above). You should be jumping off of your kicking leg, at about the time the ball bounces and begins to rise.

Bikes are fun, and rarerly done... just don't be one of those guys that does it every chance possible, like to save a ball from crossing the touchline. Then you will just look like a fool.

[Dr. Wankler]

Originally posted by kickin365
just don't be one of those guys that does it every chance possible, like to save a ball from crossing the touchline. Then you will just look like a fool.

MLS and A-League fans might think of journeyman defender Mario Gori at this point. He's out for the season now, but he's good for at least one relatively pointless bicycle kick per match.

[spender]

Ive been able to do a bicycle kick since I was 13 or 14, now im 17 and Ive only used it one time in a game( amazingly I scored! indoor game though) when the time comes to actually use it, you will know.
I have gotten the technique of chesting the ball up into the air and then biking it when my back is to the goal, and that is really the only time it will come in handy. I plan to use that this year!