Juggling can be deceptively difficult. Don’t be surprised if you can only manage a half-dozen or fewer touches at first. Contact the ball with the laces of your shoe enough to keep the ball bouncing up but not too hard. Soften your foot to cushion the ball as it makes contact with the laces. Perform the kicking action a foot or two above the ground.
Begin by practicing five minutes a day and increase to 15 minutes a day. As time goes on, involve your thighs, chest and head in the juggling exercise. Let the part of the body receiving the ball give slightly as the ball arrives. The ball will rebound away from the body if it meets the body like a brick wall.
The Benefits
The first benefit of juggling is it works on a players balance. Balance is a crucial aspect for any soccer player. To name a few scenarios, every player must be able to change direction on a dime with and without the ball, jump to win headers, shoot while running at full speed, maintain possession of the ball while a defender is pressuring them, and be able to tackle even the trickiest attacking players. These all boil down to balance. Developing a players coordination and comfort with their own body is the most critical aspect for younger players especially. Being able to keep the ball in the air with your feet shows that a player has good control of their body and balance; which will yield positive results during games.
The second benefit of juggling is it improves on a players touch. Touch is a players ability to quickly bring the ball under control. There are a lot of instances during games where our touch will be challenged. Sometimes you will receive a very hard pass from a teammate. Other times a goalie will punt the ball miles in the air and you’ll have to bring it to the ground with defenders around you. Regardless of the situation, juggling can help players improve their touch for any scenario. Having the ability to softly tap the ball in the air and keep it close to you shows the ball control necessary for game situations.
The third benefit of juggling is it increases a players concentration. Good concentration is necessary to be successful in any walk of life. When players are on the field or businessmen are in the office, they need to be fully focused on the task at hand to see positive results. The key to juggling is constantly finding the center of the ball when you softly tap it in the air. This requires tremendous amounts of concentration. A player who can juggle the ball 1,000 times shows their ability to stay focused under fatigue among the other qualities of brilliant balance and touch. In order to be successful in this beautiful game, players must maintain concentration for the entire 90 minutes of a match.
Additional Benefits
Dexterity: Juggling can help a player develop foot and eye coordination which will translate to better control and speed on the field.
Flexibility & Strength: Juggling often requires a player to twist or turn their body to maintain control of the ball. This helps to increase the players flexibility and since juggling requires movement it helps build strength through exercise.
Anticipation: Sometimes the ball doesn't go where you expect no matter how controlled you keep it. Juggling helps players to anticipate the ball which translates to quicker decision making on the field.
Swiftness: Keeping the ball close and under control requires a player to react quickly. This helps to create speed with the ball.
Motivation & Determination: Players are often determined to see how long thy can juggle the ball before it touches the ground. This motivates them to keep going.
Confidence: The most important reason of all, juggling increases a players confidence with the ball by teaching them control of their body and the ball.
As you can see learning to juggle a soccer ball can help a player to develope in many areas. On the field this translates to a more confident and creative player.
One of the best things about juggling is that you can do it almost anywhere. All it requires is a little space and a soccer ball. To make it more fun players can practice juggling in small groups passing the ball back and forth without letting it touch the ground.
Expert's View
Observe top soccer players juggling either in person or via online videos for inspiration on stylish ways to juggle. The Soccer Training Info website, run by a group former pros, has collected video links to impressive juggling feats. Arsenal’s Cesc Fabregas juggles a ball set on fire for a Nike commercial, for example. AC Milan’s Ronaldinho catches the ball between his thighs and on the side of his head and balances it on the top of a shoulder.
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