Pull-Push
Pull the ball back with the sole and push it forward with the laces of the same foot, in a rhythm, then away at an angle: futsal's most basic way to keep the ball moving under a defender.
Hear the coach on this drill
Every line the Audio Coach says in this drill, played back to back; the time beside each is when it comes in the 8-minute drill. No account needed.
Set-up
A square of floor about three steps a side with a cone at each corner and one ball in the middle. A hard floor is ideal and a futsal ball helps, because it does not bounce away from the sole, but any ball works.
What you need
- 1 futsal ball or soccer ball
- 4 cones
The ground: 8 × 8 ft (about 2 × 2 m). One child can run it alone in a backyard. The space and equipment check lists every drill that fits the ground you have.
How to run it
- Set up. Four cones make a square about three steps a side. The child stands in the middle with the ball.
- Pull. Sole on top of the ball and pull it back towards the standing foot.
- Push. Straight away nudge it forward again with the laces of the same foot, no further than a step.
- Rhythm. Pull, push, pull, push, on the spot, ten times with the right and ten with the left.
- Angle. Pull back and push out at an angle to a cone, then pull-push again when you get there.
- Count it. One final minute round the square, counting the pulls out loud. Write the number down.
Coaching points
- The pull and the push are one movement, with no pause between them
- The push is a nudge, so the ball never leaves the foot's reach
- Lean slightly over the ball, with the standing knee bent
What to watch: The push running away. The laces touch is a small nudge, no further than a step; a big push leaves the ball out of reach for the next pull.
Common mistakes
- Pushing the ball too far, out of reach of the next pull
- Pausing between the pull and the push
- Standing upright with a locked knee
- Only ever using the stronger foot
What good looks like
A good target: 40 clean pulls in 60 seconds round the square, the ball always within a step.
Progressions and variations
Making it harder
- Level 1: Slow pull-pushes on the spot, ten each foot
- Level 2: Twenty in a rhythm with each foot
- Level 3: Round the square, a pull-push at every cone
- Level 4: Forty pulls in a minute round the square
- Level 5: A parent calls left or right at every cone
- Level 6: Alternate feet on every pull
Alone, with a sibling, or in a group
- Solo: count pulls in a minute and chase your own record.
- Sibling: one calls left or right and the other pushes out to that side.
- Co-op: a leader calls the foot and the direction for a whole line of players.
Adjusting it by age
- U14: Stay on the spot at first and count pulls slowly, adding the square only once the rhythm is there.
- U18: Shrink the square to two steps, add the called direction, and finish with a short race round it.
For the parent running it
- A square of floor about three steps a side with a cone at each corner. The ball is pulled back with the sole and pushed forward again, never kicked.
Safety
- A dry floor only: the standing foot needs grip while the other is on the ball
More on training safely at home: Safety at Home.
Why it matters
The pull-push keeps the ball moving and within reach at the same time, which is how a futsal player stays on the ball with a defender a step away.
Related drills
Toe Taps & Sole Rolls
Alternate tapping the top of the ball with each foot (toe taps), then roll the ball forward/back with the sole.
Juggling Challenge
Keep the ball in the air using feet, thighs, and head. Count consecutive touches.
Sole Roll Turns
Move the ball with the sole only, rolling it across the body and dragging it back to turn, the way futsal players keep it close on a hard floor.
Sole Combinations
Chain sole rolls with inside and outside touches in fixed combinations, called out loud: the footwork futsal players link together to beat a defender in a tight space.
Run it with the Audio Coach
In Spatrian the Audio Coach talks your player through this drill while they play it, and each run goes on their own training record, which their coach or personal trainer can read and, for a homeschool family, counts as PE time. The beta is opening to a small first group of players and families.