mook jong man
Senior Master
We had two types of chain kicking at our school , the first type was used against a stationary opponent .
It was a rapid barrage of three different low kicks , combined with wrist latching and hand strikes.
The other type of chain kicking was a rapid burst forward each leg alternating with a kick to chase down a person who comes in to attack and then retreats.
It is the latter I will be talking about in this post.
In effect each kick was a large step in order to cover ground quickly in a attempt to kick the opponent and get back into close range where we could employ wrist latching and striking to stop him getting away.
I know a lot of people on here do W.T. and others that have a lead leg stance , but I'm sure it could be tweaked and adapted to suit.
Get in your stance , guard up.
The three kicks we are using in this exercise are
LOW HEEL KICK -[ close range , opponent about a step away]
Low kick making contact with heel to knee/shin. Foot is turned outwards so as to make good contact with heel (only turn foot out as much as necessary), so we can keep good biomechanics of knee joint going forward. Can be done with a pivot of the support foot for extra range but usually not necessary.
HOOK KICK -[ closer range than L.H.K just outside of your own punching range]
Basically a W.C side kick done at close range with the shin , the whole body is pivoted and the shin is swung into the thighs , ribcage , abdomen.
Support foot is pivoted on impact.
MEDIUM HEEL KICK- [distance of leg held held horizontal in angle from stance]
Just a higher version of the L.H.K but done with a pivot of the support foot on impact. The foot is also kept in a vertical position as the toes are pulled back and the heel is used to target most commonly the groin or bladder region.
We start off by getting your partner to circle you a little bit as though he is trying to look for an angle to get in on you , so that you have to constantly adjust so that are facing him. Don't let him get around to the side of you , stay square on with all your weapons facing him.
He may even try and do some little feints at stepping in so as to draw a reaction from you.
When he does step in to your range for real to attack , you throw a low heel kick at his knee/shin on his lead leg .( Don't be too concerned about his hands as the Low Heel Kick keeps him out of punching range).
As soon as he sees this kick , the attacking partner is to try and retreat as fast as he can trying to stay away from the defender who is chasing him with kicks .
If the attacker can avoid the LHK by drawing his leg back before he starts to retreat that is even better , as it will only benefit the defender in making sure his kick is fast and non telegraphic.
After you have done your low heel kick , drop your foot straight to the floor from where the kick ends . Exactly the same as Chum Kiu , each kick must enable you to cover ground . This also adds force to your kicks by utilizing your body mass and forward momentum as well as covering distance.
After your foot hits the ground from the low heel kick , start to execute a hook kick with your other leg .
As soon as you finish the hook kick , drop the foot straight to the floor.
After your foot hits the floor then start to execute a medium heel kick ( a heel kick at your own waist height) with your other leg.
By that time you should be in close range to the opponent where you can start chain punching and trapping/wrist latching .
The Low Heel Kick - Hook Kick - Medium Heel Kick combo is the most common one used , but really it is governed by the range of the opponent as he is retreating.
We tend to use the Low Heel Kick first because it lets him come into reasonably close range where we can also use simultaneous hand techniques .
It allows him in close where it is harder for him to get away from us , but at the same time still allows us to kick him and keep us just out of range of his hands .
So starting from a platform of always using the Low Heel Kick first it is just a matter of tacking different kicks on that are appropriate for the range of the opponent.
This is where the real skill factor comes in , deciding what kick to use , while you are moving forward rapidly and the range is constantly changing.
The kicks I outlined above are the ones most used , but you can use other kicks as well , it depends on how fast the blokes footwork is in moving back.
You might use Low Heel Kick - Medium Heel Kick - Snap Kick ( kick with instep to groin) if he is pretty fast and starting to get away from you.
Your closest range kick in this particular series of kicks is the Hook Kick , but you don't start off with it because it is a close range finisher
Your longest range kick would be the W.C side kick done at waist height , or for a last ditch effort instead of using the heel , use the instep into the groin for a bit of extra range particularly if he is side on.
So another one might be Low Heel Kick - Medium Heel Kick - W.C Side kick
Just make sure you square up after using W.C Side Kick.
Things to remember .
It was a rapid barrage of three different low kicks , combined with wrist latching and hand strikes.
The other type of chain kicking was a rapid burst forward each leg alternating with a kick to chase down a person who comes in to attack and then retreats.
It is the latter I will be talking about in this post.
In effect each kick was a large step in order to cover ground quickly in a attempt to kick the opponent and get back into close range where we could employ wrist latching and striking to stop him getting away.
I know a lot of people on here do W.T. and others that have a lead leg stance , but I'm sure it could be tweaked and adapted to suit.
Get in your stance , guard up.
The three kicks we are using in this exercise are
LOW HEEL KICK -[ close range , opponent about a step away]
Low kick making contact with heel to knee/shin. Foot is turned outwards so as to make good contact with heel (only turn foot out as much as necessary), so we can keep good biomechanics of knee joint going forward. Can be done with a pivot of the support foot for extra range but usually not necessary.
HOOK KICK -[ closer range than L.H.K just outside of your own punching range]
Basically a W.C side kick done at close range with the shin , the whole body is pivoted and the shin is swung into the thighs , ribcage , abdomen.
Support foot is pivoted on impact.
MEDIUM HEEL KICK- [distance of leg held held horizontal in angle from stance]
Just a higher version of the L.H.K but done with a pivot of the support foot on impact. The foot is also kept in a vertical position as the toes are pulled back and the heel is used to target most commonly the groin or bladder region.
We start off by getting your partner to circle you a little bit as though he is trying to look for an angle to get in on you , so that you have to constantly adjust so that are facing him. Don't let him get around to the side of you , stay square on with all your weapons facing him.
He may even try and do some little feints at stepping in so as to draw a reaction from you.
When he does step in to your range for real to attack , you throw a low heel kick at his knee/shin on his lead leg .( Don't be too concerned about his hands as the Low Heel Kick keeps him out of punching range).
As soon as he sees this kick , the attacking partner is to try and retreat as fast as he can trying to stay away from the defender who is chasing him with kicks .
If the attacker can avoid the LHK by drawing his leg back before he starts to retreat that is even better , as it will only benefit the defender in making sure his kick is fast and non telegraphic.
After you have done your low heel kick , drop your foot straight to the floor from where the kick ends . Exactly the same as Chum Kiu , each kick must enable you to cover ground . This also adds force to your kicks by utilizing your body mass and forward momentum as well as covering distance.
After your foot hits the ground from the low heel kick , start to execute a hook kick with your other leg .
As soon as you finish the hook kick , drop the foot straight to the floor.
After your foot hits the floor then start to execute a medium heel kick ( a heel kick at your own waist height) with your other leg.
By that time you should be in close range to the opponent where you can start chain punching and trapping/wrist latching .
The Low Heel Kick - Hook Kick - Medium Heel Kick combo is the most common one used , but really it is governed by the range of the opponent as he is retreating.
We tend to use the Low Heel Kick first because it lets him come into reasonably close range where we can also use simultaneous hand techniques .
It allows him in close where it is harder for him to get away from us , but at the same time still allows us to kick him and keep us just out of range of his hands .
So starting from a platform of always using the Low Heel Kick first it is just a matter of tacking different kicks on that are appropriate for the range of the opponent.
This is where the real skill factor comes in , deciding what kick to use , while you are moving forward rapidly and the range is constantly changing.
The kicks I outlined above are the ones most used , but you can use other kicks as well , it depends on how fast the blokes footwork is in moving back.
You might use Low Heel Kick - Medium Heel Kick - Snap Kick ( kick with instep to groin) if he is pretty fast and starting to get away from you.
Your closest range kick in this particular series of kicks is the Hook Kick , but you don't start off with it because it is a close range finisher
Your longest range kick would be the W.C side kick done at waist height , or for a last ditch effort instead of using the heel , use the instep into the groin for a bit of extra range particularly if he is side on.
So another one might be Low Heel Kick - Medium Heel Kick - W.C Side kick
Just make sure you square up after using W.C Side Kick.
Things to remember .
- Stay sunk down , keep your head at the same level , same as you move in Chum Kiu ( NO UP AND DOWN MOVEMENT)
- Keep your kicks low and economical , no excess movement , no higher than your waist. Kicks go straight from floor to target.
- Don't chamber your kicks , if you are properly in your stance your legs are already chambered and ready for action.
- Keep upper and lower body locked in and think of moving from your waist.
- Don't look down at his legs when you are moving forward , keep your head and eyes up and use peripheral vision.
- Keep your guard up at all times except when you have closed in for the kill , then use chain punching , wrist latching / and close range finishing techniques.
- You can develop your speed moving forward by practicing solo , just practice moving rapidly along the floor doing the sequence of Low Heel Kick then Hook Kick then Medium Heel Kick , preferably in sight of a mirror so you can see if you have any excess movement (up and down motion. Should be only smooth , rapid forward motion.
