How to Kick a Football ? Lesson 2 end !!

Part 4. Kicking Stretches

1

Develop a stretching routine. Your legs need to be loose and flexible, especially before you start belting 40 yard (36.6 m) field goals. The first and last ten minutes of your kicking workouts should consist of stretching, with most of the focus on your legs. Kicking trainers recommend 2-3 more stretch sessions throughout the day, first thing in the morning an at the end of the day before bed.

2

Stretch your hip flexors. Get down on one knee with your other foot in front of you at a comfortable distance, as if you were doing a lunge and went all the way down to your knee. If your left knee is down, raise your left arm straight up in the air and your right arm straight out to your side, at a perpendicular angle. Stretch your right arm back toward your left foot. Hold it for a count of 15 and then switch to the other side and repeat.

3

Stretch your hamstrings. On your back, with your legs up in the air, cross your right leg over your left at the knee. With your hands behind your left leg, pull both toward your chest. You should feel the stretch in the buttocks of the crossed leg. Hold for a 15 count and then switch legs.

4

Stretch your groin. Sitting on the ground, touch the bottoms of your feet together in the "butterfly" position. Take your feet in your hands and stretch by leaning forward slightly and trying to touch the outside of your knees to the ground.

• As with any stretch, do this slowly and hold it for at least 15 or 20 seconds. Don't bounce your legs.

5

Stretch your quadriceps. These muscles in your thigh are good to stretch thoroughly before running or kicking. In a standing position, pull your foot back with your hand until it's touching or almost touching your buttocks. You should feel the stretch in the front of your thigh. Alternate legs and hold for 15 or 20 seconds each.

• You can also do this laying on your side so you don't have to keep your balance on one foot.

6

Stretch your lower back. In a seated position with both

legs straight, cross one leg over the other, touching the crossing foot to the ground. Next, twist so that the opposite elbow is on the outside of the crossing knee. If you're crossing your right leg over your left leg, take your left elbow and twist your back so it's touching the outside of your right knee. Keep your back straight and you should feel the stretch loosening your lower back. Hold the stretch without bouncing and then switch to the other side.

Part 4 : Other Kicking Exercise

1

Practice sprinting. Developing the fast twitch muscles in your legs is the most important part of kicking. While linebackers may have the "strongest" legs on the football field, the kickers need to have the quickest.

• Incorporating shuttle runs or "suicides" into your work out routine is a good way to develop these muscles and ensure that your legs will be among the quickest on the field. On a track, try sprinting the straightaways and walking the curves. Go all the way around the track twice.

2

Incorporate some isometric leg exercises into your kicking routine.^[2] Also known as "static action training," these exercises are not designed to build strength as much as they are meant to increase the quickness and function of the designated muscle groups. These don't require weights but rely on the body to create its own resistance.

• The isometric wall squat is a common exercise for kickers. Place your back against the wall and squat until your thighs are parallel with the ground and your shins parallel with the wall, making a 90 degree angle. Hold for 20-30 seconds and repeat 2-3 times.
• Isometric calf raises can be useful in building fast-twitch response in your legs. On a stair or other raised surface, stand with your toes holding your up and your heels hanging off in the air. Flex your calves to raise yourself up and down slowly, holding it for a count of 5 at the bottom and time of the exercise. Be careful if you do this on the stairs to stay balanced. You might use a rail or a chair to hold for balance.

3

Exercise your core.^[3] Core-building exercises are necessary to keep your overall fitness and center of balance aligned with the strength you're building in your legs. Kicking is a full-body motion with much of the strength coming from your back and abdominals.

• Alternate abdominal crunches with leg raises in your exercise routine. Start out with 3 sets of 20 crunches. In between each set, lay on your back with your hands under your buttocks and raise your legs in the air together, bringing them back down parallel with the ground, but not quite touching it. Hold that position for a count of five and raise them back up. Do sets of 10 leg lifts and alternate with the crunches to build your core.

4

Workout in the pool. The pool is a great piece of equipment for a kicker and can be used both for a simple workout and practicing your kicking motion when you've developed a kicking routine.

• Incorporate high knees, butt-kicks, jumps, and lunges into the workout. Perform 50-70 kicks, doing your full kicking form including the follow through in the pool.

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