Front leg or Back Leg? Which is Better??

[ThuNder_FoOt]

I'm sure some of you are aware of the different styles of Taekwondo. Which style do you prefer? One which puts more emphasis on the front leg? or the back? I'm just trying to get some general opinions.

 

[jfarnsworth]

I usually try to throw front leg kicks mainly. Their much faster especially when using your 4 basic kicks. That is just my preference.

 

[H@pkid0ist]

It all depends on what you focus on more and which one you are more comfortable with.

 

[white belt]

When used correctly, the back leg has more potential for power or deadly force. The front leg is quicker due to shorter distance from the target and less hip rotation. All else being equal between opponents, the tall man can use his front leg to keep a shorter man at bay. A short man has a quicker pivot, most times, when using his rear leg as opposed to his taller peer. It is usually a bit easier to get a front leg fighters blind side or back, even if he is taller. The gap is not what the front leg fighter wants closed from an angle. Bottom line, my favorite leg to use (front or back) depends on what I am up against body type and tactic wise. It is in all fighters, who use kicks, best interest to develop BOTH. You may come up against an opponent whose strengths negate your front leg tactics. If you don't train as hard using the rear leg, you have less backup and are now forced to play his way. Same holds true for the rear leg being favored and no coordination using the front. Using both front and back legs, switching from righty to southpaw and back, can really demoralize and crush someones spirit if he can't predict where the next bomb might come from. My favorite is what works on who is in front of me at the time. I have developed my front/rear attributes in a reasonably balanced fashion. Age and cunning beats youth and athleticism....especially if you are older and closest to the light switch! Options rule.

white belt

 

[TkdWarrior]

great post mr White Belt...
nothing more to add

Age and cunning beats youth and athleticism

so true so true... Age loads one with experience of the world(hopefully )
-TkdWarrior-

 

[fissure]

Great post white belt, especially in regard to actual fighting. As to sparring, for point I like more front leg -- as speed is king in these games of tag. For WTF/USTU, basically all back leg as it is hard to demonstrate "trembling shock" with the front.

 

[karatekid1975]

I kick off my front leg (usually right leg) a lot while sparring, but I do try to develope both. I've been working a lot on my left leg (my weaker leg technique-wise). I do have a lot of power in my right leg. Even if it's the "front" leg. So, I've been working on my left to get it to, at least, match my right.

Anyways, I'm blabbing again. Not enough coffee LOL

 

[KennethKu]

Obviously train to put power in your lead leg kicks. Sorry for stating the obvious here :asian:

 

[karatekid1975]

Good point, Kenneth. I do that ..... With my right, I have a lot of power with front leg kicks, but my left is "wimpy." LOL So I've been trying to fix this problem

 

[Milquetoast]

I was under the impression that all other things being equal, ITF style emphasizes front leg (bill wallace style? , and WTF emphasizes back leg?

 

[white belt]

I can only describe my WTF TKDs teachings. Others may focus differently. We work at developing both front and back delivery of all kicks. It is better for self defense to have a balance of alternatives. For muscle, joint and spine health using both legs, front and back, helps to avoid imbalances in physical development that could occur otherwise. My WTF GM stresses balanced development.

Bill Wallace is a fantastic Martial Artist. He broke his right knee doing Judo and from then on relied on kicking with his left foot only in a forward fashion. If he kicked with his left from the rear, the pivoting done on his right leg would have been risky and unhealthy for his altered knee. He took his few alternatives and sharpened them. He also had a hip replacement not long ago. He had chronic lumbar spine aggravation, for years, from favoring one side. Therapy/supplemental exercises for imbalances can only do so much. The specific kinetic chain activated, while kicking, is not so easy to duplicate with another type of supplemental exercise. Hope this is helpful.

white belt

 

[karatekid1975]

Milquetoast wrote:

I was under the impression that all other things being equal, ITF style emphasizes front leg (bill wallace style? , and WTF emphasizes back leg?

Me too. I do WTF TKD now, which does emphasizes back leg kicks mostly. But I came from TSD, which did both. But I developed a good front leg kick (right leg forward) from TSD, so I still use it in TKD. Most back leg kickers in my school don't expect it, and I get them every time

 

[Cliarlaoch]

I use both front and back, but I suppose it depends on the circumstances. The TKD styles I've trained in taught the basic kicks FROM THE BACK LEG, but encouraged and eventually taught front leg techniques as one advanced. The front is better for scoring in sparring, and for popping off quick, stunning techniques, but for real power one has to use the back leg. Of course, that's just my opinion, and I could be wrong. And combinations inevitably, if done well, generate massive power by using the full weight and energy of the body in motion through spins and other combination maneuvers.

And frankly, with the amount of jumping around, spinning and combinations most TKD involves, if one can actually remember which leg is the back or the front in the midst of a heated fight I'd be amazed. TKD, also known as Tae Kwon Dizzy.

--Cliarlaoch

PS: and I oughta know about the dizzy part. I'm still trying to sort out which way is up, 8 years after learning my first spinning kick.

 

[karatekid1975]

Cliarlaoch wrote:

<TKD, also known as Tae Kwon Dizzy. >


:rofl: That was good. That had me laughing for a while, because you are so right. I also like the term in the movie Ice Age, "Tae Kwon Do-Do's" hehehehehehe. That had me cracking up for an hour everytime I heard it LOL.

Attention all TKD peoples: This is a JOKE.

 

[white dragon]

I think you'll find in general, most WTF schools will place empahsis on back leg techniques as front leg kicks won't score points in a competition.

Personally I'm just as happy with either style, I'm faster off the front foot but get a greater feeling of power from the rear leg, although on a good day I feel like I could kick someone over the british channel with a lead leg slip kick.

 

[jfarnsworth]

I think you need to learn how to used both legs equally. My school used the ITF forms but my instructor was an independant instructor. It was nice not to have to mess with all of the garbage with any association. Whatever he required as far as kicks were required front leg and rear. This makes it more well rounded I think.

 

[RCastillo]

Originally posted by jfarnsworth
I think you need to learn how to used both legs equally. My school used the ITF forms but my instructor was an independant instructor. It was nice not to have to mess with all of the garbage with any association. Whatever he required as far as kicks were required front leg and rear. This makes it more well rounded I think.

ITF garbage???

You're leaving a paper trail Mr. Farnsworth!........................

 

[Zepp]

I totally agree with white belt about making sure you train equally to throw kicks with the front or back leg. I also have one addition to what everyone else has already said:

If you're throwing a sidekick, you will actually get more power from a cross-step sidekick with the front leg than will from a back-leg sidekick. Of course, the cross-stepping can be a big tip-off to your opponent.