side kick

hong kong fooey

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okay i have a question. in karate clss I would much rather use a step behind side kick rather then a step across side kick because the step behind gives me more power and controll. but everytime I use a step behind side kick I get corrected and am told to use a step across because that is what they want us to learn. now I cant seem to figure out what the big deal is because they are both powerfull but I am more comftable using the step behind. what should I do continue to use a kick that I am not comftable with or stay with the Step behind side kick?
 

terryl965

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hong kong fooey said:
okay i have a question. in karate clss I would much rather use a step behind side kick rather then a step across side kick because the step behind gives me more power and controll. but everytime I use a step behind side kick I get corrected and am told to use a step across because that is what they want us to learn. now I cant seem to figure out what the big deal is because they are both powerfull but I am more comftable using the step behind. what should I do continue to use a kick that I am not comftable with or stay with the Step behind side kick?

Hong Kong Fooey you should do it the way your instructor wishes his school, his rules. Sorry
Terry
 

Gemini

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You answered your own question. Your not comfortable. That's why we practice and train. To improve. Practice is for targeting the aspects we lack, not what we've already achieved. Of cousre, you want to spend some time maintaining what you've learned, but you want to spend MOST of your time improving what you haven't.
 

tshadowchaser

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Not sure how long you have been at the school but take a moment some night and respectfuly ask the instructor in private why. Please be respetful when doing this.
Explain that you are more comfortable doing the step behind and you are trying to to the step across but the behind move omes more natural, and just seems to happen
 

Miles

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My suggestion is that you practice both methods-you want to be able to use either effectively.

You may feel more comfortable using one method over the other, but that's really the beauty of the martial arts is that you push yourself to work on material that doesn't come easy.

Good luck in your training!

Miles
 

Brad Dunne

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First, Ihave a difficult time understanding the mindset of an instructor who insists on only one way to do a particular technique. In this particular case, the crossing sidekick. Personnally, I found that stepping in front has two down elements. 1) The foot and hip position is weaker and 2) The opportunity to get one's feet tangled is more prevalent. One would think that any instructor would allow their student(s) to avail themselves of the most beneficial way of rendering a technique, as long as the cogent principle of application was present.
 

bluemtn

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Three types of sidekicks are taught there- step across, step behind, and rear leg. Of the 1st two mentioned, the step across is just standard- I don't know why. I'm more comfortable with the step across, but the step behind is much more powerful.
 

mantis

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tkdgirl said:
Three types of sidekicks are taught there- step across, step behind, and rear leg. Of the 1st two mentioned, the step across is just standard- I don't know why. I'm more comfortable with the step across, but the step behind is much more powerful.
do you mind if you get me caught on on the step back and side kick.
I cant imagine how it is. i tried starting from on guard, take a step back and hit but did not know where my target should be!!
 

jfarnsworth

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The only problem with the step in front of sidekick is sparring someone with good sweeping skills. A friend of mine could get that scissors sweep on the legs before you could react. You knew it was going to happen yet, still couldn't do anything about it. For some reason crossing to the rear just doesn't have the same problem. It just may be that the legs are so much closer when crossing to the front. :idunno:
 

bluemtn

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mantis said:
do you mind if you get me caught on on the step back and side kick.
I cant imagine how it is. i tried starting from on guard, take a step back and hit but did not know where my target should be!!

The step across side kick and step behind are almost exactly alike- but the rear leg is moving behind your kicking leg, not the front. You can either start in a horse stance, or a fighting stance, and let's say that your left leg is the one in the back (not your kicking leg). By moving forward to strike with your right leg, you are moving your left foot right behind your right foot, and chambering. Basically, your target is right in front of you (well, direction of your right shoulder in front of you).

An alternative to the 2 kicks is simply moving one foot to place right beside the kicking foot (like your standing at attention). I hope this helps you.
 

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