5 Easy Hacky Sack Tricks Every Beginner Should Learn First

If you've got the basics down — inside kick, outside kick, a somewhat reliable knee kick — the next step is learning actual tricks. Here are five beginner moves achievable within a week of practice, roughly ordered easiest to hardest.

Before You Start: Learn to Stall

Most tricks involve a stall — pausing the bag on a flat surface of your body before continuing. The foot stall (resting the bag on your shoelaces, foot lifted slightly) is the foundation. If you can't stall yet, start there. Everything else builds on it.

1. The Foot Stall (Difficulty: 1/5)

Drop the bag from above your lifted foot and let it land softly on top of your shoe. The key is a soft, slightly cupped foot — the bag needs a small pocket to sit in. Your foot should lower slightly as the bag arrives to absorb impact. Practice catching the bag from a drop before trying it mid-kick.

2. The Knee Stall (Difficulty: 2/5)

Same concept but on your kneecap. Pop the bag up to knee height, extend your knee flat (leg roughly 90 degrees), and let it land on the flat of your kneecap. The trick is getting your knee completely horizontal — any angle and the bag rolls off. Takes more repetition than the foot stall but becomes reliable fast.

3. Around the World (Difficulty: 2/5)

Pop the bag up, kick your foot in a full outward circle around it, and kick it again as your foot returns. The bag stays roughly in place while your foot loops around it. Start with a wide, slow circle and tighten it over time. The timing clicks when your foot is just returning as the bag descends.

4. The Clipper (Difficulty: 3/5)

A clipper is kicking the bag with the inside of your heel — your foot crosses behind your other leg. Pop the bag up with your dominant foot, then cross your other foot behind and clip the bag with the heel. It looks clean in a circle and once you get the angle it's surprisingly consistent. Best "impressive to onlookers" beginner trick.

5. The Chest Stall (Difficulty: 3/5)

Pop the bag high above your head, lean back slightly, and let it come down onto your chest. Bend slightly forward at the moment of contact to create a pocket. The bag should come to a near-stop on your sternum. Easier than it sounds once you stop flinching — the instinct to avoid something falling toward your face is the main obstacle.

Tricks are easier with a bag that responds predictably. A properly weighted 32-panel foot bag makes these moves feel learnable, not frustrating. Find yours at Good Kicks →