The rabona kick is a soccer trick that involves the action of gouging the ball by crossing your legs. Rabona is a very difficult and highly skilled technique and can be used to pass, cross or shoot. Actually this kick is more often done to show off skills. But if executed correctly, this kick can be an effective movement and invite the audience's admiration. With diligent practice, every player can learn rabona and look like a professional player.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Learning the Correct Rabona Technique
Step 1. Determine the kicking foot
Your dominant foot will usually be the kicking foot. For most people, the dominant foot has a correlation with the dominant hand. This means that if you usually use your right hand, you will kick with your right foot. However, this is not always the case. Some usually use their right hand but kick with their left foot or vice versa. There is also a tendency ambidexter (ambidexter or ambidextrous). This means that they can easily switch between right and left hands or right and left feet.
Even if you prefer one foot over the other, studies show that both dominant and non-dominant feet can kick with equal force. Determine the foot that is most comfortable for you, then build balance and muscle strength in the leg you rely on
Step 2. Place your weaker foot next to the ball
Your non-dominant foot should stay on the ground, as it is the foot that determines your overall posture and range of motion for the kick.
Sturdy foot placement also helps your body maintain balance when kicking
Step 3. Check your position
The ball must lie on the outside of the non-kicking foot. If you're kicking with your right foot, the ball should be about 20-30 cm off the outside of your left foot. If you are kicking with your left foot, the ball must be on the outside of your right foot.
- The distance between your dominant foot and the ball will ensure you have a long swing to kick, making your kick more powerful.
- The foot that hits the ground must be facing the target to ensure an accurate kick.
- If you're having trouble making clean contact with the ball, then maybe the foot that hit the ground is too close to the ball or too far in front of the ball. Make sure the foot is in the correct position.
Step 4. Lean back while stretching your arms out
This is important because it will give you balance in executing the kick.
Your body should lean back slightly and away from the ball when you kick. This will help maintain balance, as well as make the kick more powerful and have lift
Step 5. Focus on the point you are going to kick on the ball
Look at the dot at the bottom of the ball while aiming. This is a very difficult shot, so the shot has to be accurate. Don't take your eyes off the ball.
Kicking the bottom of the ball helps lift and build your kick
Step 6. Swing the kicking foot behind the ground foot
While doing that, try to lift your legs up to your buttocks by bending your knees. Raising your leg as high as possible will greatly increase the power of your kick.
- Bend your non-kicking leg slightly to maintain balance and help you kick the ball cleanly.
- Try to make the most of your leg swing.
Step 7. Bend your legs as you swing your legs back
You will kick the ball with the outside of your foot. When you kick with the outside of the shoe, the kick also has power and accuracy.
Step 8. Turn your shoulders towards the target as you follow through
Following through in kicking a rabona can be quite difficult as the non-kicking foot gets in the way. A helpful solution is to lift both feet off the ground after kicking.
Step 9. Make sure your kick makes contact with the bottom of the ball
Kicking the bottom of the ball will help provide lift and hull to your shot. Make sure to make contact with the ball in one smooth motion. Kicking the rabona should feel natural and comfortable.
If you're having trouble lifting and bouncing the ball, then maybe you're kicking the top or center of the ball. Make sure you make contact with the bottom of the ball. Keep practicing until you feel comfortable kicking that part
Part 2 of 2: Perfecting Rabona's Kick
Step 1. Strengthen your core muscles
The rabona kick relies on a strong core to maintain balance and provide enough power as you twist your body to kick the ball.
Strengthen your core by doing exercises for your abs and back like sit-ups and planks
Step 2. Keep practicing
Doing the rabona kick is very difficult. It can take months and even years to master it. With practice, this movement will feel more comfortable. You too will become a better player thanks to those exercises.
Step 3. Try doing the rabona kick while moving
It will take a long time to master the rabona kick technique at rest. However, once you get the hang of it, you should learn to apply these moves into useful soccer techniques. This means that you must be able to do it in motion.
- Dribble slowly towards the target and then try to do a rabona. Doing this shot while moving may feel different. But make sure your technique is the same as when the ball is at rest.
- Check that your feet are positioned correctly and that you can maintain your balance when kicking.
Step 4. Try increasing the speed
Once you can kick the rabona on the move, practice increasing speed.
Try dribbling while running before executing the rabona kick. You can also try rabona kicks from multiple angles, which will give your moves more flow and turn this trick into a useful skill during the match
Step 5. Practice accuracy
Set the four funnels as a square-shaped target area to practice your shooting. Keep practicing the rabona kick until you can kick the ball well into the plane of this square.
Once you're able to use the rabona to kick the ball into the square, try aiming into the trash can. This is a much more difficult target, but it will help improve your aim and create a more accurate lift
Step 6. Learn to use rabona in a variety of situations
Rabona can be used when you are on the wrong side of the ball or at an awkward angle. Rabona is also useful when you don't have much space to shoot or pass.
- Use the rabona to trick defenders or goalkeepers. Rabona is also used as a trick for goalkeepers and defenders. For example, a defender or goalkeeper thinks you're going to kick with your left foot. But it turns out that you do rabona with your right foot, leaving room for you to shoot or pass.
- Practice adding trick moves at the start of your rabona kick. If you want to do a rabona with your right foot as the kicking foot, then stop the ball with your right foot. Pull the ball back with your right foot out of your left foot and then swing your right foot around behind you. This trick will trick the defender or goalkeeper and open up space to shoot.
Tips
- Make sure the non-kicking foot is not parallel to the ball. The foot should point slightly toward the ball.
- Don't be in a hurry when doing this trick. Movements can go wrong if you panic or rush. Stay calm and keep practicing slowly until it feels more natural.
- Practice, practice, practice! The rabona kick is very difficult and can only be really done perfectly with practice.
- Watch videos of your favorite players performing rabona. Watching how this technique is performed will help adjust how you kick the rabona, so you can do it cleanly and accurately.
- Practice placing your non-kicking foot next to the ball in slow motion before attempting to kick it at high speed. This non-kicking foot placement is critical to getting an accurate, natural-feeling kick.
Warning
- Don't kick your foot on the ground when you're trying to kick the ball. Make sure your foot is around the other foot and is kicking the ball clean. Placement of the foot that is not kicking properly is essential in making a clean kick.
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Don't overdo it!
You don't want to hurt yourself by playing or training too hard. Be patient and learn rabona slowly.
