10 Soccer Heading Drills: Beginner to Advanced with Coaching Cues
Written by James Whitfield, UEFA B License
Heading is a trainable skill. These ten drills build the chain from safe contact to winning contested balls in a match — with coaching cues and progressions for every level.
Aerial ability is decided long before the ball arrives: by how early a player reads flight, how well they hold body position, and whether they attack the ball with a locked neck. Every drill below trains one link in that chain. Work them in order — a player who has not mastered forehead contact standing still has no business contesting an aerial duel.
If you are new to heading, read our full guide to how to head a soccer ball before starting. The six-step technique described there is the standard every cue on this page refers back to.
Drill library
10 of 10 drills
Seated self-toss headers
Sit, toss, head straight back. Removes the legs so every rep trains contact point alone.
- Players:
- 1
- Format:
- Individual
- Equipment:
- Ball Only
Kneeling partner headers
Kneel and head an underhand serve back to your partner's hands. Trains the torso hinge.
- Players:
- 2
- Format:
- Partner
- Equipment:
- Ball Only
Standing wall headers
Continuous headers off a wall to build rhythm and confidence with a moving ball.
- Players:
- 1
- Format:
- Individual
- Equipment:
- Ball Only, Rebounder
Directional headers to cones
Head to a called target left, right or straight ahead. Trains trunk rotation and direction.
- Players:
- 2
- Format:
- Partner
- Equipment:
- Cones
Two-footed jump headers
Jump off two feet and head a lofted serve back down. Trains power through the trunk.
- Players:
- 2
- Format:
- Partner
- Equipment:
- Ball Only
Running jump headers
Time a run onto a lofted serve and head off one foot — how most match headers happen.
- Players:
- 2
- Format:
- Partner
- Equipment:
- Cones
Flick-on relay
Glance a long ball on to a runner behind. Target-man movement and near-post set pieces.
- Players:
- 3
- Format:
- Small Group
- Equipment:
- Cones
Crossing and finishing
Alternate near-post and back-post runs onto crosses and head down at goal.
- Players:
- 6+
- Format:
- Team
- Equipment:
- Goal
Contested aerial duels
Two players compete for a lofted serve in a grid. Body position decides the duel.
- Players:
- 3
- Format:
- Small Group
- Equipment:
- Cones
Defensive clearance under pressure
Clear long balls high, long and wide with two attackers pressing, then recover.
- Players:
- 4+
- Format:
- Team
- Equipment:
- Goal
How to structure a heading session
Keep sessions short and sharp. A good format is ten minutes of technique (drills 1–4), fifteen minutes of applied work (drills 5–8), and ten minutes of competitive work (drills 9–10). Total contact volume should stay under about 30 headers per session for adults and considerably fewer for youth players — cumulative volume, not any single header, is the main safety concern. Use a ball one size down and slightly under-inflated for the technique block.
Beginner drills: build safe, repeatable contact
The goal here is not power. It is a flat forehead, a locked neck, open eyes, and a body that moves through the ball instead of waiting for it. Every rep should look identical.
1. Seated self-toss headers
BeginnerEquipment: One ball (size down for youth), grass or turf.
Setup: Sit on the grass with legs extended, ball in both hands at chest height, clear space overhead.
Sit on the grass, toss the ball 16–20 in (40–50cm) above your forehead and head it straight back up. Sitting removes the legs from the equation so every rep trains contact point alone.
Coaching cue: Strike with the flat bone above the eyebrows, mouth closed, eyes open at contact.
Progression: Progress: alternate heading left, right and straight up. Regress: use a foam or under-inflated ball and lower the toss.
2. Kneeling partner headers
BeginnerEquipment: One ball, a partner.
Setup: Kneel upright 10 ft (3m) from a partner who stands and serves underhand to your forehead.
Kneel 10 ft (3m) from a partner who underhand-serves to your forehead. Head it back to their hands. Twenty reps, then swap.
Coaching cue: Hinge from the hips, not the neck. The torso does the work; the neck stays locked.
Progression: Progress: partner varies serve height and side so you must adjust. Regress: shorten the serve to 6 ft 6 in (2m) and soften the ball.
3. Standing wall headers
BeginnerEquipment: One ball, a flat wall or rebounder.
Setup: Stand 6 ft 6 in (2m) from the wall, feet shoulder-width, ball in both hands.
Stand 6 ft 6 in (2m) from a wall, toss the ball into it and head the rebound back. Continuous reps build rhythm and confidence with a moving ball.
Coaching cue: Meet the ball in front of your face, never let it arrive on top of you.
Progression: Progress: count unbroken reps against the clock. Regress: catch the rebound between headers to reset your feet.
4. Directional headers to cones
BeginnerEquipment: One ball, three cones, a server.
Setup: Place cones left, right and straight ahead at 16 ft (5m); server stands 10 ft (3m) in front of you.
A server tosses; you head to a cone target left, right, or straight ahead as called out at the last moment. Ten reps per direction.
Coaching cue: Turn the whole trunk toward the target before contact — don't twist the neck.
Progression: Progress: server calls the target as the ball leaves their hands. Regress: call the target before the serve.
Intermediate drills: add the jump and the serve
Once contact is automatic, add flight, jump timing, and direction. This is where most match heading is actually won — arriving at the right place a fraction of a second before the ball.
5. Two-footed jump headers
IntermediateEquipment: One ball, a server.
Setup: Stand facing a server 13 ft (4m) away with clear landing space around you.
Server lofts the ball above your reach; jump off both feet and head it back down to their feet. Fifteen reps.
Coaching cue: Arch back at the top of the jump and snap the torso through the ball.
Progression: Progress: add a target on the ground to head down into. Regress: lower the serve so you barely leave the ground.
6. Running jump headers
IntermediateEquipment: One ball, a server, two cones marking the run.
Setup: Start 16 ft (5m) behind the contact point; server lofts the ball into that zone.
Start 16 ft (5m) back, time a run onto a lofted serve and head it off one foot at full stride. This is how most match headers actually happen.
Coaching cue: Jump early and attack the ball — late jumpers get beaten by players 6 in (15cm) shorter.
Progression: Progress: vary the serve so the contact point moves. Regress: walk the run-up before adding pace.
7. Flick-on relay
IntermediateEquipment: One ball, three players, two cones.
Setup: Server 33 ft (10m) from a target player, with a runner starting behind the target.
One server plays a long ball to a target player who glances it on to a runner behind. Great for target-man movement and near-post set-piece work.
Coaching cue: Get in front of the marker and let the ball brush the top of the forehead — redirect, don't strike.
Progression: Progress: add a passive marker on the target player. Regress: serve by hand instead of by foot.
8. Crossing and finishing
IntermediateEquipment: Balls, a goal, a goalkeeper, wide servers.
Setup: Servers on both flanks with a supply of balls; attackers start at the top of the box.
Wide servers cross from both flanks; attackers alternate near-post and back-post runs and head at goal. Rotate every six crosses.
Coaching cue: Head the ball downward. Headers that bounce before the line are the hardest to save.
Progression: Progress: add a defender tracking the run. Regress: use a static, tossed cross from 26 ft (8m).
For the full headed finishing breakdown, see how to score a header.
Advanced drills: contested, competitive, game-realistic
In a match there is always an opponent. These drills put the technique under physical pressure and force fast decisions between attacking, clearing, and leaving the ball.
9. Contested aerial duels
AdvancedEquipment: One ball, four cones, two players, a server.
Setup: Mark a 33 x 33 ft (10 x 10m) grid with a target zone at each end; server lofts from outside.
Two players compete for a lofted serve inside a 33 x 33 ft (10 x 10m) grid. Attacker scores by heading to a target; defender scores by clearing beyond a line.
Coaching cue: Win the body position first. Contact hip-to-hip before the ball arrives decides most duels.
Progression: Progress: serve without warning so both players must react. Regress: make the defender passive for the first reps.
10. Defensive clearance under pressure
AdvancedEquipment: Balls, a goal, cones marking the box, two attackers.
Setup: Defender starts on the penalty spot; server plays long balls in from 49 ft (15m) outside the area.
Serve long balls into your own box with two attackers pressing. The defender must clear high, long, and wide, then recover to the edge of the box.
Coaching cue: Get under the ball, contact the lower half, and clear it to the touchline — never square across your own goal.
Progression: Progress: add a second defender and play live from the clearance. Regress: remove one attacker.
Progressions and regressions
Progress a drill by adding a moving serve, a defender, a target, or a time constraint. Regress it by removing the jump, softening the ball, or shortening the serve distance. If technique breaks down — the eyes close, the neck goes loose, contact drifts to the crown — regress immediately rather than pushing through. Players learn heading in the reps that look correct, not in the ones that merely happen.
For youth teams, check the age restrictions on our youth soccer heading rules page before including any heading in a session plan.
Train this skill
Keep building your heading
Take the technique into repetition and then into the match.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best heading drills for beginners?
Seated self-tosses, kneeling partner headers and standing wall headers. All three remove the jump so the player can focus entirely on flat forehead contact, a locked neck and open eyes.
How do you practise heading without a partner?
Use a wall or a rebounder. Toss the ball into the wall from 6 ft 6 in (2m) and head the rebound back continuously. Seated self-tosses also need no partner at all, and a ball suspended from a net or crossbar lets you rehearse timing on your own.
What age should you start heading drills?
In the US, no heading at 10 and under. From U12 you can introduce limited technique drills — around 30 minutes per week and 15 to 20 headers per player. Check your federation's rules before planning any session.
How do I improve my heading accuracy?
Turn the whole trunk toward the target before contact, meet the ball in front of your face, and strike through its centre with the flat forehead. Directional headers to cone targets are the fastest way to build it.
How often should you practise heading drills?
Two short sessions per week is plenty for most players. Keep contact volume low — 15 to 30 quality repetitions per session beats hundreds of sloppy ones, and it keeps cumulative head-impact load down.
What equipment do you need for heading drills?
A properly inflated ball one size down for youth players, a wall or a partner, and cones. Foam or under-inflated balls are ideal for the first weeks of technique work.
What is the best heading drill for beginners?
Seated self-tosses. Removing the jump lets a player focus entirely on forehead contact, a locked neck, and keeping the eyes open through the strike.
How do you make heading drills game-realistic?
Add a defender, a live server crossing from wide, and a target. Heading in a match is decided by movement and timing, so drills should force players to attack a moving ball from a run.