Apr 18 in General discussion
Kick Farther Field Goals
Improving Your Football Kicking Distance: Strategies and Techniques
Kickers and punters come in all shapes and sizes, which is one of the many fascinating aspects of the position. Interestingly, a kicker does not need to be particularly large or fast to achieve great distances with their kicks. While one might assume that a bigger person would naturally kick farther, this isn’t necessarily the case. The ability to kick a football farther is primarily derived from a blend of strength and quickness.
Many often inquire about how to increase kicking distance and strength. While there's a myriad of advice out there, the essence is often about enhancing leg strength and implementing specific drills. For instance, Durant Brooks, a Ray Guy Award winner, credited his leg strength to the time spent riding horses during his youth. While purchasing a horse isn't mandatory for all kickers, incorporating targeted workouts and kicking drills can significantly improve your kicking performance.
Strengthening for Better Kicks
It’s a common misconception that just focusing on leg strength, such as through squats, will significantly extend kicking range. While leg strength is crucial, kicking a football far involves the whole body. Full-body strength is vital, and as your legs become stronger, your potential for powerful kicks increases.
Key Muscle Groups for Kickers:
- Ensure participation in general team workouts like squats and bench presses.
- Focus additional gym time on kicking-specific muscles by visualizing the kick or practicing in water to identify active muscles.
- Workouts should emphasize the quads and hamstrings, critical during the downswing and backswing of a kick.
Core Strength:
Besides legs, core strength plays a significant role in kicking. A strong core enhances the torque during your kick, contributing to both the distance and height of the ball.
Technique Improvements:
- Increase Your Back Swing: Enhancing the back swing is crucial. Think of the analogy of punching a bag — you wouldn't punch effectively from a short distance without pulling back. Similarly, a longer backswing in kicking helps generate more momentum.
- Leverage Your Body: Young kickers often rely too much on their legs. Incorporating full body motion can improve control and power, reducing reliance on over-exerting the leg.
- Lock The Leg at Impact: Just as a pitcher locks their arm to throw a baseball far, a kicker should lock their leg when making contact with the football to optimize power transfer.
Foot Technique:
- Kick With Your Foot ‘Bone’: Focus on striking the ball with the navicular bone of your foot, which is located near the arch. This maximises energy transfer.
- Strike the Ball Higher: Find the optimal spot on the football, which is usually in the bottom third of the ball, to optimise the trajectory.
Speed and Quickness:
Enhancing leg speed and quickness is arguably as important as strength. Quick transitions from the backswing to contact can make a significant difference. Plyometrics and exercises like hang cleans and box jumps are beneficial for developing this quickness.
These strategies can help kickers not only increase the distance and height of their kicks but also enhance overall athletic performance. Engaging in specific workouts and honing technique will serve to improve results over time. For more tips and workout ideas, engaging in discussions on kicking forums can also be very helpful.
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Kick Farther Field Goals
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