General Helpful Hints

- always be in a ready stance, with feet pointing ahead and shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent, weight low and slightly forward.
- with the basic kicks/hits, usually you should face the direction that you want to direct the ball to as you contact it.
- approach contact with the ball in a slow, easy and relaxed fashion, it is more important to first develope good timing (knowing when and how to contact the ball) than it is to kick the ball hard.
- the support leg provides your balance so should maintain a low profile and be flexed at the knee as your other foot executes the kick.
- ambidexterity is key to being a more versatile player, when ball approaches your right side, kick it with your right foot - leftside, left foot

Gravity-defying Moves

While there are certain basic rules to sepak takraw, the game varies according to the type of being played, as well as the place where it is being played. In a village, for example, there is often no referee. The winning player is usually the one who puts on the best show.

The intricacy and speed of the methods used to send the ball aloft are sensational. The basics involve the sole kick (using the arch or sole of the foot), the instep kick, knee kick, shin kick, shoulder kick, or head kick. The more advanced maneuvers are cross-legged jump kick, (crossing your left leg over your right and leaping up to kick the ball with the instep of the left foot). Another version is the cross-legged knee kick, for which the player crosses his left leg over his right above the right knee, and then leaps into the air kicking the ball with his right knee.

A spike is much more difficult in sepak takraw than volleyball, because slamming the ball down hard means getting your feet above the net. The movement required is a bit like a bicycle kick in football, jumping and flipping in the air to kick the ball. After a bicycle kick a footballer usually lands on their back, but professional sepak takraw players are athletic enough to execute a spike and land on their feet. A good spike or spiker is often referred to as the 'killer'.

The most breathtaking and difficult of these feats are known as the roll spike, where the player leaps into the air to kick the ball over the opposite shoulder, and the 'sunback' or stingray spike, a similar scissors kick but over the same shoulder. Perhaps the most brutal kick of all is the horse-kick serve, made famous by Thailand's Suebsak Phunsueb, who is widely regarded as the best player in the world. Suebsak has been confounding opponents for a decade by serving the ball to opponents at a blistering pace using the sole of his shoe.

Basic Skills of Sepaktakraw

Inside Kick.

Arguably it is the most important skill. This is the kick you will use the most. Watch any top class players in action and you'll see that this is the control kick of choice. This move sets up all the killer spikes. While doing an inside kick, you should stand in a good athletic stance. Feet shoulder width apart. Remember to bend your support leg at the knee. And, it is important, always keep an eye on the ball! The kicking motion is easy and don't swing at the ball too hard. The ball is bouncy and you need to just hit it in the right spot on your foot as well as with the proper motion. Try a few times of simply tossing the ball to yourself. Focus on the ball and pop it back up to your hands. Catch the ball and then try again. Do this until the ball is consistently coming back up with ease and pop it back up to your hands. Once you have gained consistency in this drill you can begin to try to link some kicks together. Try dropping to your strong foot, popping the ball up and then kicking with your weak foot before catching the ball. Try to link three kicks together, on alternating feet. You should be able to see your progression. All rights reserved. Spiker Dek is owned by Sport Action International in the promotion of sepaktakraw in the Takraw Thailand League. All rights reserved.

Knee/Thigh kick.

The knee and thigh is used when the ball comes fast towards the area between your knees and your waist. This skill is used to "bump" or deflect the ball up enough to use an inside kick to control the ball. It is also used when kicking consecutive kicks or in a circle and the ball gets to close to your body. The motion is like a high step marching motion. Simply raise the leg with your hip allowing your knee to bend.Try to contact the ball on the thigh where possible instead of the knee as it provides better control. Make sure the ball hits the fleshy part of the thigh to "bump" the ball up and out a bit. Try a few back up to your hands. Once you feel comfortable, try to link with one inside kick, then catch the ball. Do this over and over until it comes naturally. Once you get this combination and doing it naturally without thinking, you will be aware of your improvement in skill.

Header.

The header is probably the second most important skill to have, especially in the net game. The header is used to pop up a ball that comes higher than the waist. The best way to learn the header is like the inside kick. The contact point should be just above the forehead at he hairline, not too much on the forehead and not too much on the top of the head, right in between. Toss the ball to yourself, hit it with your head and then catch it. Do this several times until you feel comfortable with this skill. When doing the header, remember to bend your knees and get low beneath the ball. Like the other kicks, you don't need to focus on power but on accuracy and placement. The next step in this skill drill is to toss the ball higher and again control it with your head before catching the ball. It hurts a bit at first, but you'll get use to it. The graduating step is to a header from a high inside kick or from a header to a controlling inside kick. Try both combinations as you will be using both of them as you begin to play more

Front kick/Toe kick.

The toe kick is a defensive kick, great for saving a ball that has gotten out in front of you. It is not, however, a good control kick. Those who play soccer may disagree, but in sepaktakraw the inside is the right way. Learn the toe kick for saves,the inside for control. The toe kick is achieved by placing the foot out for the ball and depending on the height of the, either lifting the foot with your hip or just letting the ball bounce off. You don't need much power because the ball tends to fly off uncontrollably. Do it slow and take it easy. Like the other kicks, do the same toss and catch drill. Then try with different combinations. Do the same progression.
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