Tips and Tricks for Foosball / Table Soccer

Foosball Push Shots

Author:

Affiliate Disclaimer

As an affiliate, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases. We get commissions for purchases made through links on this website from Amazon and other third parties.

One of the most common positions of Foosball game is usually playing Foosball offense as well as shooting the ball. A lot of players practice Foosball passing and shots at approximately 90% rather than practicing defense.

Most players practice it since it’s quite difficult to practice Foosball defense when playing the game by yourself. One of the best ways to transcribe real shots is by practicing the real game. As a result, it’s quite challenging to find great defensive players.

Here is a detailed review of Foosball push shots and how you can master this particular shot.

Foosball Push Shots Overview

Foosball push shot is generally the opposite q pull shot where you push the foosball rod far away from yourself and then shoot it in a smooth motion.

The foosball push shot is perhaps the third most common shot behind the snake shot and pull shot. Foosball experts do not recommend making the push shot your main shot, but you can pair it with other shots to keep your opponents guessing your subsequent move and on their toes.

Foosball push shot is an easy and common shot which is used by many beginners when they begin playing Foosball game for the first time. This type of shot does not require any professional ball control and that’s the main reason why it’s considered one of the easiest Foosball shots.

Foosball push shot is taken utilizing the middle man of the offensive 3 bar rod and it is then finished in the pull shot’s opposite direction. The push shot is usually taken by pushing your ball from the beginning point and then kicking it towards the goal.

How to Set Up a Foosball Push Shot

When it comes to setting up the foosball push shot, you should set the ball properly to the left part of the middle man and then pull the rod close to you. It’s necessary to place the ball as close as possible to the center or middle man to create a high probability of scoring a goal.

If there’s a slight gap between the middle man and your ball during the time of pushing your rod then the ball might jump earlier than the middle man and it’s quite difficult to catch your ball again and kick it. Besides, this kind of position might also make your opponents defend the biggest part of the goal area.

You should take a shot by keeping your middle man straight up and down and then place the ball under the 3-bar man. Some Foosball players have a habit of tilting their middle man while taking any shots because they think that by keeping the center man tilting backward they’ll get a quick shot or even increase the speed of the shot.

However, keeping the middle man tilting during the game might turn the foosball push shot to a spray shot and the drawback of spray shots is that they usually slow down the speed of the shot.

To properly set up the push shot, you should ensure that you pull your offensive 3 bar as far as possible towards the wall of the near you. By doing that, you’ll ensure that you get a maximum room on the rod to help you push it during the shot and also maximize the amount of goal area your opponent will block.

Methods and Techniques of Foosball Push Shots

The best way to hold the foosball handle is to leave some space between your palm and the handle. Most of the players grip the handle pretty hard using their hands. Nevertheless, keeping the foosball handle quite hard will only minimize the speed and movement and might also limit the obstruction capability.

Some players also hold the foosball handle so tightly just like a tennis racket. By holding the foosball handle tightly you will only limit the smooth movement of your rod.

Learning How to Place a Foosball Push Shot

In most cases, if you check the goal purpose of the Foosball table then you will discover that the goal is approximately 5.8 widths of a Foosball. That means that the foosball goal has five holes where you can put a push shot. Nonetheless, the defensive comes with a pair of defensive middle man ahead of the foosball goal which covers these two holes. Therefore, you should position the push shot in one of the three open holes.

Reading the Defense of Foosball Push Shot


Just like in other games or sports, reading the opponent team is usually vital if you want to beat them. To play skillfully, you should always pay attention to the style of defense used by your opponent to learn any common patterns and movements they might have.

Most of the players normally get used to the same rocking movement and you can effortlessly exploit that if you are watching the timing of the defense when making a foosball push shot. Some other players usually wait until you start your movements to leave their positions and some might leave the shot undefended more often.

That’s why it good to play with different foosball players for you to learn the various styles used in foosball defense.

Playing Foosball Defense


There is a wide range of defense styles that you’ll see different players utilize in the game. Expert recommends learning all these styles to be able to alter your defensive styles during every game.

By doing that, you’ll throw off your opposing team and give you an advantage when it comes to predicting the next move of the opponent and the right timing as well.

Moreover, as you starting learning more about the various foosball offense plays and shots, you’ll become more experienced in the defensive part of the game and completely master the shot.

Foosball Defense Tips

The most fundamental style of foosball defense is a method that will work against beginner or intermediate players is incredibly simple and also easy to learn. Here are some of the most common tips to help you with foosball defense.

Always play the defense technique

Your main task when playing defense is to follow the foosball regardless of where it is on the foosball table. Most of the beginner players get distracted or do not realize that lots of the reflected shots can be blocked by following the foosball on the table when they’re learning defense play. Your men should always move with the ball when playing foosball offense.

Never Shoot From Your Center Goal Defensive Man

Your main objective in foosball defense play is to limit your opponent’s probability to score. Having mentioned that, if you’re playing the foosball game strategically there’s no reason for you to shoot from your middle man on the defensive 3 rod.

This foosball shot has a high percentage of being foosed by the opposing team than any other foosball shot on the table because you’re positioned in front of the middle goal. Rather than using the middle man to shoot, always position them in a position to avoid any potential shots that might bounce back your way.

Move all Your 2 defense rods as One Defensive Unit

Ensure that your defensive players don’t overlap each other and also avoid going back and forth. To achieve that, you can space the defensive men a tad apart in a special formation so there’s not enough width for your ball to go between your men.

Avoid Bounces and Ricochets Off Your Defense

One of the most frustrating goals are the ones that you can avoid with a couple of defensive basics. By tilting your center men backwards when some obvious shots are about to hit the wall, you’ll avoid accidental bounces from getting to your men and also scoring on yourself. You should allow the ball to hit the wall and then catch it with the 2 bar defense rod instead.

Alter Your Patterns and Movements

When you are playing defense against some more experienced players, it’s vital to learn how to alternate your defensive patterns and movements to distract your opponents and also make your defense unpredictable.

Practicing Foosball Offense

When it comes to foosball offense possession is vital. Once you possess the ball and also learn how to properly control it and you will be able to set up the ball to score.To develop the best foosball offense play, you should practice passing and shooting. Here are some common methods that can help you practice and also improve your offense foosball play.

We have another article on how to practice foosball solo you can read here.

Watch the Hands of Your Opponent

Observe your opponent carefully and check how they usually reach for their rods. If you take a shot when they are in the center of a switch, you will considerably increase your chances on getting a shot. You can try drawing them into a switch to open up some opportunities for a foosball push shot.

Practicing Passing

Passing is one of the best methods to keep control of your ball by executing the right kind of offense play. It will keep the opposing team on their toes and also help you get the ball nearer to their goal. Most foosball players usually work on practicing particular passes and shots. There are lots of options and techniques that players develop to improve possession of a foosball ball and passing is the best way to practice foosball offense.

Tilt Stop Beneath your Players Without Going Out of Control

One of the ways to tell if you have mastered the tilt when it comes to the control of the ball if it doesn’t slip under your players without getting caught by the player’s feet. The ideal tilt will assist you in mastering possession when you are playing offense.

You can also read our article on how to catch and trap the foosball here.

Mastering a Specific Foosball Shot

This unique technique is another thing you ought to practice when you are working on foosball offense. One of the main goals is to be precise and fast with all your foosball shots.

The quicker your shots the better opportunity you have when it comes to scoring a goal and winning. The main objective is to score without spending lots of time arranging for a special motion or utilizing lots of different methods when trying to get the foosball in.

For a list of the different types of foosball, shots read our article here.

How do you Pass Your Foosball?

If you are a beginner in foosball game there are some small passing moves that you can easily practice and later combine with some other passes to give you some strong moves. Here are some of the common passes you can try.

Simple stick pass

One of simplest pass is learning how to pass the ball between defensive players while on a similar rod. You can practice how to hit a ball so that it can go in a straight line, which is a good method to break down the foosball pass. This pass does not only help in controlling the players but it also maintains control over your ball.

Lane Pass

The other pass is straight from one of the players of the rod to another on the rod. You not only need to focus on setting up your aim you also need to prevent your opponents and try to maintain control and steering the ball to the other side of the players for a shot or for another pass.

About the author

Latest posts

  • Top 8 Foosball Covers -Ultimate Guide

    Top 8 Foosball Covers -Ultimate Guide

    Welcome to your ultimate guide to the top 8 foosball covers for perfect gameplay! If you’re a foosball lover looking to enhance your gaming experience, this is for you. We’ve scoured the market to find the best foosball covers that will protect your table. So, get ready to take your foosball game to the next…

    Read more

  • Tornado Foosball Tables Manufacturer

    Tornado Foosball Tables Manufacturer

    Tornado Foosball Tables Tornado Foosball Tables have been a leading brand in the world of tournament-style foosball for over 40 years. Known for their high-quality construction and exceptional performance, Tornado tables have become synonymous with the sport itself. As the official table of foosball tournaments, Tornado has established a strong reputation for delivering an unparalleled…

    Read more

  • Shelti Foosball Tables Manufacturer

    Shelti Foosball Tables Manufacturer

    What Differentiates Shelti Foosball Tables from Tornado Foosball Tables? Shelti foosball tables offer a unique playing experience compared to those by tornado foosball tables manufacturer. The key differences lie in the craftsmanship and design, providing players with a distinct feel and gameplay. Whether it’s the materials used or the engineering, each brand offers its own…

    Read more