5 Best Drills for Strikers
Every player on the soccer field has their duties and importance. However, the striker is the position that is essential for every team to win a match by scoring goals.
So, if you are training to be a striker you will need to start with all the basic drills. Once you are done with the basic drills you need to move to the drills for strikers that will help you specifically polish your striker skills.
With these trailing drills for strikers, everything will be easy for you on the field because you will be practicing most of the things with realistic situations in your mind.
It is important to note that for these drills you will not need anyone to help you. There is no need for a defender or a goalie to be there for you to practice your striking skills as long as you have all the things that you need.
The best drills for strikers everyone must know
The following are the top 5 soccer training drills for strikers.
1. Shooting warmup drill for better balance and strength for both legs
The first thing that you need to train is shooting and by shooting we do not mean to make runs and then place the ball right and then make the shoot itself. We are only talking about shooting and you need to keep the rest out of your mind for this part only.
Plant your foot and practice normal shooting action
So, for the first drill here you will need to place your foot near the ball and then practice taking the shooting leg back and hitting the ball. It is good to do this one time and then hit the ball.
While you are putting your leg and body through the same thing you will learn more. At the same time, you will develop muscle memory for putting all your strength and balance in the shoot and aiming better as well.
Practice power shot
So, a power shot is the same as a normal shot but there is a slight difference. The difference is that you are putting your whole body weight in the shot and you end up landing on the shooting foot.
It not only helps you strike the ball a bit better, but you can also become better at body maneuvers right after making the shot.
Everything will be the same here that you plant your foot and hit the ball but as soon as you hit the ball you will raise the other foot and comfortably land on the striking foot. Additionally, you need to hit the ball with your laces.
Practice the curves
Curved shots are among the toughest ones for the keepers to stop. So, plant your foot on the side, take a position, and angle yourself dight.
Now hit the ball to make the internal or external curve. Once you get it right you will love how smoothly you can score goals.
With all of this in your mind, make sure that you are never making excuses about your strong foot and weak foot. With proper practice, you can make things right for both of your legs.
So, whenever you are practicing some drills for strikers especially shooting you need to practice them for both your legs. It will help you achieve better strength and balance for every shoot.
2. Practice striking with a little run-up
When you think that your foot planting and ball hitting action is just right you need to move to this drill. Here you will be practicing a little run-up with the ball.
You can place the ball and mimic a freekick situation or you can roll the ball and practice the same drill as above with a moving ball. It will help you learn how you can use the momentum of your body to become a better striker.
An intelligent way to maintain better balance is to keep the arm of the striking side in while the other arm is out. So, your landing and next steps will be easier.
Use cones to mimic a person and practice your dribbles
We mentioned above that you do not need a person for your drills. Well, as a striker you can practice better with a defender and a goalkeeper but if you do not have any of them you can use cones to mimic them. The goal here is to practice different maneuvers and know how you will dribble across a defender or a goalkeeper.
Defender
Keeping one or more cones on the ground you can practice your dribbles and tricks. It will help you learn how you will be taking the ball away from them and moving towards the goal post.
Goalie
When it is about the goalkeeper you need to practice 1v1 situations. A lot of time goalkeeper will come in front and block the shooting angle for you. So, think of that cone as a goalkeeper and practice the following things:
- Chip shot
- Passing to a player
- Dribble and take the ball across the keeper
- Fake shot to make way
4. Practice your penalty kicks
There are many cases where different players take penalty kicks but during the game most of the time a striker will take a penalty kick. So, place the ball and take a little run-up.
The main goal here is to be a little tired and practice putting the maximum power in your shot while aiming it right at the spot.
5. Never miss the crossing drills
The last drill you need to practice is about passing. There are many cases where you make the run but are unable to shoot the ball.
Look for the players available to receive a pass and score a goal. Soccer is a team game, and you must learn how to see and create passing lanes in a soccer game.
Learn about ground passes and if you want to take your crossing game to the next level hit the crossbar with the ball. It will help you have a better aim and use the right amount of power every time you need to make a cross.
Verdict
Becoming a good player on the field needs you to practice a lot but the practice is not the only thing. It is also important to know the technique that we hope now you know with these drills for strikers. If you are a striker or planning to become a striker, you need to be so good at everything because you cannot miss any chance to put one up on the scoreboard. it is also important to practice all the basic soccer drills to become a better overall player.
