How to Fix Bad Habits in Soccer

I get comments a lot like, "How do a I fix my stutter step before I shoot?", "I can't seem to lock my ankle when I pass" and "I don't talk when I make a pass." These are examples of bad habits players want to fix. 

If you know you are doing something wrong and you know how to fix it but you can't fix it. Then guess what it doesn't matter what any coach in the world tells you because YOU are preventing yourself from improving. A coach can't physically make you do something.

But here is the solution I've come up with. Call it ground breaking, call it stupid but it's worked for quite a few players I've recommended it to. 

Push ups! The 1 Push Up Rule!

Key Points:

Key Point #1 - If you do a bad habit then drop down and do one push up. Not 5 push ups or 10 push ups, just one push up. The mere fact that you have to drop down and do a push up will be so annoying that very quickly you will break your bad habit. Your brain will say I better fix this habit so I don't have to keep wasting time doing push ups. 

Key Point #2 - Only do the 1 push up rule in your own practice sessions. DO NOT do this in games. That would be hilarious you dropping down to do one push up randomly in a game but don't! 

Key Point #3 - DO NOT do the 1 push up rule for mistakes. 

Let's be clear. If you do a bad habit, like stutter step before shooting, then drop down and do one push up. 

DO NOT make this rule apply to mistakes like doing a push up because you missed a shot. You will miss shots, you will make mistakes, even pros do. If you start doing push ups every time you make a mistake in an effort to try to be perfect it will have the opposite affect. You will then create a fear in your mind of making a mistake. This will lead to playing scared. I don't want you to play with fear. If you make a bad pass, so what, we all do. Just react positive and hustle back on defense. Do that and the great coaches will applaud you every time. 

Key Point #4 - You control your body, don't let it control you. What I mean by this is if you say "But I always stutter step, this is how I shoot" then you are making excuses and you won't improve to your full potential. Tell your body not to stutter step before shooting, implement the 1 push up rule and then make it happen. 

Bonus Tip for coaches

This is great one to implement at your team practices!

Some things that could be going wrong. If you can't seem to break your bad habits keep at it. It takes time. Some players can fix problems quick, others need more time. Be patient, be confident and remember small improvements daily equal big improvements over time.

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