HOW TO KICK A FIELD GOAL PART 9: HIPS & KICKING LEG FOLLOW THROUGH

Special Team Servant's Complete Guide to Kicking Field Goals Accurately, Consistently, and with Proper Technique

How To Kick a Field Goal: Hips & Kicking Leg Follow Through

Now that you know how to move your plant foot arm across your body as you kick the football, the final area we will be discussing is your hips and kicking leg follow through

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Your Hips & Kicking Leg Follow Through is the Last Part of the Kick that Happens After You Strike the Ball

To ensure you are kicking accurately, you want your hips to follow through towards the target you picked that is above and beyond the uprights.

Your hips following through straight to the target is supported by your plant foot arm coming across your body.

If you're a right footed kicker, take your plant foot arm (left arm) across your body with your left hand past your right hip. Your hips cannot open up because of your plant foot arm locking them in as it is across your body. Try it! Try to open your hips and point left while your plant foot arm is across your body.

This is the opposite if you're a left footed kicker. Try opening your hips to the right while your plant foot arm (right arm) is across your body and over your left hip.

Your Follow Through is Going to be Heavily Influenced by Your Leg Swing

As a soccer style kicker, it is going to be natural to have some curve or cross body leg swing during you kick compared to the traditional straight on toe kicking approach.

Too much curve or cross body leg swing during your kick will significantly force your body to open up as you follow through the kick. If you're opening up in your kicking follow through, you're not finishing towards your target and putting yourself at great risk to miss the field goal or extra point.

It is important to have a controlled leg swing as you kick the ball and try to swing your leg towards the target that you picked above and beyond the uprights.

This controlled and straight leg swing will not put as much momentum across your body forcing you to open up and finish away from the target. Instead, you'll be able to more naturally finish straight down the line towards the upright and your target.

Your leg swing and follow through is the last critical component to kicking field goals accurately and consistently.

Conclusion: Kicking a Field Goal with a Proper Hips and Leg Swing Following Through

You can do everything right up to the point you kick the football and still miss the field goal or extra point if you aren't following through towards your target. An accurate follow through means your leg swing is straight toward the target you picked above and beyond the uprights, and your hips stay closed while being supported by your plant foot arm coming across your body. If your hips open up and face the corner of the end zone or sidelines, you are at great risk to miss your kick as you're finishing away from your target.