Shots & Offense > Pull Shot
Foosball Pull Shot
The foosball pull shot is when you pull the rod towards your body and kick the ball in the goal all in one fluid motion. The most important thing when learning the pull shot is to get all of the basics mastered before trying to increase your shot speed. Just like any other game or sport, learning table soccer is a step by step process that begins with the fundamentals. The proper set up includes making sure your offensive 3 bar is pushed as far as it can be against the far wall of your foosball table. This will maximize the amount of movement your opponent has to guard in front of the goal. Start by setting up the ball on the inside of your middle man and then pull the rod toward your body. While you are pulling the rod towards yourself, you will need to spin the foosball man's toe around the back of the ball and move slightly faster than it in order to get behind it and kick it square in the goal. If you are unable to hit the ball square, you will end up shooting a spray shot. Spray shots have more cons than they do pros, so it is best to avoid getting in the habit of spraying your pull shots.
Pull Shot Level of Difficulty
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Learning to Set Up the Pull Shot
The final step before you actually learn the techniques and methods of the pull shot is to set up the shot to allow the highest percentage possible to score the goal. The idea is to position the ball as closely as possible to the inside of your middle offensive player. If you can fit the ball snugly against your center man as the rod is pushed all the way into the table, you will make your opponent defend the maximum amount of goal space and be able to control the shot more effectively. Your man should also always start at a straight up and down position and the ball should be placed directly beneath the bar. A lot of foosball players get in the bad habit of tilting their man backwards at a slight angle because they think this gives them a speed advantage. This will actually cause you to spray your pull shot more often and will slow down your lateral movement on the pull.
The final step before you actually learn the techniques and methods of the pull shot is to set up the shot to allow the highest percentage possible to score the goal. The idea is to position the ball as closely as possible to the inside of your middle offensive player. If you can fit the ball snugly against your center man as the rod is pushed all the way into the table, you will make your opponent defend the maximum amount of goal space and be able to control the shot more effectively. Your man should also always start at a straight up and down position and the ball should be placed directly beneath the bar. A lot of foosball players get in the bad habit of tilting their man backwards at a slight angle because they think this gives them a speed advantage. This will actually cause you to spray your pull shot more often and will slow down your lateral movement on the pull.
Pull Shot Techniques and Methods
Most beginners tend to grip the table soccer handle with their hand too hard. Keeping a loose grip on the handle will allow for maximum movement and speed and limit your resistance. You will know that you are holding the handle right if there is some space between your palm and the handle. Remember, a foosball handle is not a tennis racket! Another tip when shooting the pull shot is to turn your wrist quickly and the rod should spin about 180 degrees when taking the shot. Turning your wrist a quarter of a turn will not provide enough speed on your shot. Placing the Pull Shot If you examine your foosball table you will find that the goal is a total of 5.8 widths of the actual foosball. Obviously, this means that you have 5 "holes" that you can place the pull shot in. Also, the defensive player has 2 defensive men that are in front of the goal, covering 2 of these holes. Your objective is to place the pull shot in 1 of these 3 open holes. See the pull shot placement diagram for an example of the 5 holes that you can place your pull shot in. |
Reading the Pull Shot Defense
Much like poker, you should pay attention to your opponent to see if they have any "tells" about their defense strategy. Some players will consistently move their players in the same back and forth motion, and by observing these patterns, you can time your shot accordingly. Other players will wait until you begin your movement before leaving their position and some may leave the straight shot open more often. This is why it helps to play many foosball players to learn the different styles of defense.
Much like poker, you should pay attention to your opponent to see if they have any "tells" about their defense strategy. Some players will consistently move their players in the same back and forth motion, and by observing these patterns, you can time your shot accordingly. Other players will wait until you begin your movement before leaving their position and some may leave the straight shot open more often. This is why it helps to play many foosball players to learn the different styles of defense.