My kicks video plz critique

[Iwannakick]

[video] [/video] Plz tell me what im doing right/wrong and what i can o to make it better thnks

 

[Iwannakick]

try that

 

[Thesemindz]

Hi there. Nice video. How long have you been training in TKD?

I don't teach TKD, so I can't speak to the specifics of the technique itself, but I can give you some general pointers. First, get away from the wall. You need more space to practice that kick safely and properly, because landing from kicks awkwardly is going to happen, and in order to learn how to do that safely, you need space to fall. Landing is just as important as connecting, make it just as important a part of your training time.

Second, every single time you throw the kick you drop your lead hand from a high position near your head to all the way down by your waist. Maybe that's the technique you've been taught, but I think you're probably just doing it for momentum. A trained fighter will see that, and know two things.

1. You are about to kick.
2. You are going to get knocked out first.

Don't telegraph your technique and don't open your head in a predictable rhythm. If you are being taught a low guard, that's fine. If you are being taught a high guard, keep your hands up. Either way, don't let your opponent know when you're taking a hand off your head. Or this will happen.

Third, you are standing very high in your stance. Maybe you are being taught a high floating stance, but even then, keep your knees energized at all times. Take it from an old fat man with bad knees, you need to protect them when you stand, protect them when you bounce, protect them when you pivot, protect them when you kick. And most importantly protect them when you are confronted with an opponent. B.O.B. don't hit back. A trained fighter will do bad things to your knees before your high roundhouse gets halfway to his head. High stance or low stance, don't disconnect from your base.

The video is good and you're rockin that B.O.B. That's good karate. But don't think that power is the most important thing. I teach all my students to practice power last. We practice our basics using the F.A.S.P. Model. That stands for Form, Accuracy, Speed, and Power. Speed and power don't come first. They come from practicing form and accuracy. But hitting hard doesn't make you hit any better. Practice the pivot first. Just lifting the kicking leg and turning the plant leg and pivoting the hip. Then set it back down. Set it down behind you, set it down ahead of you.

Then practice the kick in the air, slowly. Once you have the proper form, move to the targets and start working on accuracy. If you are striking three zones, low, middle, high, then pick very specific spots on those targets and work on hitting them perfectly every time, again, starting slowly. And remember that accuracy isn't just about hitting your targets, it's also about hitting with the proper part of the foot. Make sure your technique is clean and you are hitting with the proper striking surface according to the technique you are being taught.

After that, speed and power come on their own. They are the natural outgrowth of proper technique. Don't sweat it for now. You say you're a white belt. That means you have a long long way to go. That journey takes time. So be ready to take your time. The end doesn't get any closer, because the end doesn't ever exist. But you'll leave the beginning behind in time. For now, go slow, and listen to your instructors.

Get your head around on that spin kick. You can't hit what you can't see, and a trained fighter will move when you aren't looking at him.

Keep training. You seem like your doing well. Talk to your instructors. They know what they're teaching better than anybody on the internet.

Swing by the "meet and greet" section and introduce yourself. Martialtalk has a lot of great TKD practitioners who can really help you out.


-Rob

 

[Iwannakick]

big thanks for typing that out. can i do a video of my slow motion technique to see if im doing it good ? it doesnt seem like the way they teach you will get any power with that "bring your knee up, turn it over, flick your leg out, being i back down" thing

 

[Thesemindz]

I don't teach TKD and I'm not in your school so I can't specifically comment on your technique. Posting a slow mo video would probably be useful for the TKD instructors on here to help you out, so it's probably a good idea. As far as the "bring your knee up, turn it over, flick your leg out, bring it back down" thing, trust me, there's plenty of power in that technique. I don't know the specifics of what you're being taught, but that's generally how a roundhouse kick works, and it's a knockout strike. The roundhouse kick is the haymaker of the legs no matter which unique stylistic aspects each school focuses on. It's a take your head off kick. A cave your ribs in kick. A snap your knee at a right angle kick.

Ask your instructors to demonstrate the power of that kick for you. Be polite, not accusatory, and ask if they will let you hold the shield or bag for them while they execute the kick. They'll show you how to generate power.

And give them a little faith. There's a reason they're standing at the front of the room. You went to them right? Give them the benefit of the doubt and assume for now that they know what they're doing.


-Rob

 

[Iwannakick]

Well I gave a freind bruised ribs when we were sparring from that kick and he said he quits so do you think that means i got the technique good enough?

 

[Thesemindz]

Well I gave a freind bruised ribs when we were sparring from that kick and he said he quits so do you think that means i got the technique good enough?

I think that means you probably need to work on your control. Bruises are easier to come by than training partners.


-Rob

 

[Archtkd]

Ask your instructors to demonstrate the power of that kick for you. Be polite, not accusatory, and ask if they will let you hold the shield or bag for them while they execute the kick. They'll show you how to generate power.

And give them a little faith. There's a reason they're standing at the front of the room. You went to them right? Give them the benefit of the doubt and assume for now that they know what they're doing.


-Rob

If you are just beginning your Taekwondo journey pay extra, extra attention to the above.

 

[Iwannakick]

I think that means you probably need to work on your control. Bruises are easier to come by than training partners.


-Rob

you mean i need to go easier? If I go easy how will i know if my kicks and punches are powerful

 

[Kacey]

you mean i need to go easier? If I go easy how will i know if my kicks and punches are powerful

Control is not "easier" - it means being able to hit exactly as hard as you want, and no harder. Focus is the other piece, and it means hitting a specific point in space, regardless of what is behind that point (like your friend). Hit full speed, full power - but learn to hit a point in space, which could be an inch in front of your target, on the surface of your target, or an inch inside your target, the last being where you hit your training partner.

As far as your kicks go - I do teach TKD. You need to pivot your supporting foot a lot farther - so that the heel of your support foot points at your target when the kick lands. This will improve your power, and also protect your knees from injury.

As Thesemindz stated, you need to keep your hands up when you kick, as you are both leading your kicks (letting an opponent know when you're kicking) and leaving yourself open to get hit while you're kicking.

There's more than one way to perform a roundhouse kick - given that you call it a roundhouse rather than a turning kick, I'm going to guess you're in the WTF rather than the ITF/USTF. You should be hitting your target with the ball of your foot (unless your instructor tells you not to); kicking with the instep (top of foot) makes it much harder to get your kick through your opponent's guard than a ball of foot kick, and given what I saw in the video, you're also hitting with your shin at least as often as your instep, which makes learning focus and control much more difficult.

Overall, the more consistent your kick is - the more you do it the same every time - the better it will work.... as long as you practice it correctly. People frequently use the phrase "practice makes perfect", but that's not quite true - it's correct practice that makes perfect. If you practice crap, you will perfect crap. To that end, you need to slow down the kick and watch what you are doing at every moment - and by slow down, I mean take at least a 10 count (1 count per second) to complete the kick. By only practicing at the highest end of your speed and power, you are going to teach yourself bad habits (you already have a few - dropping your hands, not pivoting) and the longer you practice bad habits, the longer it takes to fix them, and the more likely you are to injure yourself. Learn to make haste slowly.

 

[Iwannakick]

Control is not "easier" - it means being able to hit exactly as hard as you want, and no harder. Focus is the other piece, and it means hitting a specific point in space, regardless of what is behind that point (like your friend). Hit full speed, full power - but learn to hit a point in space, which could be an inch in front of your target, on the surface of your target, or an inch inside your target, the last being where you hit your training partner.

As far as your kicks go - I do teach TKD. You need to pivot your supporting foot a lot farther - so that the heel of your support foot points at your target when the kick lands. This will improve your power, and also protect your knees from injury.

As Thesemindz stated, you need to keep your hands up when you kick, as you are both leading your kicks (letting an opponent know when you're kicking) and leaving yourself open to get hit while you're kicking.

There's more than one way to perform a roundhouse kick - given that you call it a roundhouse rather than a turning kick, I'm going to guess you're in the WTF rather than the ITF/USTF. You should be hitting your target with the ball of your foot (unless your instructor tells you not to); kicking with the instep (top of foot) makes it much harder to get your kick through your opponent's guard than a ball of foot kick, and given what I saw in the video, you're also hitting with your shin at least as often as your instep, which makes learning focus and control much more difficult.

Overall, the more consistent your kick is - the more you do it the same every time - the better it will work.... as long as you practice it correctly. People frequently use the phrase "practice makes perfect", but that's not quite true - it's correct practice that makes perfect. If you practice crap, you will perfect crap. To that end, you need to slow down the kick and watch what you are doing at every moment - and by slow down, I mean take at least a 10 count (1 count per second) to complete the kick. By only practicing at the highest end of your speed and power, you are going to teach yourself bad habits (you already have a few - dropping your hands, not pivoting) and the longer you practice bad habits, the longer it takes to fix them, and the more likely you are to injure yourself. Learn to make haste slowly.

Yes I kick with my instep (well try to but i aways accidently hit qith my shin) should I be using the ball of my foot? Id like to use the ball of myfoot cause then iwouldnt have the kick with the shin problem . Also I cant do my kick that slow cuse my balance isnt good yet.

 

[ATC]

Just keep practicing and listen to your instructor. You have been given some good advice but the best advise will come from your instructor. I don't know what Gup you are but from you video of your kicking I would say 8th or 7th Gup. Keep up the work and you will get better and better.

Like you have already been told, work on your control and accuracy, that is most important. Power is a bi-product of proper techinque with speed and relaxation. You will don't have to work on power all that much.

Keep on training

 

[Iwannakick]

Thanks everyone. isnt 7th gup like blue belt? im only a white belt but on the 29th im getting my advanced white belt

 

[ATC]

There's more than one way to perform a roundhouse kick - given that you call it a roundhouse rather than a turning kick, I'm going to guess you're in the WTF rather than the ITF/USTF.

You should compare KKW and ITF not WTF. But even KKW use the term turn kick not roundhouse. I think that roundhouse is use because it was a well know karate term. Almost like calling a tissue a Kleenex. Kleenex is a brand of tissue but almost everyone calls any tissue a Kleenex. The Korean term regardless of KKW or ITF is Dollyo Chagi(sp?) which translates into turn or spin kick.

You should be hitting your target with the ball of your foot (unless your instructor tells you not to); kicking with the instep (top of foot) makes it much harder to get your kick through your opponent's guard than a ball of foot kick, and given what I saw in the video, you're also hitting with your shin at least as often as your instep, which makes learning focus and control much more difficult.

Either way is OK but kicking with the ball of foot slows the kick down a bit and you will lose some reach (almost 6-8 inches). The reason being is that your stretch the hamstring and reduce the amount of quad fibers used to deliver the kick. Also the foot being pulled back will cut off that much distance. Using the ball vs. the instep only protects the foot (small bones of the foot) and gives you are smaller striking surface (if using the ball). The power of the leg is what will drive through the guard regardless of the foot position.

Everything else you stated is pretty spot on. Good advice.

 

[Cyriacus]

Thanks everyone. isnt 7th gup like blue belt? im only a white belt but on the 29th im getting my advanced white belt

Green Tag. Unless your ranking system is different to the norm

 

[ATC]

Gups start at 9 and work up to 1. Well 10 to 1 if you count no belt. So not bad. Just keep working at it. You have a long way to go.

 

[Lee Ch'a]

We practice our basics using the F.A.S.P. Model. That stands for Form, Accuracy, Speed, and Power. Speed and power don't come first. They come from practicing form and accuracy. But hitting hard doesn't make you hit any better. Practice the pivot first. Just lifting the kicking leg and turning the plant leg and pivoting the hip. Then set it back down. Set it down behind you, set it down ahead of you.

Then practice the kick in the air, slowly. Once you have the proper form, move to the targets and start working on accuracy. If you are striking three zones, low, middle, high, then pick very specific spots on those targets and work on hitting them perfectly every time, again, starting slowly. And remember that accuracy isn't just about hitting your targets, it's also about hitting with the proper part of the foot. Make sure your technique is clean and you are hitting with the proper striking surface according to the technique you are being taught.

Hey Rob- thanks for this; FASP will be something I will keep in mind in my training as well! Great thoughts, very helpful!

-Lee

 

[andyjeffries]

big thanks for typing that out. can i do a video of my slow motion technique to see if im doing it good ? it doesnt seem like the way they teach you will get any power with that "bring your knee up, turn it over, flick your leg out, being i back down" thing

You'd be surprised...

However the power comes from the rapid "turn it over, flick your leg out" phase not just the "flick your leg out". It's the turning over of the hips that generates power. If you lift your leg up so it's already chambered for the turning kick it will be weak, you should lift it straight up and turn the hip over as it's extending.

 

[andyjeffries]

You should compare KKW and ITF not WTF. But even KKW use the term turn kick not roundhouse. I think that roundhouse is use because it was a well know karate term. Almost like calling a tissue a Kleenex. Kleenex is a brand of tissue but almost everyone calls any tissue a Kleenex. The Korean term regardless of KKW or ITF is Dollyo Chagi(sp?) which translates into turn or spin kick.

Either way is OK but kicking with the ball of foot slows the kick down a bit and you will lose some reach (almost 6-8 inches). The reason being is that your stretch the hamstring and reduce the amount of quad fibers used to deliver the kick. Also the foot being pulled back will cut off that much distance. Using the ball vs. the instep only protects the foot (small bones of the foot) and gives you are smaller striking surface (if using the ball). The power of the leg is what will drive through the guard regardless of the foot position.

I agree 100% with both of these points (as was in the middle of typing out a reply as a I read down but have cancelled it as it would be saying pretty much the same thing!).

 

[Cyriacus]

Personally, i find a Turning Kick with the ball of the foot to be substancially more powerful.

However, a Turning Kick cannot be used as a substitute for a regular Instep Kick. A Turning Kick is highly situational, like a Back Kick.
Its worth practicing, but the Instep/Shin is a swell striking tool. You just need practice.
In another recent thread, someone complained of always hitting with their shin. And the conclusion was that Ranging was the operative word in play.