How to Chest a Soccer Ball

The chest trap is one soccer technique on how to control a ball. This free soccer drills video provides a few different youth soccer drills for learning how to do a chest trap.

Description:
Using your chest is one way to control a ball out of the air. There are multiple styles, reasons and ways to control a soccer ball using your chest. Today we are learning the basic style to control a ball using your chest. This video is geared towards beginner players and their coaches but it of course can be applied to players of all ages and abilities.

Key Points:
1. Spread your feet out about the width of your shoulders for balance
2. Lean back slightly, arms out to your sides, keep your shoulders straight on to the ball, not turned.
3. Have ball hit the center of your chest right below your clavicle bone and have it land towards your dominant foot
4. If the ball is coming slow you have to pop it up and forward some, if it is coming fast you need to cushion it in more. Think of receiving a pass with your feet. If the ball is coming slow at you, you need to push it forward. If the pass is coming fast, then you need to cushion it in more to set up your great first touch. The same applies for chesting a ball.
5. Your chest trap should set the ball up a foot or two ahead of you. Don't let it just drop right under your body because then you are not setting yourself up well for a pass or shot on your second touch.

Equipment Needed: Soccer ball and a partner. If you don't have a partner use a wall or a fence.

Exercise Player Can Do:
I will give you two exercises. One to practice with your partner and one to practice with yourself.

The first exercise is with your partner. Have your partner hold the ball in their hands standing about 3 yards away from you. They toss it to your chest, you chest trap it and pass it back to them when it hits the ground or out of the air depending on your skill level. Do this 10 times, then switch with your partner. Repeat three sets or until you are tired.

Here's a bonus tip for you. Your Partner should toss the ball a little more straight on at a good pace and it will be easier to control then lobbing it in with no pace on the ball. Make sure it's an underhand toss.

If you don't have a partner there are two ways to practice. First stand by a fence or wall. Toss the ball underhand off the wall so it comes back to your chest. Chest trap it. Then pass the ball back to yourself off the wall, either on the ground or out of the air. If you don't have a fence then toss the ball up in the air with backspin. Let it hit the ground, bounce back towards you, then you chest trap it and make a short pass. Get your ball and repeat. Do this 10 times, rest, then repeat three sets or until you are tired.

What Player Could Be Doing Wrong:
If the ball is flying all over the place and not right down at your feet it's because you are turning your shoulders. Keep your shoulders facing the ball so your touch will go in front of you. As you become more advanced then you can start turning your shoulders to direct the ball to go in different directions that you want it too.

If the ball is falling at your feet but you can't get a good pass because it is to close to you then you need to push your touch forward a bit. Think of a game situation. You don't just stand on one leg and swing the other; you step forward then make a pass. With the chest trap your touch needs to be a bit ahead of you so you have room to take that step before you pass or shoot the ball.

Bonus Tip
Don't chest it too high because what does it take for the ball to come down out of the air? It takes time! So if a defender is a few seconds away and you chest it up to high and it takes a few seconds to come down, that gives the defenders the time they need to close you down!

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Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Chest trap
• Youth soccer drills
• Free soccer drills
• Trap soccer
• Soccer technique
• Technique soccer
• Chest soccer
• online soccer academy

[longsbeans]

how do you chest a goal kick or a cross from the opposiste side of the field? (basically a ball with speed)... The pros are able to make the ball stop dead on their chest and drop down in front of them, while being physically pressured by a defender on their back!

[OnlineSoccerAcademy]

@longsbeans just cushion it in more. Think of catching an egg. The harder the ball is kicked at you, the more you need to cushion it on as it hits your chest. Takes timing and a lot of practice.

[dennipoo700]

How much is the goal you have in your videos? and where can i get it?

[OnlineSoccerAcademy]

@dennipoo700 it was about 100 dollars. I got it at Academy sporting goods. The company that makes it is called Brava.

[koreanpeoples]

Hi, I want to learn how to play soccer, but don't have a team or field to practice with. Should I just just practice the techniques in your video alone and then look for a team when I get good at these skills?

[OnlineSoccerAcademy]

@koreanpeoples I'd say start practicing and start looking for a team as soon as you can. Practice is great but playing on a team and playing games is what it's all about after all your hard practice. Good luck finding a team!

[OnlineSoccerAcademy]

@LifeCrusaders congrats! Little dap to you!

[sami11ist]

Thanks for the advice do you do goalkeeping videos ?

[OnlineSoccerAcademy]

@justshootme2011 I think it's harder barefoot then with boots.

[OnlineSoccerAcademy]

@oxionzm it's harder barefoot I'd say. For me it is anyway.

[oxionzm]

@OnlineSoccerAcademy I think he's asking whether it's harder juggling barefoot?? or with shoes??

[justshootme2011]

@justshootme2011 is it much harder than with boots?