Playing football is a brilliant experience, whether you’re playing for the first time or as a beginner. But with time, a beginner should know the pros and cons of playing soccer in different positions. If you’re playing with the team, you may know that playing as a team is more satisfying than playing alone. It’s hard to play alone because you don’t know what kind of practice you have to do as a player, e.g., whether you are going to cover your defensive mistakes or attacking ones.
On the other hand, training alone is more effective and entertaining than training with a team because, when you train alone, you can maximize your time, focus on one thing at a time, and improve more. There are many different things you can improve while training; some of them are beginner-friendly, like passing against a wall, juggling, shooting target practice, and much more. Your backyard is perfect for training alone at home, where you can improve your weaknesses and develop yourself as a professional soccer player. For this, you should know what individual soccer drills to use in the backyard (solo).
If you know your weaknesses and strengths as a football player, then playing alone at home is going to be more fun. Only when you work on your technique, tactics, speed, finishing, defense, weak foot, etc. To enhance your skills and performance in the game, you should focus on improving some specific aspects such as ball control, dribbling, shooting, agility, and fitness. Either you’re a beginner or an experienced one, daily practice of these drills will help you during matches. If you’re looking for something like these individual training drills to improve your performance, then you are at the right place. That’s what I’m going to discuss in this article: “how to train alone with individual football drills.”
Now I will explain the best individual soccer training drills to do at home. And anyone with a football background can learn from them. To learn these drills, you have to prepare yourself as a beginner player. As a beginner, these drills help you to keep sharp and improve your weaknesses. As you know, all of these drills are beginner-friendly, but they may vary in difficulty levels. If you find these drills difficult, then you can start at a low level, and slowly, by working, you can achieve the highest level. To improve every part of your game, you must have these drills at your disposal.
Here’s the list of the top 10 best individual soccer training drills on whom you can rely while learning individual soccer training as a beginner:
10 best individual soccer training drills
1. Toe Taps
Toe taps are a really simple and straightforward exercise. Anyone can do it easily to improve their ball control skills. You have to start with the sole of your stronger foot on the ball before transitioning to the other foot. When you gain confidence with time, you need to do it by advancing the ball or dragging it backward with every touch.
2. Cone Dribbling
This drill will improve your ball control and strengthen your weaker foot. For this, you just have to dribble the ball around a set of cones using both feet. This drill will help you in matches by dribbling your opponent’s players.
3. Cone Dribble and Pass
There’s an increase in difficulty level for this drill. You need to copy the previous drill. You have to add the pass after you complete the set of dribbles around the cones. You don’t need a player to pass the ball; pass the ball to the wall if you have one. If not, then set up a cone instead of a wall and pass the ball to the cone after every dribble.
4. Cone Dribble and Shoot
This drill is a shooting exercise instead of a passing one. In this drill, you need to copy the previous drill except for a pass. After a set of dribbles, you make around the cones; just shoot the ball into the goal if you have one.
5. L-Turn
This is a very useful and important drill that will help you a lot in matches. This drill helps you make spaces, get away from opponents, and change direction. Drag the ball backward with your stronger foot in one motion, then tap the ball with your instep to knock it behind your standing leg.
6. Step Over
This is the best and most useful skill, but it requires practice. And I myself love this skill and perform it on a daily basis. For this, you just need a soccer ball. Throw your foot on the ball in a circular motion and repeat this 2–3 times while the other feet get faster as you get comfortable.
7. Inside Cut
This skill is also very useful while you are dribbling in a game. You can practice it without another person. This skill is used normally in the soccer game. When approaching an opponent, chop at the ball with your right foot, cutting directly to the left. Just do it with both of your feet.
8. Shuffle
This is an important skill and the basis of every other soccer skill. You need to shuffle (move) the ball between your legs. When you touch the ball with the inside of your right foot, then your left foot should be touching the ground. Repeat the same technique with the other foot. You have to practice on a daily basis to get a grip on this skill.
9. Drag Back
This is a very simple drill that can be used as a warm-up exercise. Just tap on the ball with the sole of your foot and drag the ball behind you. After this, turn in the direction of the ball.
10. One-Twos
One-twos is a simple drill that does not require another person to pass the ball. Just pass the ball into the wall, receive it, and pass it back. You can practice it as much as you want.
