Today we will discuss rhythm in soccer. It is something that affects your entire game and impacts how you move and how you treat that precious soccer ball.

What is your relationship with the soccer ball? Is it your best friend that you totally connect with, or is it an awkward relative that comes to visit every so often? If you think you are comfortable with the ball, congratulations! You have your foot in the door to becoming a better player. For those of you who are not so comfortable, let’s get that door open.

Have you ever heard a sports announcer, in any sport, say, “He is a great professional, but he is really clumsy.”? I haven’t either. To be successful in any sport you must posses control over your balance through rhythm. Typically, discussing rhythm is something that is almost taboo in macho sports. We often think rhythm is reserved for ballet or figure skating. However we can easily see the importance of rhythm in all sports. If players didn’t have rhythm, they couldn’t run, jump or fake. The same is true when you are receiving or dribbling a soccer ball. If you have no rhythm your play will not only look disoriented and forced, but you will also feel uncomfortable, artificial and out of sync.

Let’s go over a simple example of how rhythm is at the base of every movement in soccer. In any drill, when you are about to receive the ball, you should be on your toes bouncing and ready. Why? By staying loose and on your toes, you can easily flow from bouncing into the movement of receiving the ball. It is much more natural and effective to keep this rhythm flowing than forcing yourself into a move from a static non-moving position. If you had this rhythm and looseness every time you touched the ball, your success rate in controlling that ball would go through the roof.

Increase a player’s awareness of his rhythm and you will increase his ability to be successful in soccer ten fold. To learn more about how to increase your connection with rhythm in soccer, check out Aerobic Soccer Training at 4skills.com.