Higher Kicks
- Thread starter keny_mc
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bowser666
2nd Black Belt
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Stretching is the key. A great easy way to stretch is to practice your stances, but go really low in your stances, it will open up your hips , strengthen your knees as well. You will need to research stretches for most fo your body parts as well. Its not jsut the legs that are involved when you kick. You need to stretch out you calves, hamstrings, quads, hips, stomach, back, shoulders, neck , arms etc.... Having all your muscles warmed up will help for better muscle control as well as prvent injury. Just make sure that you WARM UP before you start stretching. Jumping jacks is a good start.
For some good beginner stretches , try placing your feet together and then try to touch your toes. DO NOT BOUNCE !!! ALlow for a slow gradual pull, the full stretch will not happen overnight, it takes time so be patient.
One of my favorites is to start from the previous stretch I mentioned , but then ( with palms flat towards the floor) swing them to your left and make a giant circle going clockwise over your head then down yout right side, back to center and do that 15-20 times , then reverse directions. This stretch will hit legs, back , stomach, shoulders, etc... It hits alot of groups at the same time. Just make sure to go a slow to moderate pace. Do not go fast. Hope this helps.
For some good beginner stretches , try placing your feet together and then try to touch your toes. DO NOT BOUNCE !!! ALlow for a slow gradual pull, the full stretch will not happen overnight, it takes time so be patient.
One of my favorites is to start from the previous stretch I mentioned , but then ( with palms flat towards the floor) swing them to your left and make a giant circle going clockwise over your head then down yout right side, back to center and do that 15-20 times , then reverse directions. This stretch will hit legs, back , stomach, shoulders, etc... It hits alot of groups at the same time. Just make sure to go a slow to moderate pace. Do not go fast. Hope this helps.
JWLuiza
Black Belt
Bowser666,
I am going to (respectfully) partially disagree with you. I think the major limiting factor (assuming people are doing normal stretches) is leg strength. Stretching is passive, but if you don't have the leg strength to do a controlled kick at height, you shouldn't be throwing the kick at full speed. I partially agree that kicking = stretching. I've seen yoga increase my ability significantly. However, slow kicks and other such exercises are just as important.
I am going to (respectfully) partially disagree with you. I think the major limiting factor (assuming people are doing normal stretches) is leg strength. Stretching is passive, but if you don't have the leg strength to do a controlled kick at height, you shouldn't be throwing the kick at full speed. I partially agree that kicking = stretching. I've seen yoga increase my ability significantly. However, slow kicks and other such exercises are just as important.
bowser666
2nd Black Belt
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I think I see what you are trying to say. I don't think you mean exactly leg strength though. I think you are talking about muscle control? I was assuming that the person requesting the information was a beginner and was simply looking to raise kicking height. Not looking to ( at least not at this moment) raise kick height and be able to hold the kick up there. That requires total muscle control and flexibility. With practice of the technique , whether in the air, or against a weight bag etc... power will develop in those kicks. If you focus primarily on strength at first then your kicks are going to be slow. By working the flexibility and muscle control the power will come naturally with proper training.
Hours and hours or repetition along with stretching and as had been said increased leg strength is the answer. With out the repetition neither the stretching or leg strength is any good.
zDom
Senior Master
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We often say leg strength, but what I think we REALLY mean is: HIP strength, as in the hip flexors and abductors — the muscles used to LIFT the leg up into position
(as opposed to the hamstrings and quads IN the leg, as well as the glutes, which contribute to the POWER of a kick).
Flexibility helps, as more flexibility means less resistance from your own body in lifting the leg.
There are things you can do to increase hip strength (as mentioned above, some stances will increase hip strength; slow motion kicking; holding a leg up in extended kick position for as long as you can, etc.) but when it comes down to it, training is VERY specific.
That is to say, the BEST thing you can do to get higher kicks is ...
(drum roll)
Kick as high as you can!
(with GOOD form, in control of you kicks the entire time. Poor form and uncontrolled kicking is just likely to get you injured).
Good luck! and keep pushing! (as GM Park used to say
)
(as opposed to the hamstrings and quads IN the leg, as well as the glutes, which contribute to the POWER of a kick).
Flexibility helps, as more flexibility means less resistance from your own body in lifting the leg.
There are things you can do to increase hip strength (as mentioned above, some stances will increase hip strength; slow motion kicking; holding a leg up in extended kick position for as long as you can, etc.) but when it comes down to it, training is VERY specific.
That is to say, the BEST thing you can do to get higher kicks is ...
(drum roll)
Kick as high as you can!
(with GOOD form, in control of you kicks the entire time. Poor form and uncontrolled kicking is just likely to get you injured).
Good luck! and keep pushing! (as GM Park used to say
)
Deaf Smith
Master of Arts
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keny_mc,
Google PNF streaching. It will make a very big difference!!!
Deaf
Google PNF streaching. It will make a very big difference!!!
Deaf
Skpotamus
Brown Belt
I second zDom and would add in check out Thomas Kurz. His books on stretching are pretty good (he's the guy with the ad in Black Belt with all the pictures of him doing splits on chairs with models sitting on his legs).
If you want to kick higher, first, get a good warmup, you should be sweating and your joints and muscles should all be limber before you try any high kicking.
Then, kick the bag and kick in air as high as you can. Keep on kicking and building up your muscles and pushing to kick higher.
To quote my instructor "if you wanna get better at pushups, do more pushups, if you wanna get better at kicking, then kick more"
If you want to kick higher, first, get a good warmup, you should be sweating and your joints and muscles should all be limber before you try any high kicking.
Then, kick the bag and kick in air as high as you can. Keep on kicking and building up your muscles and pushing to kick higher.
To quote my instructor "if you wanna get better at pushups, do more pushups, if you wanna get better at kicking, then kick more"
A few suggestions. First, I'd worry about making sure that you have proper form and can execute a good kick at belt level, before you worry about kicking head height. Frankly, I don't know what the fascination with head height kicks is anyways, especially considering that there're a number of great targets belt level and below. Keep in mind, that the higher you kick the more off balance you put yourself, as well as the possibility of telegraphing your kick.
Second, make sure you're warmed up very good. You'll find that you'll get a better stretch. Keep in mind that kicking high isn't going to happen overnight. There are no secrets...its hard work and practice.
Take your time and it'll happen.
shihansmurf
Black Belt
Kick higher.
Seriously. Practice kicking your bag as high as you can without loosing your balance, then aim about two inches higher. Mark that spot in some erasable way and use that as your new aim point. When you can hit that point consistently without loosing your balance, mark a new target about two inches higher. Repeat untill you hit your goal.
Practice.
Mark
Seriously. Practice kicking your bag as high as you can without loosing your balance, then aim about two inches higher. Mark that spot in some erasable way and use that as your new aim point. When you can hit that point consistently without loosing your balance, mark a new target about two inches higher. Repeat untill you hit your goal.
Practice.
Mark
I have to agree with T-shadow here repitation is the key to getting higher kick, strecthing helps make you limber but it also helps with cramping. Leg strength is more about immediate power. Do remember the hips for evtra hieght without proper tech. you can neer get there as well. So it all comes back to repetition.
7starmarc
Green Belt
Don't forget to work on your balance.
When working on flexibility, remember to work on trunk flexibility, too. If you don't, you may have some issues with keeping your center of mass positioned (robbing you of balance and power).
Another thing, kicking is great practice for kicking, as others have mentioned. But be sure to maintain proper form while doing these kicks. Height means nothing if your technique is without power. Height also means nothing if you're dropping your hands so low that you leave yourself wide open to counters.
When working on flexibility, remember to work on trunk flexibility, too. If you don't, you may have some issues with keeping your center of mass positioned (robbing you of balance and power).
Another thing, kicking is great practice for kicking, as others have mentioned. But be sure to maintain proper form while doing these kicks. Height means nothing if your technique is without power. Height also means nothing if you're dropping your hands so low that you leave yourself wide open to counters.
SA_BJJ
Blue Belt
Why kick high when you can shatter his kneecap. People are so concerned with kicking high to look cool. Who cares, a shin to the side of the knee will hurt alot more than a foot to the face.
bigfootsquatch
Purple Belt
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A foot to the face will more likely knock someone unconscious than hurting, but yes it does open up the potential for takedowns.
Anyway, I would suggest a good stretching regiment such as the one suggested by Thomas Kurz in the Stretching Scientifically. Practice, practice, and practice will also help. It will eventually come!
SA_BJJ
Blue Belt
My point exactly, if you knock someone out they normally dont "feel" it. How ever if you destroy someones lower extremities....well nuff said.
Frostbite
Blue Belt
Some people study martial arts for the athletic and artistic value. We're not all here for the same reasons. Moreover, if he's taking something like TKD, he may need to be able to perform high kicks well to advance.
Tetsujin
Yellow Belt
Slow kicks from a chamber position can be really good for building up those muscles needed to lift your legs into high kicks. The following drill/exercise is also really good for developing good form and balance with your kicks:
Raise your knee to a chamber position for either a roundhouse or side kick (this drill works great for both), and then slowly extend to a fully extended kick before retracting to the chamber again. Then repeat this motion without lowering the leg from the chamber for 20-30 reps before changing legs.
Try to hold the techniques at full extension for a brief second or so before each retraction. You don't have to kick high with this drill, as that is not the point, but you can gradually aim to kick above waist height as you gain strength, balance, and flexibility. Initially balance will be a big issue, but you can use a wall to keep yourself steady until you develop sufficient balance and form to do without. Just don't use the wall to lean against any more than you need to, as that kind of defeats the purpose when it comes to developing balance.
Another option is to buy some ankle weights.
Raise your knee to a chamber position for either a roundhouse or side kick (this drill works great for both), and then slowly extend to a fully extended kick before retracting to the chamber again. Then repeat this motion without lowering the leg from the chamber for 20-30 reps before changing legs.
Try to hold the techniques at full extension for a brief second or so before each retraction. You don't have to kick high with this drill, as that is not the point, but you can gradually aim to kick above waist height as you gain strength, balance, and flexibility. Initially balance will be a big issue, but you can use a wall to keep yourself steady until you develop sufficient balance and form to do without. Just don't use the wall to lean against any more than you need to, as that kind of defeats the purpose when it comes to developing balance.
Another option is to buy some ankle weights.
SA_BJJ
Blue Belt
Good Point...some of us just arent blessed with the high kicks. Thank god I dont practice TKD anymore...lol
