So when your teaching...

[Bagatha]

Im just wondering how you guys explain the use of hips in exercises. I tried the "face this way till the last minute and then twist" I tried the " stick the side of your butt out" LOL. Of course I demonstrate it, but there are a few people who still cant/dont do it. It is frustrating for me to watch them not do it, I know they just dont get it. Is there a really simple way of explaining this ??? What made you "get it"? Thanks.

 

[sweeper]

I'm no teacher but from having to help some new students, and from being one myself.. some times students just don't see it untill they have done it alot, sometimes they see it but it's hard for them to do because their neuro-muscular coordination is a little lacking in that type of movement. there were two things I thought of though when learning to kick 1: was the "hip-pop" that throwers (like shot-put for example) use (because a freind of mine throws hammers and goes on and on about hip-pop) 2: just pivoting my hips on an axis, just imagining a line down through one of my hip joints and pivoting on it.

 

[Danny]

I teach it using the first method you mentioned. There is no real easy way that I know of. It just takes allot of practice, and allot of patience in repeating the phrase "remember to use your hip". I know it took me several years to really get it down properly.

 

[karatekid1975]

I'm not a "instructor" but I have taught people how to kick. The easy way for a side kick is the "step side kick". Try this: use your back leg to step behide your front leg (this forces you to "turn your hip" over) then do a regular side kick. I know it's not you. I'm just using "first person" to explain it.

It's also easier if you show the person in "steps" in slow motion. Have them hold on to back of a chair. Show them how to "chamber", then have them do the kick in slow motion. Correct thier position if needed. Hold it out there so they can "feel" the position of the kick.

My instructors do it like this (by numbers while holding on to a chair or steady surface):

1: pivot
2: chamber
3: kick
4: re-chamber
5: place the foot down

I hope this helps

 

[white dragon]

We're constantly told to use our hips to get the most power out of the kick, if you break the kick down, show where the power comes in, people can see what they have to do. for example we were d#going through hook kicks this week and it was demonstrated how you use the hips to draw the leg across as well as hook the leg to get a lot more power in. Everyone had a go and the instructor walked round to see how everyone was getting on, for those that couldn't get it, or didn't understand we swithed to a reverse turning kick to show the use of the hips in drawing the leg acorss and how much power you can get from that. Then people could see exactly what it was they had to apply to the hook kick to make it more effective. People tend to learn quicker if you explain exactly why you do something and show them the difference.

 

[Klondike93]

So how do you apply this to a side kick? What do your hips do when you do a side kick? What is your knee position?

:asian:

 

[white dragon]

The leg come past the center line first of all, rather than kicking to it, like a turning kick. This also protects the groin. Because the leg goes past the center line you can add your hips in pushing the leg out straight. does that make sense?

 

[Klondike93]

What is your knee position though, flat, down, up?

What I'm getting at is if your hips are "closed" or "open".

Closed it looks like a back kick and the knee is pointing down. Your upper body is twisted a little counter-clockwise.

Open the knee is flat and your hips pushed in to the target.
Your upper body is in a straight line. There is more reach with this kick.

Closed hip you use your knee, open you use your hip less trauma to the knee.


:asian:

 

[Bagatha]

Originally posted by karatekid1975

I'm not a "instructor" but I have taught people how to kick. The easy way for a side kick is the "step side kick". Try this: use your back leg to step behide your front leg (this forces you to "turn your hip" over) then do a regular side kick.

Yes, this is what we teach Jr. belts at first to make sure they pivot their foot properly. This way they are forced to pivot and get used to the feeling. Later on it actually turns into step in front. Unfortunatley the step behind does not help with hips at all, if you notice your hips are already turned over for the whole movement. No twist, no power. It is actually more of a side pushing kick then a side peircing kick for that reason. Thanks anyway.

 

[Bagatha]

The majority of kicks so far I have found get more "rolling hip action" if you pick up the knee sharply first. begin with knee pointing upwardish(depending on the particular kick) and finish with the knee horizontalish(depending). example would be the side turning kick...knee up, leg chambered, swing upper leg which swings the rest, and as you kick the leg twists from the hip so the knee which was once almost vertical is now horizontal at the moment of impact. Almost impossible to explain typing, your pants snap though. lol. Twist like fist.

Kicks aside, what about the patterns? truthfully the original question was meant more for hand techniques, but it is good to talk about kicks too, they are equally important. Like I can get guys to use hips when doing forearm or knifehand blocks, if there is a reaction hand they seem to be ok. But other blocks (which to me are exactly the same thing in terms of hips) they dont use their hips at all. Like the twin forearm blocks, anything spinning aswell, like Dan-Gun and Do-San the knifehand stikes. I keep telling them "its spinning, there should be crazy power in those", but they turn, face, and THEN strike. ARRRRGHHH!!! LOL!

 

[white dragon]

The knee position is "open" pushing the hips forward and not pointing the knee down.