How to do 3 Penalty Kicks - Type 1

There are many ways to kick a soccer ball and many ways to take a PK. Here are 3 types of shot you can use to score on a penalty kick.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Soccer ball
• Soccer goal or wall bigger than a soccer goal (which is 24 feet wide and 8 feet high)
• Maybe a teammate

1. Place the ball on the PK spot, which is 12 yards out from the center of the goal. Practice first without a goalkeeper.

2. Step back 3, 4, 5 steps, whatever is comfortable. A slight angle is normal but straight on can work. Think about where you want the ball to go, which in this case will be on the ground 2 feet inside the left post if you are right-footed, on the ground 2 feet inside the right post if you are a lefty.

3. Stride forward and, with a normal swing of the leg, strike the ball firmly with your laces, aiming it low.

4. Practice this until it is easy and you put the ball where you want it every time.

5. Then practice it with a goalkeeper. Not so much so that the keeper will be trying to make the save but so that you get used to having an opponent in the net when you shoot. The goalie should stay on the line (the rules say so) until the ball is kicked.

Tips & Warnings

• 2 feet inside the post is fine - no need to call it too close. Not too much power - accuracy will score. But good and firm, with confidence -- this is a shot, not a pass. It may help at first to place a water bottle about 2' inside the post to give you something to aim at.
• Low is best for a PK because the keeper can save best a couple feet off the ground (very hard to dive so far so low) and a high shot can go too high.