How to Knuckle a Soccer Ball

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Use a well inflated

   You want it to be nice and hard, and it absolutely must be regulation size.
   
   Hitting a knuckle requires you hit the ball firmly near the center and resist following through
   -- a flat, small ball will be easy to hit off to the sides and it will stay on your foot for longer, causing spin.
   
   Perfecting this shot takes a lot of practice
   -- so having 5-10 balls to hit in a row will make your life much easier.
   
   It doesn't matter what brand of ball you use to practice, as long as it is full-sized and well pumped.
2. 2

   Step 2: full-size ball to practice.

   While you don't have to shoot at a goal, this is a good target to start with.
   
   Don't worry about placement of your shot just yet
   -- you want to get the motion down first.
   
   As long as you hit in at the goal now you can work on accuracy later. , If you normally take four steps back and two to the left, you should use the same set-up here.
   
   The only difference would be to stand upright, keeping yourself balanced on the balls of both feet.
   
   As you hit the ball, you want to keep your chest up straight as much as possible, so it is best to start like this too.
   
   Note how knuckleball experts Christiano Rinaldo and Gareth Bale stand before a free-kick.
   
   They stand tall, with their chests almost puffed out., Keep your torso up, but otherwise approach the ball like you were taking a normal free-kick.
   
   You'll be hitting the ball with your laces for maximum power and to avoid spin., After your run-up, you want to place your non-kicking foot as close to the ball as you can get it.
   
   Your instep (where the inside edge of your foot curves slightly) should be in the middle of the ball.
   
   Your toe needs to point in the direction you want the ball to go., You want to hit the ball as close to dead center as possible, going just slightly lower than center to hit the ball higher in the air (to, for example, get the ball over a wall).
   
   Keep your ankle locked firmly
   -- a wobbly ankle introduces spin.
   
   You want your toes pointed straight down.
   
   You'll make contact by "punching" the ball with the top of your laces., This is the key to a good knuckle, and the hardest part to master.
   
   You do not want to follow through on the ball anymore than your momentum makes you.
   
   As soon as you make contact, stop driving your leg.
   
   You'll feel your shin continue through the ball, but everything above the knee should be mostly quiet.
   
   Some players find this easiest if they hop after the strike.
   
   As you make contact, pop off your plant foot.
   
   Land on your shooting foot first, placing it right where the ball used to be.
   
   This is why keeping your torso up, straight, and balanced is so important.
   
   It keeps your momentum straight, allowing you to pull off of the shot without adding spin.
   
   You want to feel almost like you're slapping the ball.
   
   It will take conscience effort to pull your foot back, but the hard part is ensuring you only pull back after you hit the ball.
3. 3

   Step 3: Place your ball about 30 feet (10 meters) away from the goal.

4. 4

   Step 4: Set up for your normal free kick run-up.

5. 5

   Step 5: Approach the ball like you would for a normal strike with your laces.

6. 6

   Step 6: Place your plant foot even with the ball

7. 7

   Step 7: roughly six inches to the side.

8. 8

   Step 8: Strike the ball with your laces

9. 9

   Step 9: right below the very center of the ball.

10. 10

    Step 10: Stop your follow through as soon as you hit the ball.

Detailed Guide

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