41 year old newbie here with a question

[foggymorning162]

First welcome to MT.
I know everyone has already said it but...stretch. I have arthritis and if I don't warm up and then stretch before class kicking hurts a lot. As for your daughter kicking higher than you I teach kids the little $#!%& are extremely flexible and girls (kids and adults) seem to have more flexabiltiy in the hips which makes sense if you think about it with the whole child birth thing. As for turning your heal that is the way we teach a side kick when you turn your heal it opens the hips which is why you feel pain if you don't.

 

[matsu]

again some great advice for a fellow old git!

make sure your techniques are right certainly foot placement will enhance your kicks.
stretching gently will also allow you to kick higher and better.

also and my knowledge of tkd is limted but you have picked an art where they pride themselves on high dynamic kicking, perhaps a different art would suit you more?
wing chun for example, we never kick to higher than midsection and mostly front kicks.
i dropped from karate as it hurt my hip injuries from various reasons.and although i can kick high its a one off technique so if i miss my hips dont allow me the flexibilty to recover and deliver another quick move.
wing chun gives me more than enough options so i dont have to use my kicks at all.
just my tuppence
matsu

 

[zDom]

You will also need to strengthen your "lift up the leg" muscles in addition to becoming more flexible.

The best way to do this is practice kicking as high as you can with good form.

Objectivity is a good thing: put marks on a fence or basketball goal pole, for example, to aim at so you have a better idea of exactly how high you are kicking. Make marks higher as you get comfortable with your baseline marks.

 

[SA_BJJ]

I experienced this as well when I first started back in Karate after a 20 year layoff. Nothing like being 10 and a junior blackbelt and able to stretch your body anyway you want going to a 30 year old man who hasnt stretched effectively over time and cant kick above the mid hip area.

It is an extrememly slow process. Start wip some hip opening exercises, and just take your time. Hold your stretches anywhere from 45 secs - 2 mins. Relax and breathe. The road to flexibility is no sprint, especially for those of us that havent stretched in years. Grab a beginners yoga video and make sure you just stretch everyday no matter what. Also, you want to alternate how you stretch just as you alternate how you lift wieghts. Heavy stretching one day and light the next. After your heavy stretching days you may feel somewhat sore. Make sure you are drinking ALOT of water.

Hope this helps.

PS you can youtube various stretches to help you with hip flexibility.