how to master high kicks?

[RTKDCMB]

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

Or you could just use the light switch like a normal person.

 

[RTKDCMB]

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.

A good fast front kick or side kick digs in plenty, they are two of the more powerful kicks if they do too much pushing then they are being performed incorrectly.

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.

People are generally more flexible lifting their foot up to the front than they are lifting it up to the side. Side kicks are generally not as good for head kicks as turning (roundhouse) kicks and front kicks because they become less powerful the more the kicking led raises above the horizontal. If you kick with the ball of the foot you are much less likely to do an injury with the front kick than with the turning kick. The side kick with the heel is much more structurally sound than any other foot position so you are much less likely to injure your foot doing a side kick than the other kicks.

and punching to the foot would involve bending down to a very disadvantaged position

Depends on where the foot is at the time.

You don’t kick to the foot

Yes you do it's called a foot stomp.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

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.

From a wrestler's point of view, it's much

- easier to catch a roundhouse kick.
- harder to catch a straight kick.

It's much

- easier to block a staff that swing at you
- harder to block a spear that stab at you.

The beauty of the straight kick is when your opponent runs toward you with full speed, all you need is to raise your leg and he will run into your kick.

 

[RTKDCMB]

- easier to block a staff that swing at you

That one would hurt your arm more.

 

[Touch Of Death]

A good fast front kick or side kick digs in plenty, they are two of the more powerful kicks if they do too much pushing then they are being performed incorrectly.




People are generally more flexible lifting their foot up to the front than they are lifting it up to the side. Side kicks are generally not as good for head kicks as turning (roundhouse) kicks and front kicks because they become less powerful the more the kicking led raises above the horizontal. If you kick with the ball of the foot you are much less likely to do an injury with the front kick than with the turning kick. The side kick with the heel is much more structurally sound than any other foot position so you are much less likely to injure your foot doing a side kick than the other kicks.



Depends on where the foot is at the time.



Yes you do it's called a foot stomp.

I was going to say that; thank you. kicking isn't about pointing the knee and pushing; it is about picking up your heel and firing a kick which is just as fast as a punch.

 

[Thousand Kicks]

I am blown away at some people's opinions in this thread. Saying that you would choose not to perform a technique is quite a bit different from saying performing a certain technique is not smart. Isn't this why there are different systems of self defense with different philosophies? I don't wrestle, but I wouldn't say the things wrestler's do are dumb.

For the people who think the legs should only be used to attack low line targets; realize that there are downsides to all attacks. Kicking the leg or sweeping the leg is simple a fast, but it leaves you open to hand techniques to the head. Kicking to the head puts you at rick of falling, but it occupies your opponents hands reducing the chances of a counter until after the kick is complete. Also, as we saw from Anderson Silva's last fight, there are other downsides to attacking the leg with your leg.

When it comes to straight kicks versus round kicks. Yes straight kicks are good for piercing type attacks, and they have the benefit of being able to stop an advancing opponent. However, straight attacks hit a point as opposed to the arc of a round kick. A jab or a front kick can be dodged left, right, or by stepping away. A round kick generally doesn't stop and advancing foe. And, sometimes they can choose to eat a roundhouse kick to counter or get close to you. But, because of the arc, they have to be mindful of the direction of the kick so they don't add to the power by stepping into it.

Is it ever as simple as saying do this, but don't do that? Don't we usually choose techniques based on the situation?

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Kicking the leg or sweeping the leg is simple a fast, but it leaves you open to hand techniques to the head. Kicking to the head puts you at risk of falling, but it occupies your opponents hands reducing the chances of a counter until after the kick is complete.

If you kick low, your both hands can still punch. You have 3 attacking weapon (1 leg, 2 arms) while your opponent also has 3 attacking weapon (1 leg, 2 arms). It's a fair game between you and your opponent.

When you high kick at your opponent's head, Your body has to lean back to remain balance, you hands won't be able to punch your opponent at that moment. You use one leg to keep your own balance, one leg to attack. Your both hands are not function at that moment. Your opponent can use both arms to deal with your high kick and he doesn't have to worry about your hands. Your opponent also has one free leg to attack your standing leg. So you have "1 attacking weapon" while your opponent has "3 attacking weapons". Besides, when you kick high, if your opponent rushes in toward you, squeezes your kicking space, you will also have balance problem. That will add another attack weapon from your opponent and that is to "run you down".

"1 kicking leg" vs. "1 attacking leg + 2 punching arms + space squeezing footwork" just doesn't sound like a fair game at that particular moment.

The best counter used to against any high kick is to "cover your head with both arms and run toward your opponent like a mad man". Since I still don't have any good solution to deal with this counter when I stand on one leg for my high kick, I try not to put myself into this situation at all.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

For every technique (such as high kick) that you train, you should also train how to:

- counter that technique.
- counter the counters of that technique.

Unless you know how to counter the counters of your technique, you should be careful when you apply your technique. The reason is simple, you don't want to put yourself in a situation that you don't know how to handle.

What will you do when you throw a high kick, your opponent just uses his arms to cover his head an run toward you like a mad man?

 

[Touch Of Death]

For every technique (such as high kick) that you train, you should also train how to:

- counter that technique.
- counter the counters of that technique.

Unless you know how to counter the counters of your technique, you should be careful when you apply your technique. The reason is simple, you don't want to put yourself in a situation that you don't know how to handle.

What will you do when you throw a high kick, your opponent just uses his arms to cover his head an run toward you like a mad man?

Fall down.

 

[Thousand Kicks]

If you kick low, your both hands can still punch. You have 3 attacking weapon (1 leg, 2 arms) while your opponent also has 3 attacking weapon (1 leg, 2 arms). It's a fair game between you and your opponent.

When you high kick at your opponent's head, Your body has to lean back to remain balance, you hands won't be able to punch your opponent at that moment. You use one leg to keep your own balance, one leg to attack. Your both hands are not function at that moment. Your opponent can use both arms to deal with your high kick and he doesn't have to worry about your hands. Your opponent also has one free leg to attack your standing leg. So you have "1 attacking weapon" while your opponent has "3 attacking weapons". Besides, when you kick high, if your opponent rushes in toward you, squeezes your kicking space, you will also have balance problem. That will add another attack weapon from your opponent and that is to "run you down".

"1 kicking leg" vs. "1 attacking leg + 2 punching arms + space squeezing footwork" just doesn't sound like a fair game at that particular moment.

The best counter used to against any high kick is to "cover your head with both arms and run toward your opponent like a mad man". Since I still don't have any good solution to deal with this counter when I stand on one leg for my high kick, I try not to put myself into this situation at all.

I'm not sure I understand your logic. When you throw a kick, of any height, there is a certain amount of time you can't use your hands to punch. I will grant that the higher you kick the longer the time you can't use your hands, but you have to wait for the recovery of the kick before you launch another attack. You can't say that a person can kick low and punch and defend all at the same time. It works the same with hand techniques. If I throw a jab, I can't throw a kick until the jab is coming back. So there is a short time where kicking is not an option.

and where do you get that the best defense for a high kick is to cover your head and run forward? I get cover your head and close distance. But run forward like a mad man...is the best counter against any high kick?

 

[Gnarlie]

As regards countering the counter, if you kick at a moment when your opponent can cover their head and run forward like a madman, you've done something wrong.

There's a few factors you've not taken into account in your scenarios Wang regarding the number of weapons each party has available:

Angle

And

Time

And

Balance

If I kick you when you're already off balance or on one foot, you won't be able to respond before the kick meets you. You have zero weapons.

If I kick you from the correct angle, you won't be able to respond before the kick meets you. You have zero weapons.

If I kick you at the right time, I will have all the time in the world, and you will have no time, and zero weapons.

Kicking is not just 'throw the kick regardless of where the opponent is and what he is doing'. That's what newbies do in a Taekwondo class when they spar for the first time. One of the reasons it takes a long time to learn to kick effectively is because judging the appropriate moment and placement to kick and not be countered takes experience.

It's easier to do with some people than others:

Drunk Polish Guy Picks a Fight With the Wrong Guy. He Won?t Be Doing That Again! | Sure News

 

[msmitht]

Wow. Many of he replies seem to be against throwing high kicks. The thread is about getting better at them, not bashing the thought of ever throwing them or arguing against them.
Work on balance and a high knee chamber.
Don't forget to warm up, either actively or inactively. Learn from someone who can actually do them properly.
Listen to your body. Some people don't have the flexibility to kick high with every kick or even at all.