Football rebounders are a popular piece of football training equipment used at all levels of the game, including professionally. Rebounders are loved due to their immense versatility, helping players hone various skills, including passing, shooting, and ball control. Whether it’s some solo practice or group training sessions, football rebounders are an essential piece of kit. In this guide, we reveal how to use a football rebounder to help improve your skills and transform your game.
What is a football rebounder?
A football rebounder is a versatile piece of football training equipment, featuring a sturdy net or panel designed to return the ball when kicked or thrown against it. Football rebounders are portable, durable, and can be used on all surfaces.
Rebounders come in many different shapes and sizes, including flat panels that can be held in hand or placed on the surface, dual-sided rebounders that can be stood up between players, and target nets that can be attached to the goal.
Benefits of training with a rebounder
- Consistent practice: Football rebounders enable repetitive training drills to achieve muscle memory development.
- Versatility: Football rebounders can be used to improve many skills, helping players in every position.
- Solo training: Football rebounders are perfect for individual practice when teammates aren’t available.
- Group training: Football rebounders can be utilised in team sessions, such as shooting and passing accuracy.
- Customisable difficulty: Football rebounders can create different angles, allowing players to work on various techniques.
READ ALSO: Football training equipment to use at home
Improving passing accuracy
Football rebounders are a fantastic asset when looking to improve passing accuracy. With rebounders, players can easily practice short passing in tight areas and long balls with laser precision. The best drills will focus on delivering accurate passes aimed at the rebounder and then receiving the ball back with tight ball control.
A suggested drill for passing accuracy:
Players can try passing the ball to the rebounder with varying power and at different angles. Focus on controlling the return ball quickly and accurately.
Enhancing shooting skills
If players and teams can nail their reaction to penalty box rebounds, numerous goalscoring opportunities will present themselves. Football rebounders can simulate receiving and reacting to unexpected rebounds, helping players improve those important goal-scoring instincts. Rebounders can play a particularly key role in practising volleys and shooting off unpredictable bounces.
A suggested drill for shooting skills:
Strike the ball at the rebounder from different angles and then practice scoring from the resulting rebound, focusing on technique and accuracy.
READ ALSO: What are the best penalty kick training drills?
Mastering ball control
The unpredictable ball bounce a football rebounder can create is a fantastic way to improve reaction time and control under pressure. Ball control is one of the most essential football skills, aiding players in every position. Being able to control the ball efficiently from passes or rebounds with a great first touch can make all the difference, leading to attacking opportunities and defensive manoeuvres.
A suggested drill for ball control:
Kick the ball against the rebounder and use one-touch or two-touch control to trap the ball and reposition it before passing it back against the rebounder.
READ ALSO: What are the best goalkeeper training drills?
Building agility and reaction time
Players can use rebounders to sharpen their reflexes and agility. A rebounder can force a player to quickly anticipate where a ball might land and react accordingly. This can benefit every player, but goalkeepers in particular, who need to use great instincts and quick footwork to position themselves to make game-winning saves.
A suggested drill for agility and reaction time:
Goalkeepers can practise throwing the ball against the rebounder and reacting quickly to catch it in whichever direction it flies. Outfield players can practise passing against the rebounders and then repositioning themselves.
READ ALSO: Why is reaction time important in football, and how do you improve it?
Encouraging creative play
Football rebounders can be a great asset in encouraging creativity on the pitch. The ability to improvise and think outside the box can make all the difference come game time. The return ball from a rebounder can challenge players of all abilities to think on their feet. This can lead to improved improvisation and creativity during real-match situations. Football rebound drills should, therefore, be used to encourage dynamic actions that combine passing, shooting and dribbling.
A suggested drill for creative play:
Pass the ball to a rebounder and use a creative first touch, such as a flick, turn, or feint, to control the rebound. Continue the movement by dribbling past a cone and shooting at the goal.
READ ALSO: The best cone drills to improve your football training sessions
5 football rebounder drills to improve your skills
- One-touch passing: Pass the ball to the rebounder and control its return with one touch.
- Volley practice: Strike the ball into the rebounder to practice volleys from rebounds.
- First-touch control: Kick the ball at the rebounder and control its return before it hits the ground.
- Quick reactions: Pass to the rebounder and move laterally to receive the rebound from different angles.
- Creative play: Receive the ball from the rebounder with a turn or faint, dribble and then shoot at the goal.
READ ALSO: Essential football game equipment for home matches
How to choose the right rebounder
When choosing the right rebounder, consider factors including size, versatility, and portability. It’s important to think about its primary use. For example, you might be buying for some specific training at home or want a rebounder for general-purpose team training.
Here at Diamond Football, we have a range of rebound football boards available to purchase:
- Consider our Pro-metal rebounder for short passing accuracy training.
- Try the Diamond rebound board for long-distance passing.
- The Goalkeeper rebound net is ideal for reaction time training.
- The Corner shot is an excellent choice for honing shooting skills.
Incorporate football rebounders into your training with the tips in this guide and browse our website for a range of options. We supply quality football products to every Premier League club, including equipment like football ladders.
