Bicycle Kick
An acrobatic strike in which a player kicks the ball backward over their own head while airborne with both feet off the ground.
Definition
The bicycle kick is performed by throwing the body backward into the air and swinging the legs in a pedalling motion to strike the ball back over the head. The player then lands on their back or side, so timing and body control are essential to execute it cleanly and safely.
Primarily a football (soccer) skill, it is used to shoot or clear a ball arriving at chest or head height when the player is facing away from the target. Because it is difficult and spectacular, a well-taken bicycle-kick goal is among the most celebrated in the sport. It is related to, but distinct from, the scissor kick, and the terms are sometimes used loosely.
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Movement patterns
- BackpedalControlled backward locomotion performed while facing forward, staying low and pushing off the balls of the feet in short strides to stay reactive and keep play in view.
- LandingThe controlled absorption of force at ground contact that ends an airborne phase, dissipating impact through eccentric triple flexion of the ankle, knee and hip.
- Shuffle (Lateral Shuffle)A low, athletic side-to-side stepping pattern in which the feet never cross, used to reposition and stay balanced and reactive while keeping the shoulders square to a target.
Equipment
- Golf clubA shafted club with a specialised head used to strike the ball around a golf course.
- Mountain bikeA rugged bicycle built for rough, off-road terrain, with wide knobbly tyres, low gearing and suspension to absorb uneven ground.
- Football boots (cleats)Studded footwear that grips the pitch for football and other field sports.
- Road bikeA lightweight bicycle built for speed and efficiency on paved surfaces.
Rules
- Penalty kick awardA one-on-one kick against the goalkeeper awarded when a defending player commits a direct-free-kick foul inside their own penalty area.
- Direct and indirect free kicksThe two types of free kick awarded in football to restart play after a foul or other stoppage.
- Backcourt violationA basketball rule breach for returning the ball into a team's own defensive half after it has crossed into the attacking half.
- The maulThe contest for a ball held off the ground in rugby union — how a maul differs from a ruck, why that difference changes what players may legally do, and why it is a driving weapon.
- The padel servePadel's underarm serve, set out exactly — the bounce before the strike, the waist-height limit, where the server's feet must be, and the wire-mesh fault that has no tennis equivalent.
Techniques
- HeaderA technique for controlling or striking the ball with the forehead in football, used to pass, shoot or clear the ball in the air.
- Volleyball SetAn overhead pass using the fingertips of both hands to place the ball accurately for a teammate to attack.
- Padel BandejaA controlled overhead shot in padel, hit with slice and moderate pace to keep the player at the net without over-committing.
- Kicking in rugby unionThe kicks rugby union is played with — punt, grubber, box kick, up-and-under, drop kick and place kick — what each achieves and which law governs its use.
- LayupA close-range basketball shot taken while moving toward the basket, laying the ball softly off the backboard or over the rim.
Positions
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- Provenance
- Tier A — evergreen educational
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- Content updated
- 2026-09-01
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