[Tony Dellbird]

I hadn't posted a thread in a while and was thinking on what i could do with help on, and i have some problems in keeping my shots down in 5 a side, I don't want to find the bottom corner everytime because that i can do, but i want to be able to hit powerful Dietmar Hamman like shots that rise and glide into the top corner. Does anyone have any ideas on how i could do this or just add their own height problems here, I'm easy baby.

[servotron]

Obviously, don't lean into the shot (or out of it) as much!

I'll tell you my secret to keeping my shots low (which USUALLY translates into results in the games) : Practice shots from 20-25 yars, but with ONE ball. Preferably somewhere that if you sky your shot, you'll have to run a long ways to get your airball. This way, you really learn to keep em down, OR you get into much better shape by running around after your errant shots all the time.

As far as form is concerned, you need to remember... you DON'T need to absolutely blast a shot, even from distance. It's WAY too easy to completely overreact and sky it. Concentrate on your form, and make sure you're standing over the ball instead of being leaned too far back. Make sure your support foot is no more than a foot or two from the ball when you strike, and kick with the "top arch" (don't know the proper term) of your foot... not the instep or even the front-top of the toe area (where preds have that rubbery grippy stuff).

Form, form, form....practice it over and over and over, and you will learn to keep your shots down. I've been practicing that way now for more than a year, and now if I want to bring a shot to the top shelf, I can, and it's still rising when it goes in (or hits the crossbar!)

Lastly, overexertion. If you're having to make a grimacing face and go "UUNGH!" to wack a shot from 20-30 yards, you're trying too hard, or you need to work on your strength.

On the opposite side of things... this weekend after the game a bunch of guys from another team and I were doing some skills competitions. We were shooting from way out, like 30-35 yards, and getting some good stuff in. Someone said I couldn't score from the center, in the air, no goalie. First try was perfect, a nice floater that tiked the back of the net without touching ground. I let them try it, NO ONE could get it (these guys are better players than I am in general) in dozens of tries. After someone finally got one (barely over the line in the air) I went back and kicked three more in a row, and retired as the champ, having not missed at all.

[dasoccerplayafosho]

The best trick I found to keeping the shot low, was hitting the ball a little higher (with my foot) just hit the top part of the ball not the bottom, and you should be fine.
Austen

[gimpy]

I guess this is kind of the right thread to put this. My PK shots SUCK. I just do um, i dunno if it is the presure or what. My low shots are to weak and my high shots are to high. Could anyone suggest anything?

[smith07]

if you place your plant foot slightly in front of the ball, that will help, same as golf

[gimpy]

i'll try that thanks. I suck at golf as well but i don't think even Tiger Woods could help me there

[dex1]

i ussually keep my non kicking foot infront of the ball and keep my eye on the ball to avoid leaning back.

[dasoccerplayafosho]

things I concentrate on
Knee up
toe down
ankle locked
torso (I dont know what else to say) over the ball
lean forward
on laces of foot
never look away from where the ball is and then was

[Tony Dellbird]

As i said thought i want really powerful like 70mph shots to jus glide top corner, i did a few today, but i want to be consistent! I'll try what Servotron says, cheers for the tip buddy, i posted this thread also as a break from all the equipment threads floating around, and thought it was a valid area of the game that could create good discussion.

Oh yeah Servotron i reckon i could beat you on the old getting in from halfway line, think 19 in a row is my record! You should try what they do on a program called 'Soccer Am' that's on Skysports 1 every saturday morning? Every English football fan would watch i'd imagine, but they do a thing called the Crossbar Challenge where they get pro teams to line up and see who in that team can hit the bar in one attempt from the halfway line, maybe you lot should give that a go? Obviously have more than one go though lol

[slipnslide]

This may only work for me, but I can usually shoot well when I step on the balls of my shooting foot for the last step or two.