Players who are able to kick with both feet are not born they are made and all went through a process and frustration of learning the skill with their ‘non – preferred’ foot.

Having seen so many players go though the angst of the awkwardness and ‘plastic’ feeling there are a couple of easy and perhaps not so obvious ways of accelerating this learning on the other side of your body. One of the common faults is the total focus on the foot and the extremity – the result is that the player (let’s say right footed) is for example kicking with his left foot – but with a right footed posture. In other words other than his foot the rest of his body is set to kick with the other leg i.e. right footed.

The fastest way to educate your body position is to stand in front of the mirror and get into the impact position for your stronger foot noting specifically hand positions, chest alignment, the direction of your hips the position on the navel. Then simply reverse the position checking those same positions – initially you will be amazed at some of the changes you will make once you become aware of the positions. Take time to observe as much detail as possible, and practice changing from stronger side to the weaker side.

Take time to do this – practice between weights exercises in the gym, the more you do this and the more accurate you are the better the foundation will be for your ‘other side’ .

Remember the more you can reeducate your body the easier your leg will perform.

Dave Alred