Kicking - Technique or Strength?

[Swansinger]

Is the ability to kick a long drop punt primarily an issue of technique , or strength?

I am a former (long former) union and soccer player with a pre-teen son who plays and is a reasonable kick - bit over 30m , and accurate , off one step when he concentrates.
But I'm really not sure if adding another 10 metres or so will come from continuing practice , or waiting until he gains more strength as he is maturing .

I'm inclined to believe it's 70% technique , 30% strength.
(Especially as I can't kick much more than 30m)
But I would be grateful for the advice of those who have played or coached the game , at any level.

Thanks

[dimelb]

It's like jokes - it's mostly in the timing! Seriously.

[Cheer Cheer]

Technique - just look at Nick Davis - the biggest kick in our team and far from the strongest bloke.

[Mike_B]

Definitely about technique and timing - much like hitting a golf ball too. Seems with me the harder I try to kick the damn thing, the less control and distance I end up with for reasons such as balance, lifitng the head etc.

[j s]

Re: Kicking - Technique or Strength?

Originally posted by Swansinger
Is the ability to kick a long drop punt primarily an issue of technique , or strength?

I am a former (long former) union and soccer player with a pre-teen son who plays and is a reasonable kick - bit over 30m , and accurate , off one step when he concentrates.
But I'm really not sure if adding another 10 metres or so will come from continuing practice , or waiting until he gains more strength as he is maturing .

I'm inclined to believe it's 70% technique , 30% strength.
(Especially as I can't kick much more than 30m)
But I would be grateful for the advice of those who have played or coached the game , at any level.

Thanks

30m is a good kick for a pre-teen. He'll be kicking over 50m by the time he's 16.

I think your 70/30 is about right.

[Captain]

I have a little bit different view.

I think it's more 50:50 between strenth and technique.

I have heard many AFL players saying to build up your quads and hammies so that you can add some distance to your kicking.

Players like Davis can kick accuarately due to technique, but players like Graham can kick long due to strength,

[TheHood]

remember that time Vossy dropped the ball so sweetly on the boot from what seemed like 70 out? probably about 99 or 00?

he wasn't known as a monster kick before and nor is he afterwards, but that kick...oh man was that sweet timing!

[floppinab]

I'd agree with the 70/30.

I went through footy with a pretty short kick and when I got a coach who knew what he was doing, showed a few tricks and persisted, within a few weeks I'd picked up about 20m on my longest kicks.

We know Davis is a child of the Shoiaah, ST had a story last night of how much he's been helping out the Sharkies with their kicking and showed a few of their tries that come from Davis suggested kicking moves.

I still cant' see how his action, in particular his bent knee follow through works though

[Triple B]

I think it most certainly would be technique as the main.

Proof would be the numerous times we have seen players get kicks 70m from goal as the bell goes. They try to kick it as hard as they can, naturally, but the resultant lack of technique which goes out the window when trying to kick the ball further than you are realistically capable of sees the ball fall well short of where it would have finished had you taken a normal 'swing' at the ball.

Of course golf is the best analogy.

[NMWBloods]

A few players have the bent knee action - Lloyd for example. I remember an ad with Carey and Lloyd, two of the best kicks in the game, kicking on a split screen and it was interesting to see the different actions.

Strength helps, but technique and timing are a significant part of the battle.

Another interesting thing I have noticed with kicking these days is the guiding of the ball onto the foot. When I played football I used to hold the ball in two hands, let go with the left and then guide the ball onto my foot with my right hand (and vice versa kicking left foot). This is the way I remember most league footballers doing it too, and it seemed to provide much better control over the ball. These days I notice a lot more players let go of the ball with both hands at the same time and drop the ball higher onto the foot. I think this adds a degree of risk to their kicking.

Also, I agree that golf is the best analogy and Tiger Woods the best example within that.

[floppinab]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
These days I notice a lot more players let go of the ball with both hands at the same time and drop the ball higher onto the foot. I think this adds a degree of risk to their kicking.

The lament of the modern games focus on athletes compared to skilled players, and on beep tests as opposed to technique and skill.

[stellation]

Re: Kicking - Technique or Strength?

Originally posted by Swansinger
Is the ability to kick a long drop punt primarily an issue of technique , or strength?

I am a former (long former) union and soccer player with a pre-teen son who plays and is a reasonable kick - bit over 30m , and accurate , off one step when he concentrates.
But I'm really not sure if adding another 10 metres or so will come from continuing practice , or waiting until he gains more strength as he is maturing .

I'm inclined to believe it's 70% technique , 30% strength.
(Especially as I can't kick much more than 30m)
But I would be grateful for the advice of those who have played or coached the game , at any level.

Thanks

Not adding anything new here, but I would agree that it is definitely a mixture of technique and strength weighted more heavily towards technique.

I was fortunate (well maybe not!) to have kicking technique drilled into me from a pretty young age and during junior footy I always was one of the longer kicks whilst being far from one of the stonger kids.

My suggestion would actually be that while your son is pre-teen the most important thing to teach is technique, and I would implore you to encourage him to drill technique on both feet. It is important to do this whilst he is only kicking around the 30 metre mark with his natural foot, if he concentrates on getting that extra 10 metres on his natural foot he will be disheartened when he goes to his other and can only kick half the distance. Better to even them up early

Too many years of junior footy in me