The instep drive

Most players assume that producing an accurate shot depends on striking a particular part of the ball. Actually, the important thing is driving your foot and following through. Focus on driving the knee of your kicking leg in the direction of your target.

If you want to produce a hard, low shot you need to drive your entire body by hopping forward and landing on your kicking foot.

Power in your shots comes from the quickness of execution. The leg muscles have an elastic quality. To take advantage of this, you need to minimize the period of time (b) between contracting (a) and extending (c) your leg. In terms of technique, you need to combine the contraction and extension into a single, swift motion.

The inside curve

With the inside curve, your supporting foot should be pointed slightly to the side (b) of your target. Ideally, your want to approach the ball at the same angle (b).

To bend the ball, you should drive your kicking foot parallel to line (b), to the side of your target. Strike the ball on the outside, slightly below the equator. The farther to the outside you hit the ball, the more spin it will have. Your upper body affects the height of your shot. If you lean back, you’ll get more height and vice versa.