I just can't juggle!

Discussion in 'Soccer Boots' started by Ictar, Aug 31, 2002.

  1. Ictar

    Ictar Member

    Jun 18, 2002
    The Oklahoma Panhandle
    I've practiced and practiced to prepare for college soccer next year, but I can not get this juggling crap down. The other guys who will be on the team when we finally get one can juggle fairly well with every part of their body. I have problems keeping it going on my best foot more than 5 times.

    My touch is fine. I can settle long balls, anything really, pretty good most of the time, so I just want to juggle because everyone else can. I feel I have to know how.

    Are there any secrets except practicing?
     
  2. rymannryan

    rymannryan New Member

    Aug 27, 2002
    N.N., Virginia
    Sometimes, a way to keep it going longer is to angle your foot up so the ball spins backwards. I'm sure if you go outside and try this then you will be able to get more than five touches. Also, be sure to really concentrate when you first start so you don't lose the ball on a silly touch. I don't really know what else to tell you. When I first started, I just went out each day and tried to accomplish more than I did the days before. Don't expect perfection at first. How long do you practice it?
     
  3. GoHawks4

    GoHawks4 Member

    Apr 24, 2002
    Chicago
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    This dude is right, put back spin on the ball and it will come back to you. Then you can chest it or head it.
     
  4. hambone

    hambone New Member

    Apr 23, 2002
    practice like this.....
    First, just try with one foot. Drop the ball from your hand, kick it back up, catch. Make sure the ball doesn't go higher than your neck.
    Do that about 25 times with each foot. Or if it is easy only ten, if hard then maybe even 50.

    Next just try to get two, then kick it back up to your hands and catch it.
    Repeat about the same amount.

    Then, do the same thing get three.
    Repeat about 25 times with both feet. Then 25 times alternating between feet. (drop it on your left then your right then your left, to get equal touches with both feet, when you alternate.)

    After that, just keep trying to go higher, each day try to get more.

    Once you get up higher on your feet (like 20 or something) start trying with your knees only, and your head only.

    When juggling focus on balance and feel the ball hitting your foot try to feel where it hits each time and observe how it bounces off each part of the foot. Lean over the ball a bit I think (not sure it really matters, after you juggle a while it becomes second nature.)
     
  5. Ictar

    Ictar Member

    Jun 18, 2002
    The Oklahoma Panhandle
    I do put a bit of back spin on it and sometimes chest it back to my foot. That helps.

    I saw a guy recently on TLC juggling with his feet and placing it behind his neck. The weird thing was there was absolutely no spin on the ball. It just went straight up and down.

    Ah well, I guess I'll start working on it. Thanks for the suggestions.
     
  6. NC_ODP02

    NC_ODP02 New Member

    Mar 5, 2002
    NC, USA
    the way I "kill the spin" on the ball is just lock my ankle and straighten my foot(as if too take a volley or shot)...and connect with the middle of my foot...it also adds power....

    Now, to juggle...just practice...find how to balance yourself comfortably and wat feels good to your foot and works. Dropping the ball to your foot and kicking back to your hands helps a lot when first starting(as stated above). Once you get a hang of things, juggling becomes easy and fun because you can start doing tricks. I get frustrated because I have gotten above 300 some days, and the next day I can barely get above 50. Juggling does improve your touch, but it comes to a point where it really cant help your touch any more and it is just a drill to warm up....
     
  7. Turk from Pigs Eye

    Turk from Pigs Eye New Member

    Jun 14, 2002
    Pigs Eye (St. Paul),
    Don't count. Just concentrate on keeping it going. When you miss try to think about why.
     
  8. soccerstart9

    soccerstart9 New Member

    Aug 30, 2002
    juggling

    Everyone on here is right...the best way to juggle is to practice getting backspin on the ball...to do that do this: when the ball FISRT tuches your foot your foot should be pointed....as soon as you feel it, flex, that motion should put enough spin on the ball. Also, between every ball, put your foot down and then pick it back up for the next touch, this way you're balance will be better and you can get more touches. ~side note~Juggling not only helps your tuoch but also gives you something to do when you are early or if you have a ball, and it's intimidating to other players.*Keep trying, it can take a long time, but it's worth it~peaceout~Kez
     
  9. rymannryan

    rymannryan New Member

    Aug 27, 2002
    N.N., Virginia
     
  10. Chetmonkey4000

    Chetmonkey4000 New Member

    Sep 1, 2002
    Chicago
    to tell you the truth i was a lot like you, but that was back around 5th grade, even though i still had the same problem. the key to learning how to juggle is practice...i could get past 10, but only when i used my thighs...then one day i decided i wanted to make a really good team and i needed to learn how to juggle...so i went outside and went to work...i said ok, i'm gonna get 2, and i did 2 with my feet, then i said i'll do 3...and i did that...and i kept going...i got up to 10 by the end of hte day, i was very excited...i then went to my friends house the next day, he was a very good juggler, and he liked to play a lot of juggling games, he taught me a game where you have 2 chances to add up to a certain amount of juggles...we played that for an hour, and i got up to 30 on 2 tries...the next day i played by myself and i got 30 in a row, it was amazing, in 2 days i had gone from 10-30....i worked on it for 2 weeks for 30 minutes everyday, and by the end of the week i had gotten 78...i became the best juggler on my team...i recently taught my sister this method and she can now do 10 juggles and she is really young....just play some games with yourself and it will come naturally...have fun
     
  11. hambone

    hambone New Member

    Apr 23, 2002
    that's exactly what i do chetmonkey play juggling games. Especially if you have a friend. We play this game....first you get 1 touch to pass it off then your partner the same then you get 2 touches to pass...then your partner does the same... then 3 touches.... etc. as high as you can go. Another variation is you just go up to 5 and then go back down.

    I am trying to learn to juggle only on my feet right now. My record is above 200 but naturally i can only get about 50 i will try your adding up game chetmonkey sounds helpful.
     
  12. Chummer

    Chummer Member

    Jun 5, 2000
    Virginia
    This is a perfect example of what is wrong with soccer in the USA.. You are about to start your college career, and have yet to at least become novice a fundemental skill. Juggling is a skill that kids who truly grow up with the sport can all do by the age of 10 more times. It's like riding a bike or swimming... it just becomes part of you as 2nd nature.

    I'm sure your game in other areas is as good as you say it is.. dribbling, trapping, etc.., but until you can manage the technical skill required to juggle the ball more than 5 times (more like 50-100 on average, with personal records well into 3 figures), you will NEVER be a great player. Handling the ball has to become an after thought, so you can learn to concentrate on the tactics of the game. If your head is always down trying to make sure you control the ball, you will never gain the vision necesary to complete passes or slice defenses.

    Please keep practicing.. spending time with the ball one-on-one is the only way to get better... A little soccer tennis with a wall or a friend (who can juggle) is pretty good too.

    The best tip I can give is to focus. To do this, imagine a tennis ball at the core of the real ball, and try to strike that. This will keep you focused on striking the middle of the ball. After that it's all about how hard you hit it so it doesn't go too high. Try to keep the height between your knees and waist.

    Good luck. Touch the ball everyday... please.
     
  13. snsj4

    snsj4 New Member

    Oct 3, 2001
    O.C. ,California
    Is it easier to juggle if u have a big feet or a small feet?
     
  14. One thing that I can add is to have confidence in your touches with the ball and whatever you do, try to avoid lazy touches because I have that problem once in while. I have a question though. If you're a defender, does variety in juggling still remain as important? I'm sure it does though
     
  15. Turk from Pigs Eye

    Turk from Pigs Eye New Member

    Jun 14, 2002
    Pigs Eye (St. Paul),
    You should play the ball, the ball shouldn't play you.
     
  16. empennage

    empennage Member

    Jan 4, 2001
    Phoenix, AZ
    For myself it's easier to juggle if I alternate feet, i.e. right, left, right , left..... I think it's because it helps me with my balance. If I try to do it on one foot only, I am much worse. Perhaps you have the same problem?
     
  17. Ictar

    Ictar Member

    Jun 18, 2002
    The Oklahoma Panhandle
    I know, I know, Chummer. I've been working on it.

    It's not like I'm playing for a D1 school. I'm playing (hopefully) for a hole in the ground D3 school. They don't even know if they're definitely going to have a team next year because until 13 foreign students came over and wanted a team I was only one of the 3 soccer fans in the town.
     
  18. Reality_Al

    Reality_Al New Member

    Aug 23, 2002
    Juggling

    Everyone says "Practice,practice,practice" While that's always good advice, when you're working on a particular skill, it helps to have a good idea of the best way to learn it, and then practice it! On my HS team, I teach the girls to drop the ball to their week foot,(left for rightees, right for leftees) and kick it back to their hands. Then after 10 or so, they have the height, so go for left-right.You already saw that post suggesting that. But let me add this... If you find a good medium to hard surface, you can play the one-bounce, and learn to lift the ball up in the air. Juggling is more than just 100 or 200 kicks into the air. It should be a collection and control warmup, and touch-developer.
    Practice rolling it from the ground with the BOTTOM of your foot to the top and lift it! This accomplishes two things, 1)You use another surface of your foot-THE BOTTOM, and 2) you are developing a 'lift' on the ball. I started juggling about 5 years ago, when I was 50. Never did it before! My personal record is over 400! and that's only limited because of fatigue! And I can do many of the 'tricks.' It's great exercise, and I can take a punted ball out of the air and drop it directly to my feet. It's easy and it's fun. In fact, my 9 year old and I are going outside right now for a 1000 touches with a wall, juggling, and 1v1.
     
  19. zizou9

    zizou9 New Member

    Sep 28, 2001
    Georgia
    what college is taking players that can't juggle at all. even our goalie could juggle to double digits. i guess if i were you i would practice alot before you go to preseason. best of luck
     
  20. Ictar

    Ictar Member

    Jun 18, 2002
    The Oklahoma Panhandle
    tfjh

    It's a local, small college with a history of sucking at sports. Our football team regularly gets rousted 84-0, 91-0, and rarely scores.

    And there is no team yet. The school is still looking into it. We practice as a team but with no coach yet.

    And I have been practicing. It's all psychological. When I was little I couldn't do it at all and it still bugs me when I try to do it...I just can't get it out of my head. *shrug*
     
  21. GoHawks4

    GoHawks4 Member

    Apr 24, 2002
    Chicago
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Juggling is useless in a game anyway.
     
  22. Reality_Al

    Reality_Al New Member

    Aug 23, 2002
    juggling

    I guess you didn't see Renaldo in the World Cup juggle while he comtemplated the move into the box. Juggling=control, and as Pele said,"The team that controls the ball, controls the game."
    Controlling the game usually results in more wins than losses.
     
  23. GoHawks4

    GoHawks4 Member

    Apr 24, 2002
    Chicago
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    That, or you could just know what you want to do already and then do it.

    Juggling is not important compared to dribbling and finishing.
     
  24. Reality_Al

    Reality_Al New Member

    Aug 23, 2002
    Juggling & Collection

    When you juggle, it's not just for the exercise. You should vary the height & spin of the ball. Knock it wider then narrow,off the knees to the head then to the feet. What you are developing is touch and collection. Use a wall & bounce it off, but don't let it settle to the ground.Wall-foot-Wall ...header -Wall. If all you are practicing is "rainbows", well circus tryouts are where you should be, but for soccer, it's variation and ,as I said before,

    CONTROL!
     

Share This Page