having troubles with high kicks again

[Manny]

Yesterday only 3 students came up to class and we did not do any warm up we started with poomsae right away because kyu test is coming soon, we did kichos 1,2,3 and 4 for the yellow belt and taeguks 1,2,3,4, and 5 for the advanced belts, so basically our warm up was doing poomsae what I think is good.

We finish class doing sambon kyorugy (three steps) and hanbon kyorugy (one stpes) and sadly realice that could not kick high to the head (dollyo chagui) of my partner who is 5 inches less than I in height and this was despointed, very despointed because as I get older my kicking capacity is decreasing, kicking to the torso is ok but kicking high is becoming very dificult.

What do do? what to do?.....

Manny

 

[andyjeffries]

You didn't warm-up properly, including stretches, and was surprised when later during class you couldn't demonstrate maximum/normal flexibility?

 

[Tony Dismukes]

1) How many days per week do you work on your stretching?
2) How many days per week do you practice your high kicks? (Remember that being able to throw high kicks involves more than just flexibility.)

As you get older, it's "use it or lose it."

 

[chrispillertkd]

As we get older we require more time stretching to get our kicks higher. I don't mean only more time at a single session but more stretching on a regular basis. If you're over 40 and want to get height in your kicks I strongly recommend stretching on a daily basis. It should be noted that high kicks require dynamic flexibility (as long as we aren't talking slow motion kicks which require not only flexibility but muscle strength in the hips and legs). Therefore, you should be doing front rising and side rising kicks every day, preferably more than one set of 10-12 of each kick with each leg. If that isn't something you do start slowly; do one set of front rising kicks and one set of side rising kicks with each leg, 10 kicks per leg per kick. Work your way up to two or three sets every day. [Front risig kicks are where you keep the leg straight at the knee and swing it as high as you can; side rising kicks are the same except you swing the leg out to the side so the ending position resembles that of a side kick.]

Don't over do it at first. Use the first set of kicks to warm up the legs. The second (and third) set for getting height in the kicks. The "secret" is consistent training. It doesn't have to be hours on end, but it needs to be done daily. Just a few minutes a day will result in improvements. Slowly but surely.

Regular stretching will, of course, help with the height of your kicks, but I have found that just regular use of rising kicks to be of immense help.

Pax,

Chris

 

[Rumy73]

Great advice on stretching here already, so let me add analyzing one's own technique. Take some to watch yourself in the mirror. If I am really troubled, I go back to basics. Sometimes a bad element can develop in one's technique. High kicks demand a more exacting delivery. Not leaning back sufficiently or bad foot work can be real impediments.

 

[Manny]

Thank you all, infact I practice/teach TKD twice per week (tuesdays and thursdays), I will try to do more flexibility and stretch exercises during the tkd classes and see for improvement, I was terrified to show my students my lack of high kicking but here is a thing I forgot to mention, my troubles are mith the turning high kicks only. My apchaguis and yop chaguis are quite good but the kicks that involve turning like the dolyo chagui and the momdolyo chagui are the ones that are not easy to achieve.

Manny

 

[Rumy73]

Thank you all, infact I practice/teach TKD twice per week (tuesdays and thursdays), I will try to do more flexibility and stretch exercises during the tkd classes and see for improvement, I was terrified to show my students my lack of high kicking but here is a thing I forgot to mention, my troubles are mith the turning high kicks only. My apchaguis and yop chaguis are quite good but the kicks that involve turning like the dolyo chagui and the momdolyo chagui are the ones that are not easy to achieve.

Manny

I see. You have to make sure your torso is leaning back enough and angle the kick upwards a bit. Sang Kim suggests finding height you are comfortable and add one inch higher every week or two.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

Thank you all, infact I practice/teach TKD twice per week (tuesdays and thursdays), I will try to do more flexibility and stretch exercises during the tkd classes and see for improvement, I was terrified to show my students my lack of high kicking but here is a thing I forgot to mention, my troubles are mith the turning high kicks only. My apchaguis and yop chaguis are quite good but the kicks that involve turning like the dolyo chagui and the momdolyo chagui are the ones that are not easy to achieve.

Manny

If you only do your stretching and practice your kicks 2 days per week, that's probably not going to be enough to maintain your ability to throw those head-level kicks as you get older. If you can spend even 15 minutes per day on the other days of the week it could make a significant difference.

 

[Jaeimseu]

Something you might try is raising your knee higher before you turn and extend your round kick. A year or two ago I was feeling frustrated about this issue, and for me simply raising the knee higher was effective, even without much leaning back.

 

[ralphmcpherson]

Just dont do them. My friend I started training tkd with is now a second dan, and a damn good one. Due to a motorbike accident he has no flexibilty in the hips whatsoever, so he simply removed all high kicks from his tkd, literally. He just trains punching and low kicks (no higher than just above belt level). His sparring is really good and I fear sparring him, even though we are the best of mates he doesnt mind beating me up His second dan grading was awesome, and he just missed out on getting top points. Forget high kicks, train hard in what you can do and not only will you improve very quickly, but you will also enjoy your tkd heaps more. My friend stressed about his lack of high kicks for years before coming to this realisation, and since his new mindset Ive never seen him enjoy training as much.

 

[Manny]

Just dont do them. My friend I started training tkd with is now a second dan, and a damn good one. Due to a motorbike accident he has no flexibilty in the hips whatsoever, so he simply removed all high kicks from his tkd, literally. He just trains punching and low kicks (no higher than just above belt level). His sparring is really good and I fear sparring him, even though we are the best of mates he doesnt mind beating me up His second dan grading was awesome, and he just missed out on getting top points. Forget high kicks, train hard in what you can do and not only will you improve very quickly, but you will also enjoy your tkd heaps more. My friend stressed about his lack of high kicks for years before coming to this realisation, and since his new mindset Ive never seen him enjoy training as much.

I've never been so flexible in my life, in fact in my younger days I could kick high but just because I was a tall boy and this helped me a lot, in my golden days I trained three times per week and all the flexibilty/stretching work was done inside dojang however I was a teen, now I am a 45 years old papa with not so much time to do workouts.

What can I do is focusing more in stretching inside the tkd classes I teach and try to go a bit harder top achhieve certain degree of high kicks but never in my life will be a superfoot.

As your motorbike friend I try to be happy with waht I got and yes try to be the best in this however sometimes it's not easy try to reach the head trying to explain certain tech to my students and fail miseabily.

Manny

 

[Unreal Combat]

Seems like you need to stretch and practice the techniques more. However do consider that everyone's body is different and as we all get older age will affect us all in many different ways. Strive to be as good as you can be, work hard to achieve your goal, but don't destroy your body in the process.

 

[Dirty Dog]

Thank you all, infact I practice/teach TKD twice per week (tuesdays and thursdays), I will try to do more flexibility and stretch exercises during the tkd classes and see for improvement, I was terrified to show my students my lack of high kicking but here is a thing I forgot to mention, my troubles are mith the turning high kicks only. My apchaguis and yop chaguis are quite good but the kicks that involve turning like the dolyo chagui and the momdolyo chagui are the ones that are not easy to achieve.

Manny

As a fellow old-fart (and I think I'm at least 10 years older than you...), I can assure you that twice a week is not enough. If you want to regain/maintain your flexibility you need to work on it every day. You don't necessarily need to spend a ton of time on it, but you do need to do at least some passive and active stretching every single day.

Make time. My wife was frustrated by her lack of flexibility. Now her makeup mirror is low to the ground, and there's a versaflex in front of it. She sits on the versaflex, cranks it out, and puts on her makeup while passively stretching. It's made a significant difference.