Heading Tutorials
Every step-by-step heading tutorial on the site, in the order we teach them.
How to Head a Soccer Ball
The six-step technique tutorial: tracking flight, setting your base, bracing the neck, forehead contact and directing the ball. Start here if heading still feels uncomfortable.
Open tutorial10 Heading Drills, Beginner to Advanced
A full drill library with setup, coaching cues and progressions — solo wall work through to contested aerial duels.
Open tutorialHow to Score a Header
The six-step finishing tutorial: making the run, attacking the front of the ball and directing headers down past the keeper.
Open tutorialWinning Aerial Duels
How duels are measured, why most players lose them at the jump, and the positioning that fixes it.
Open tutorialThe 7-Day Heading Challenge
A guided week of daily 15-minute tutorials, one skill per day, progressing from contact to crosses.
Open tutorialHeading Technique Checklist
The printable one-page summary of the technique and the five coaching cues.
Open tutorialChoose the right tutorial
Start with the problem you can observe rather than the most spectacular header. If a player closes their eyes or waits for the ball, begin with the six-step technique guide. If the contact is controlled but the ball keeps missing the target, use the directional exercises in the drill library. If the player reaches the ball late, study approach movement and flight reading before trying to jump higher. Choosing one objective makes the tutorial easier to apply.
Read the whole setup before beginning an exercise. Identify who serves the ball, where the player starts, what counts as a successful attempt and when the activity stops. A clear target lets you judge the outcome, while a consistent delivery lets you judge the movement. Changing the ball height, pace, distance and target at the same time makes it difficult to know why a repetition worked or failed.
Treat a progression as a choice, not a compulsory next step. A player who can redirect a predictable toss is not automatically ready for a fast cross or an opponent. Keep the task simple until the movement is comfortable and the player can explain the intended target. For a coach, a useful observation is more specific than “be brave”: name the early step, the balanced base or the chosen direction.
The finishing and aerial-duel tutorials address different decisions. A finishing header concerns the run, the goalkeeper and the destination of the ball. A duel concerns position relative to an opponent and the outcome after first contact. A defender can win contact but still send the ball into danger. Use the relevant guide to review the whole action, including landing, recovery and the second ball.
Check age and competition restrictions before any deliberate heading. If the activity is not permitted, use the movement and flight-reading parts without head contact. No tutorial, warm-up or equipment choice guarantees safety. Stop if a player is uncomfortable or develops symptoms and follow the applicable concussion procedure. The printable checklist is a reminder of coaching cues, not medical clearance or proof that a player is ready for a harder task.