Long Legs

[2B1ASK1]

Hello everyone, my 1st post. Very pleased to be a member of your community. I am a red belt in Taekwondo, and I am curious to see if anyone feels the same way I do. I am 6"2 and 217lbs, give or take 2 or 3lbs. My legs are around 40-41 inches long (very long). I am in the ARMY so I am in pretty good shape and work out constantly. I love Taekwondo, but does anyone know of anyone who is really fast and tall. Quick with the feet. Shorter individuals IMO have a much faster and better looking kicking technique.

I want to rely on speed and not only the fact that I can keep distance. I want technique along with distance to be able to keep that distance. I have been training for about 2 years and about to test for my BLACK BELT. It has taken me almost all of that time to be able to suspend a side kick in the air and hold it. Anyonelse have this problem, or feel the same way.

 

[nekoTKD]

Hi and welcome to MartialTalk I can't give you any info on your question other than I can't even come close to suspending a kick in the air. Good luck with you test to BB!


-Brandon

 

[terryl965]

I can go back to the late 80's and the gentleman name is Master Jimmy Kim reside in Californa. Won the gold medal in the heavywieght division of the 88 Olympics. he was tall and big and boy was he fast. Go to your search engine type in Jimmy Kim and you can read about him.

 

[TigerWoman]

Hi, getting to black belt is really the beginning. By then you should know the basics and hopefully good at something if you worked especially at it. But most are just generally proficient at black. It takes a long time for a sidekick to come up, short or long leg.

We have a double 2nd dan in Taekwondo and Karate in our class. He's 6'4", big guy but not overweight. He can do a 540 spin heel no problem. His reach prevents alot of opponents from getting in. Only equals in mass have a chance against him with his power. I haven't seen a good match between him and my instructor who is a 5th dan and has won flyweight at nationals. Small as he is, no matter how fast, he is still no match. So you can get faster but those that are smaller will not get the power IMO. We have to make up for it with in other ways. TW

 

[Adept]

Something I've noticed from watching lots of people of different sizes spar, is that taller people (over 6') have a much harder time with their kicks, due to a lack in flexibility. Since they dont usually have to kick as high (their waist is your ribs) they dont need to be more flexible, and kicking at the height of their flexibility is enough to kick someone of average size in the head.

Now, anyone that kicks to their maximum height is going to look slightly unko. Your maximum height should be well over head height, and since your kicks fall well within your felxibility range, they come much easier.

Of course, you may well be extremely flexible, I dont know. If you are quite flexible (able to kick well over your own head) then I would recommend plyometric exercises to build more 'fast twitch' muscle, which will respond quickly and generate more speed.

 

[Miles]

Welcome. Not sure if you are asking for sparring partners or examples? I think Steven Lopez has really long legs and his speed is excellent.

Miles

 

[MichiganTKD]

One of our black belts was able to suspend his kicks in the air. He was also able to do cold splits (splits with no warmup). On the other hand, he had no sense of strategy and could not contact anybody above red belt. So it didn't do him any good aside from being a conversation piece.

 

[2B1ASK1]

I just saw the video footage of Steven Lopez who is 6"3. He is actually pretty quick. Now as far as flexibility, I'm still working on that. I'm very close, about 7 inches off the ground, but on their yet. I just purchased a book from Tom Kurz called Stretching Scientifically. Very Very imformative. I guess their are more people like me out their, 2 guys who competed in the olympics (Pascal Gentil) and a guy from greece measured at 6"6 and 6"7. Still wish I was short though. However I will never quit and will train to be the best. One day, I will be in the Olympics also. I do know however that their is an All ARMY Taekwondo Team. I'm going to try out in about two years and see how I do.


Thank you for your imput.

 

[Rick J]

2B1ASK1, one of the guys I train with is about 6'2" and he's pretty fast with his kicks but given the fact that we have more leg to move (I'm a bit over 6'4") it takes that much more technique, strength and quickness to stay even with our shorter peers. Another factor in your favor is it sounds like you're young enough to develop and maintain your flexibility and quickness. My 6'2" friend is 28 and has practiced numerous MA's over the last 15 years whereas I am 43 and have been back into MA for over a year. I no longer have the range of motion of my youth and have to really work at maintaining my sidekick form. My minimum is having my kicking leg parallel to the floor but to go a bit higher I have to be warmed up and stretched out. I'm a 2nd Gup in TKD and I'm looking at this summer to test for 1st Dan. My Grand Master has said that for a person my age he wants my sidekick to be parallel/belt high with power as he understands that the older folks just aren't as flexible. Of course, he's 51 and can do side splits cold where he then bounces his body up and down. That's the benefit of practicing MA virtually your whole life.

I work on my side kick the most of any kick. With Koryo coming up for 1st Dan testing I don't want my first double side kick to look like I just hit the same spot twice and while I'll probably pass with my second side going parallel it just looks better when the second sidekick goes beyond parallel. Suspending your side kick at full extension is hard especially if you don't want it to drop at all. I can't do it without dropping but it's definitely a goal after I get the inner leg/groin flexibility issue worked out.

I don't necessarily agree that shorter people have better looking kicks than taller people. They might get around a bit quicker but when the technique is solid the tall ones look as good. Besides, as Tiger Woman mentioned, the reach advantage of a tall person is a benefit. Use your leg length to your advantage and work on those spin back and spin hook kicks, at least that's what Grand Master Park keeps reminding us. His favorite in sparring is the spin back when your opponent is attacking. For target kicking and demos, the spin back hook kick head high into a tornado kick or series of tornado kicks is very impressive.

Take Care all, this is/was my first post and I'm enjoying and learning from the discussions on this board.

Thanks,

Rick Jenson

 

[Miles]

Welcome to MT Rick!

Keep kicking!

Miles

 

[2B1ASK1]

I know I am going to have to work harder at the things that come naturally with shorter individuals, however I am still going to accomplish my goals. I guess it all comes down to conditioning. If I train and strengthen my glutes, my hip flexors, obliques, abs and quick reflexive muscles I will get better. I'm just anxious. It has been 10 years since I have thrown a kick, just now am I getting back into it. I am going to be testing for my Black Belt sometime this spring once I get my flexiblity back. I never lost my love for it, just my school had to shut down. Enough of that, thank you all for your input.

Thank you

 

[Grubic]

My instructor loved it when I was finally able to kick above my head. He is about 5'9" maybe 5'10". I'm 6'7" so when I do any kick above my head my foot is around the 7' mark. He used to call me a freak of nature with good form.

Shorter guys might be able to do things faster but when a tall person does it you have a completely different presence. When people see a tall person doing the "flashy" moves it's awe inspiring to the people watching.

Just keep at it, and g'luck on your test.

Grubic.

 

[TX_BB]

2B1ASK1

You actually have the protypical build for today's player. A lot of kids depend on their pure atheltisim to overcome their technical difficiences. To be a player, generally you need to be blessed by your creator with an incredible strength to weight ration and height. Add hard work and decent coaching and you'll get on the radar and somebody will find you to work on the elite game.

As a martial artist though you know it's about the process. Your hard work and persistance should leed you to the enlightenment you want.

Have fun.

 

[2B1ASK1]

I recently ordered a book and 2 movies from STADION publishing about 2 weeks ago. I ordered SECRETS OF STRETCHING, STRETCHING SCIENTIFICALLY AND POWER HIGH KICKS WITH NO WARM UP. Let me start by saying, these aids are awesome and go into greater detail than I possibly imagined. My flexibility has increased already by 100%. Still have a ways to go though. I still had a few questions to ask so I called stadion publishing and requested to speak to TOM KURZ, the author of these publications to ask these following questions.


1. How I can gain maximal speed

2. What the popping in my hip and knee joints are


He answered my questions and what it all boils down to is strength training. Using the length of my legs for windows of opportunity. I still wish I was shorter 5'7 or shorter, but I'm stuck with these long legs. He also said that the popping in my joints, as long as no pain followed was normal and to continue cautiously and if pain occurred to stop stretching.

I HATE HAVING LONG LEGS

MAYBE I SHOULD JUST STICK TO BRAZILIAN JUJITSU

 

[FearlessFreep]

Weren't the two heavyweight finalists in the olympics over 6'3"? The Korean guy was 'ery tall and the Greek guy even taller

 

[2B1ASK1]

Yeah, the Korean was 6"3 and the Greek was 6"7. I cannot find the footage of the fight though, just the knock out by the Korean to the Greek.

 

[Jim Tindell]

With Koryo coming up for 1st Dan testing I don't want my first double side kick to look like I just hit the same spot twice and while I'll probably pass with my second side going parallel it just looks better when the second sidekick goes beyond parallel.

In Koryo, the first side kick is to the knee, and the 2nd is to the midsection. No need to go any higher than that.


Regarding flexibility, I'm 6'3". My legs are long as well. When it comes to stretching... the only thing that is really gonna make progress for you is to continue stretching every day. Push yourself hard... the stretches should hurt. Not to the point where you're screaming your face off, but it should give a good sting. That's telling your muscles that they need to get more loose. I can do full splits (takes a little warming up) and never needed to buy any special videos or equipment, although I've always considered it. If the tapes/books work, let me know. I'd be interested in checking some out. Maybe I'll be able to learn some new stretches to teach the students in class.

 

[wynnema]

In Koryo, the first side kick is to the knee, and the 2nd is to the midsection. No need to go any higher than that.


Regarding flexibility, I'm 6'3". My legs are long as well. When it comes to stretching... the only thing that is really gonna make progress for you is to continue stretching every day. Push yourself hard... the stretches should hurt. Not to the point where you're screaming your face off, but it should give a good sting. That's telling your muscles that they need to get more loose. I can do full splits (takes a little warming up) and never needed to buy any special videos or equipment, although I've always considered it. If the tapes/books work, let me know. I'd be interested in checking some out. Maybe I'll be able to learn some new stretches to teach the students in class.

Stretches should never hurt. Hurt suggests pain which is a way of injuring yourself. A good stetch should be uncomortable but not painful. Try to stretch to the point where if you stretched further it would become painful.

Dynamic flexibilty is the most important for kickers, being able to do side splits doesnt facilitate the abillity to kick high (although it helps)

 

[glad2bhere]

Certainly I have never seen you throw a S-kick or RH but from what you mentioned in toning up muscle groups I get the idea that you are not turning your hips over far enough. This is pretty typical of competitors as turning the hip over while adding power and stability to the kick increases "hang-time" and so is seen as slowing the kick down. This is one reason that we teach the RH kick as a "sacrifice kick" requiring a sound foundation in the set up---especially for SD applications. Personally, if it were me, I would seriously consider three things.

1.) I would execute ONLY slow-motion (15 second) kick noting which muscle groups you are using. If you are like most competitors you will notice discomfort more in the Quads and Abdomin. If competition is what you are after I guess you are on the right path but don't be surprised if you have a hard time holding that kick in suspension since this is done using the back muscles and olbiques.

2.) Continue with the Slo-mo kick for power using only the front leg. This will build slowly and will greatly aid your rapid-fire, skip-in kicks. The trick is that it does not work the other way around. Rapid-fire, skip-ins do not help with adding power.

3.) Allow yourself to train the smaller stabilizing muscle groups. The whole reason that suspension drill is attractive to have is that it demostrates both proper recruitment of muscle groups AND proper balance in the use of those muscle-groups after they have been recruited. Many folks who train for competition use what I would only term as "ballistic kicks". By this I mean that they use large muscle groups to snap the leg "AT" the target as opposed to using all muscle groups (large and small) to actually KICK THE TARGET. FWIW.

Best Wishes,

Bruce

 

[Whitebelt]

Improve you'r leg speed by doing lots of front rising kicks. This will improve the streingth of you'r hip muscles.