TST Curriculum 2025 : Parts #1 - #6
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TST Curriculum : Levels (part #5) : Fundamental Foot shapes (FFSs) breakdown [Apply where necessary].
Fundamental Foot shapes (FFSs) : When playing, players will constantly be changing their foot-shapes when interacting with the ball. FFSs simplify these into a small number of foot-shapes. The FFS exercises maximizes the exposure to not only to FFSs but also the speed and neatness that a player can move form one foot-shape to another.
These are the main foot-shapes.
Foot locked up - used for drag backs / foot on top of the ball
Open foot (90º) - used for passing / control
Foot tucked in - Used for outside / little toe touches
Foot lock down - laces touch (strike / juggle)
Partially open foot (45º) - Front foot touches / roll across
Fully open foot (135º) - Back foot touch
Closed foot (0º) - inside touch behind
The homework for TST players are the foot-shape exercises in the flip-books (on the website). These exercises are 100% pure ball mastery exercises that aren't interested in space. They require just a ball. They are perfect for daily practice at home. There is no excuse.
I always do some foot-shape work (usually at the start of term) with the players i coach but do less and less as the term goes as players get bored, as progress is slow (unless players do it at home). Then start again the following term.
Does specific foot shape practice work : I don't know : But i do know that -
Very Good players can do foot-shape exercises quite easily - years of playing develops foot-shapes !
However, Very bad players, who cant do foot-shape exercises, will be a horrible player ! Question is : Are they horrible because they have horrible foot-shapes on the ball (so every touch they have is horrible), or would they still be horrible even if their foot shapes were top notch?
In summary : We want all players at TST to be very good at foot-shape exercises (eventually) - so even if they are a horrible player, at least we make sure it isn't because we didn't develop their foot-shapes.
Final Note : All footwork practice and playing, develops foot shapes. The difference with foot-shape exercises is the high number of foot-shapes and foot-shape changes squashed into tiny package of time.