how to master high kicks?

[StudentCarl]

I haven't been back to my dojo, but...

Maybe you should. It's a good place to start.


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[Kung Fu Wang]

I'd say round house to side kick combo is one of the most important.

Agree on this! here is a clip for it.

It's more important to use a kick to set up another kick or punch instead of to just kick high. When you kick high, it's very difficult to use it to set up anything. When you get older, your jump kick will be gone followed by your high kick. Since your high kick won't stay with you through your old age, it's better to spend your training time in your "combo" instead.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

What's the best way to master a high kick?

I had done my high kick when I was young.

When I get older and looked back at my high kick, I realized that I could spend my training time a bit smarter - work on my combo instead. A kick is more than just a kick. It can be used to set up other thing.

 

[Dirty Dog]

It's more important to use a kick to set up another kick or punch instead of to just kick high. When you kick high, it's very difficult to use it to set up anything. When you get older, your jump kick will be gone followed by your high kick. Since your high kick won't stay with you through your old age, it's better to spend your training time in your "combo" instead.

It's no more difficult that using any other kick to set up something. Assuming you can kick high effectively, that is. I've always had pretty good success using a high inside crescent kick as a setup for a midsection sidekick. I've also had great success using the hands as a setup for the inside crescent kick.
As far as your high kicks going...
I took my first lesson in 1968 and I can still kick to my head (I'm 6'1") and I can kick our tall (6'6") student in the head. Our Grandmaster is 72. I've put him in a rear bearhug, and been kicked in the forehead for it. Similarly, Bill Wallace doesn't seem to be having any noticeable loss of flexibility... despite hip replacement.
Yes, it helps if you develop the flexibility while you're young, and you do have to work at it to maintain it. But then, that's true of pretty much everything we do.

And of course, I don't think I've ever seen anybody, anywhere, advocate training to throw any single strike. Every move is a setup for the next.

 

[granfire]

And of course, I don't think I've ever seen anybody, anywhere, advocate training to throw any single strike. Every move is a setup for the next.

especially that one.

 

[RTKDCMB]

Why do you need to master high kicks anyway? There are plenty of good targets lower down.

 

[skribs]

Why do you need to master high kicks anyway? There are plenty of good targets lower down.​

When I first started, I was worried about my regular kicks. I had trouble with side kicks and back kicks. After a while, I decided to do low kicks, and my technique was pretty good. I realized that my problem was not my technique, but my flexibility. Not that my technique was perfect, but I realized the brick wall I was hitting wasn't my technique, but that I needed more stretching. I focused on that and my kicks quickly took shape.

 

[Dirty Dog]

Why do you need to master high kicks anyway? There are plenty of good targets lower down.

Because there are plenty of good targets higher up, too.

 

[granfire]

Why do you need to master high kicks anyway? There are plenty of good targets lower down.

well, if you have the reach, you can still kick low. If you don't, well, you can't reach up high if you have to...
Just one more tool in the box.

When I can feign to the head, I can open the target down low up - and vice versa.

 

[Touch Of Death]

This is incredibly cryptic. Are you saying Gwai has lack of experience, or the people using roundhouse kicks have a lack of experience? How does more experience change the answer?

Sorry, I forgot about this thread. If the roundhouse is your best move, I am left wondering why not the front kick? Straight shots are under rated, for some reason. I agree you shouldn't listen to me about high kicks; because, I think this whole premise is nuts; however, limberness in your kicks are great for when you are on the ground; so, I am almost with you guys... almost.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Why do you need to master high kicks anyway? There are plenty of good targets lower down.

Agree! To use your foot to kick at someone's head is similar to use your fist to punch at someone's foot. Your leg is closer to your opponent's leg and your hand is closer to your opponent's head. IMO, it's better to let your hand to do your hand work and to let your leg to do your leg work.

 

[Dirty Dog]

Agree! To use your foot to kick at someone's head is similar to use your fist to punch at someone's foot. Your leg is closer to your opponent's leg and your hand is closer to your opponent's head. IMO, it's better to let your hand to do your hand work and to let your leg to do your leg work.

Those who can, do. Those who can't, say it won't work.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Those who can, do. Those who can't, say it won't work.

I can use my foot to hit the light ball. I can also use my hand to hit the light ball much easier.

 

[Gnarlie]

If you practice sufficiently, using your feet is as easy as using your hands.

Gnarlie

 

[skribs]

Sorry, I forgot about this thread. If the roundhouse is your best move, I am left wondering why not the front kick? Straight shots are under rated, for some reason. I agree you shouldn't listen to me about high kicks; because, I think this whole premise is nuts; however, limberness in your kicks are great for when you are on the ground; so, I am almost with you guys... almost.

This seems to be more an argument about straight kicks than roundhouse kicks, and doesn’t answer how using a roundhouse kick shows lack of experience. You’re also making the case for front kick instead of side kick.

I think the reason roundhouse kicks are preferred is because they do the damage instead of pushing the target. Straight kicks have their place, but they tend to push the target away, even with a snap, while a roundhouse kick tends to dig in more. As for headshots, the roundhouse kick and heel kicks are easier to get up to the face level (and hit without damaging your foot) than a front kick or a side kick. That’s just my opinion.

I’m not saying front, side, and back kicks don’t have their place (especially back kicks in sparring), but I think roundhouse kick is pretty much the most used kick for a reason.

Agree! To use your foot to kick at someone's head is similar to use your fist to punch at someone's foot. Your leg is closer to your opponent's leg and your hand is closer to your opponent's head. IMO, it's better to let your hand to do your hand work and to let your leg to do your leg work.

This is ridiculous for several reasons:

1. I can kick to the head a LOT easier than I can punch to the foot, and punching to the foot would involve bending down to a very disadvantaged position
2. The foot is a much less desirable target than the head. You don’t kick to the foot, so why would you punch to the foot?

While I agree there are definite disadvantages to high kicks, they are a lot more powerful than a punch (I’ve seen “science” shows rate a boxer’s punch at 1000 lb. of force and a TKD roundhouse at 2400 lb.) so there’s a definite reason to want to kick something that you could also hit by punching.

Like I said, kicks aren’t the only option or always the best option, but this argument is ridiculous.

 

[Touch Of Death]

This seems to be more an argument about straight kicks than roundhouse kicks, and doesn’t answer how using a roundhouse kick shows lack of experience. You’re also making the case for front kick instead of side kick.

I think the reason roundhouse kicks are preferred is because they do the damage instead of pushing the target. Straight kicks have their place, but they tend to push the target away, even with a snap, while a roundhouse kick tends to dig in more. As for headshots, the roundhouse kick and heel kicks are easier to get up to the face level (and hit without damaging your foot) than a front kick or a side kick. That’s just my opinion.

I’m not saying front, side, and back kicks don’t have their place (especially back kicks in sparring), but I think roundhouse kick is pretty much the most used kick for a reason.



This is ridiculous for several reasons:

1. I can kick to the head a LOT easier than I can punch to the foot, and punching to the foot would involve bending down to a very disadvantaged position
2. The foot is a much less desirable target than the head. You don’t kick to the foot, so why would you punch to the foot?

While I agree there are definite disadvantages to high kicks, they are a lot more powerful than a punch (I’ve seen “science” shows rate a boxer’s punch at 1000 lb. of force and a TKD roundhouse at 2400 lb.) so there’s a definite reason to want to kick something that you could also hit by punching.

Like I said, kicks aren’t the only option or always the best option, but this argument is ridiculous.

Why is the head a more desirable target than the foot again?

 

[skribs]

There's a reason we strike with our feet and protect our head. If the feet were the greater target we would fight in a squatting position with our forearms on either side of our feet.

 

[Touch Of Death]

There's a reason we strike with our feet and protect our head. If the feet were the greater target we would fight in a squatting position with our forearms on either side of our feet.

Or we could just move our feet.

 

[skribs]

We could also move our head.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

The foot is a much less desirable target than the head.

When your

- foot hit your opponent's head, he will fall.
- leg sweep your opponent's foot to be off the ground, he will fall too.

Is it easier for your foot to sweep at your opponent's ankle (less distance), or for your foot to kick at his head (long distance)? The "foot sweep" is much safer to execute than the high kick.