Anyone have tips/methods/favorite ways to lift the ball off the ground to start juggling either by yourself or with another player?
I'll try to describe how I do it. Put the tip of your toe on the top of the ball, slightly closer to you than the middle. Then push down hard. This will force the ball out with a very strong backward spin, thus bringing the ball rolling back to you. Put your foot down flat, letting the ball roll up to the middle of your foot and then you have liftoff. Either that or just pick it up with your hands and throw it in the air.
I just counted and I have exactly 10 ball-lifting tricks in my arsenal. I'll try to write them down: 1. The simple pull the ball on your toe and lift it up. 2. Pull the ball onto your other foot's toe and at the moment of contact raise your the toes without raising the heel off the ground. 3. Hit the ball with your heel so if bounces up from your the inside of the other foot. 4. Same as above but with crossed feet. (Now the ball bounces up from the outside of your foot) 5.Pull the ball back with crossed feet and lift it up with the other foot's toe behind your pulling foot. 6. Simply scoop up the ball with on foot with out pulling it on your toe. 7. Do a little rainbow kick just enough to get the ball knee-high (and to the side). 8. Take the ball between your heels and throw it up by jumping and flexing your knees so the ball flies over your head. 9. Step near the ball so that your heels are together and the ball is between your feet. Then snap your feet together like a scissor-movement to flip the ball up. (This can't be done if the ball sticks to your foot too well - ideal for wet conditions) 10. Place the ball between your heel and the inside of the other foot. Roll the ball up your calf by quickly raising the rear foot. Quickly turn around and start juggling! Hope any of this helps, if you don't underatand any descriptions ask away...
having all those and being able to do it means you got skills just one to add..you can probably do this one too. you stand with the ball under one of your heels and move your foot forward a bit on the ball and quickly reverse it..thus lifting the ball a few feet up. I think this was shown in the nike commercial sometime, the guy does it to perfection off the wall in a hallway or something. (he looked like agassi). might have been on the website, can't remember.