How to Dribble with Your Head Up

Key Points to Dribbling with Your Head Up: 

Key Point 1. Look down when you take a touch to dribble. 

Key Point 2. Look up when the ball is in front of you a step or two. This means you can take a step or two before you need to take your next touch. 

Key Point 3. Glance up with your eyes, don't fling your whole head up. This, not this. 

Key Point 4. Do not stare at the field. A quick look and your mind will take mental pictures of the field.

Key Point 5. It's a balance. When dribbling it will be a balance between looking down at the ball and glancing up to the see the field.

Equipment Needed: You need a ball and two cones. 

Exercise Player Can Do: 
We have two exercises you can do. First, set up two cones about 15-20 yards apart. Dribble to the first cone and back at a regular jog pace practicing your looking up technique. This is not fitness; focus on your technique, do not focus on going as fast as you can. 

Rest a few seconds between each rep. After 5 times rest for a minute. Then do 5 more reps and increase your dribbling speed. 

The second exercise we can do is dribbling laps around the field. Simply dribble your ball around the field at a relaxed pace practicing your looking up technique as you go. While dribbling the length of the field increase your speed for 15 seconds at a time and then slow back down. Do one lap or a few laps, you be the judge. This is good for cardio fitness with the ball too. 

Sounds tedious but exercises like these greatly improved my touch and vision while dribbling. It will feel like the ball is glued to your foot as you start to master this. 

Make exercises like these part of your warm up. It's good to practice fundamentals.

What Player Could Be Doing Wrong: 
If you feel like you can't see what's in front of your or you are feeling very rushed then you are not looking up or not looking up high enough. Do not just look up a few feet in front of you, make sure you look up and see the field.

Bonus Tip!
For tips on dribbling for speed technique watch our Online Soccer Academy video titled "How to Dribble a Soccer Ball".

This Video Covers:
How to Dribble with Your Head Up - Soccer Dribbling Drills - Soccer Dribbling Skills - Soccer Dribbling - Soccer Dribbling Training - Soccer Dribbling Techniques - Dribbling Drills Soccer - Soccer Speed of Play Skills- Soccer Speed of Play Drills