Every kicker wants more power. Whether you’re aiming for the top corner of a soccer goal or sending a 50-yard field goal through the uprights, generating explosive force is the name of the game.
Here at The Kicking System, our philosophy is built on decades of experience in elite athletic training. Before founding TKS, I, John Matich, had the privilege of serving as the General Manager at Fitness Quest 10. During my time there, I had a front-row seat watching Hall of Fame athletes like Drew Brees and LaDainian Tomlinson train every day. I can tell you, their power didn’t come from sitting on machines. It was forged through dynamic, ground-based, full-body movements. They trained for athletic function, not just isolated strength.
That’s why I see so many athletes making a crucial mistake. They head to the leg press machine, thinking that stronger quads equal a bigger kick. While leg strength is important, it’s only one piece of a much larger puzzle. A truly powerful kick is a full-body athletic movement. It originates from the ground up, transferring energy through a stable core, exploding through the hips, and culminating in a whip-like snap of the leg.
To unlock your true kicking potential, you need to train like an elite athlete. Get off the machines and train movements that build functional, explosive strength. Here are 8 essential exercises that should be in every kicker’s arsenal.
1. Kettlebell Swings
- What it is: A dynamic, explosive exercise where you hinge at your hips to swing a kettlebell to chest level.
- Why it’s great for kickers: This is the king of hip-hinge exercises. It directly trains the explosive hip extension that generates the majority of your kicking power. It builds a powerful posterior chain (glutes, hamstrings) and teaches you how to generate force rapidly.
- How to do it:
- Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, with the kettlebell about a foot in front of you.
- Hinge at your hips, keeping your back flat, and grip the kettlebell with both hands.
- Hike the bell back between your legs.
- In one explosive movement, drive your hips forward and stand up tall, using the momentum to swing the kettlebell up to chest height.
- Let gravity bring the bell back down as you hinge at the hips to absorb the force and immediately go into the next rep. Remember, the power comes from your hips, not your arms.
For a great visual guide on proper form, check out this fantastic basic video from kettlebell guru Steve Cotter. For those who have been following TKS for a while, you might remember that Steve was actually a guest on the TKS podcast years ago, where he dropped some serious knowledge on functional strength.
Kettlebell Basics with Steve Cotter
2. Box Jumps
- What it is: An explosive jump from the floor onto a sturdy, elevated box or platform using two feet.
- Why it’s great for kickers: Box jumps train your fast-twitch muscle fibers, which are responsible for quick, powerful movements. This plyometric exercise improves your rate of force development—essentially, how quickly you can generate power, a key ingredient for a whip-like kick.
- How to do it:
- Stand in front of a plyo box at a comfortable height.
- Dip into a quarter-squat, swinging your arms back.
- Explode upward, swinging your arms forward, and jump onto the box.
- Land softly on the box in a squat position to absorb the impact.
- Step down carefully—don’t jump down—and reset for the next rep.
3. Single-Leg Box Jumps
- What it is: A more advanced plyometric jump where you explode off one leg to land on the box.
- Why it’s great for kickers: Kicking is a single-leg, explosive motion. This exercise directly translates to the field by building unilateral (one-sided) power and stability in your plant leg. It forces your body to absorb impact and maintain balance on one leg, improving stability during the wind-up and follow-through of a kick.
- How to do it:
- Start with a low box—much lower than your two-footed jump. Safety is key.
- Stand on one leg in front of the box.
- Dip slightly at the knee and hip, swinging your arms back.
- Explode off your standing leg, driving your arms and free knee forward to jump onto the box.
- Land softly on the box on the same foot you jumped from. Hold for a second to establish balance.
- Step down, and complete all reps on one side before switching.
4. Medicine Ball Rotational Throws
- What it is: A powerful throw where you rotate your torso and hips to throw a medicine ball against a solid wall.
- Why it’s great for kickers: Kicking is a rotational movement. This exercise builds power and stability through your core (specifically your obliques) and teaches you how to transfer energy from your hips through your torso, mimicking the exact motion of a kick.
- How to do it:
- Stand perpendicular to a sturdy wall, about 3-4 feet away, holding a medicine ball at your chest.
- Rotate your torso and hips away from the wall, bringing the ball to your back hip.
- Initiate the throw by driving your back hip toward the wall, rotating explosively and throwing the ball as hard as you can against the wall.
- Catch the ball on the rebound and repeat. Complete all reps on one side before switching.
5. Single-Leg Romanian Deadlifts (RDLs)
- What it is: A hinge movement performed on one leg, focusing on balance and hamstring/glute strength.
- Why it’s great for kickers: Think about your plant leg. It needs to be a rock-solid pillar of stability. The Single-Leg RDL strengthens the entire posterior chain of your plant leg while dramatically improving your balance and stability—preventing power leaks and reducing the risk of injury.
- How to do it:
- Stand on one leg, holding a dumbbell or kettlebell in the opposite hand.
- Keeping your standing leg slightly bent and your back flat, hinge at your hip.
- Lower the weight toward the floor as your other leg extends straight behind you for balance.
- Go as low as you can without rounding your back, then drive your hip forward to return to the starting position.
6. Goblet Squats
- What it is: A squat variation where you hold a dumbbell or kettlebell vertically against your chest.
- Why it’s great for kickers: Holding the weight in front forces your core to engage throughout the entire movement, promoting an upright torso. This builds core stability while also improving leg strength and hip mobility—all essential for maintaining proper kicking posture.
- How to do it:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a kettlebell by the horns or a dumbbell on its end against your chest.
- Keeping your chest up and core tight, squat down between your legs until your hips are at or below your knees.
- Drive through your heels to return to the starting position.
7. Barbell Hip Thrusts
- What it is: A floor-based exercise where you drive your hips upward against resistance from a barbell.
- Why it’s great for kickers: Your glutes are the most powerful muscles in your body. The hip thrust isolates and strengthens them like no other exercise. Strong glutes are the engine behind the explosive hip extension that starts a powerful kick.
- How to do it:
- Sit on the floor with your upper back against a bench and a padded barbell across your hips.
- Place your feet flat on the floor, knees bent, so that your shins are vertical at the top of the movement.
- Drive through your heels, squeezing your glutes to lift your hips until they are fully extended and level with your shoulders and knees.
- Lower your hips back down with control.
8. Pallof Press
- What it is: An anti-rotation exercise where you resist a rotational force from a cable machine or resistance band.
- Why it’s great for kickers: While you need rotational power, you also need rotational stability. The Pallof Press trains your deep core muscles to resist twisting forces. This creates a stable base, ensuring that all the power you generate with your hips and legs is transferred directly to the ball, not lost through a wobbly core.
- How to do it:
- Set a cable or band at chest height. Stand sideways to the anchor point and pull the handle to the center of your chest.
- With your core braced, press the handle straight out in front of you, resisting the urge to let it pull you back toward the anchor.
- Hold for a second, then bring the handle back to your chest with control. Complete all reps on one side before switching.
By incorporating these eight exercises into your training routine, you’ll build a body that’s not just strong, but athletically powerful. You’ll develop the core stability, hip power, and explosive speed needed to add yards to your kicks and become a more dominant player on the field. It’s time to train like the athlete you are—and leave the leg press behind.
About The Kicking System
The Kicking System (TKS) is the premier training resource for kickers and punters who are serious about reaching their peak potential. Founded by John Matich, TKS is built on a philosophy of developing the complete athlete. Drawing from John’s experience as the General Manager at the world-renowned Fitness Quest 10, where he witnessed the training habits of legendary athletes, our programs go beyond simple kicking drills. We integrate elite functional strength training, biomechanical efficiency, and the development of a champion’s mindset to build more powerful, consistent, and resilient specialists. Through our coaching, online resources, blog, and podcast, we provide athletes with the system they need to succeed at the highest levels of the game.
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