Travelling Kicks

dancingalone

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Surely TKD has those... I just don't know the equivalent term. Can someone help me out?

It's basically a means of adding a couple of feet in range to a back leg RH or sidekick by opening up one's hips and popping into the kick while the supporting leg slides forward. The application in sport competition is obvious, but I thought it was a useful exercise if only to help teach stiff students how to be more limber in the waist and hips.

Is there a Korean word for this kick?
 

Marginal

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Dunno about a Korean term, but where I train they're just called sliding kicks. We don't really specify one kick or another while using that technique though.
 

rlobrecht

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We call them sliding kicks as well. We were working on sliding side kick and sliding back kick in class last night.
 

ATC

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Yes they are called sliding kicks, we also call it kicking long or extending the kick. You don't simply slide but extend the hips open as well. We have also use the term from the OP as well (traveling kicks).
 

bluekey88

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Yep. Sliding kicks. Almost jumping kicks, but not quite (you stay closer to the ground). I love using a quick sliding side kick like ajab as a set up for a more powerful back leg kick.

Peace,
Erik
 

FearlessFreep

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We distinguish "traveling" kicks from "sliding" kicks.

A 'sliding' kick does not change foot placement. Basically if I'm in a left leg forward fighting stance, and what to do a 'sliding roundhouse' then I will lift my front (left) leg and kick forward, just like a normal front leg round house, except since I'm kicking at just beyond range, my rear leg will 'slide'.

A 'traveling' kick actually involves bringing my back leg up about even or in front of my (front) kicking leg.

A sliding kick keeps the weight to the rear, a traveling kick involves putting the weight first on the front leg as the rear leg comes forward, and then shifting weight again to the plant leg

A traveling kick is much more powerful, but also slower. A sliding kick is much quicker but not nearly as powerful

I'll see if I can put together a video to show the difference....
 

granfire

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We practice sliding and jumping kicks and a little shuffle move that comes in handy when you are planning a leg check and your opponent does not accomodate you ;)

So in order to get the favorable leg behind you you do a quick hop, crossing your legs over and your newly back leg can bow check your opponents front leg.
 
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dancingalone

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FearlessFreep, your definition of the traveling kick is precisely what I am describing. I haven't trained these kicks in years, and I surprised myself the other evening practicing these kicks with the range I am getting on a smooth surface like a wooden floor. I'm talking about over a yard extra distance even while remaining stable. I'm sure the added distance is less on say a sidewalk with shoes on, but it's still crazy fun.
 

kaizasosei

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If i'm getting what you're saying, then those kicks are one of if not the fastest way to accelerate as humanly possibly. Also it is quite effortless if done correctly within personal limits of flexiblity. I find, it distantly resembles certain kinds of military marching styles. You're pushing off and then kicking with the same leg and then with the other leg getting a scisor type motion going.


j
 

ATC

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We distinguish "traveling" kicks from "sliding" kicks.

A 'sliding' kick does not change foot placement. Basically if I'm in a left leg forward fighting stance, and what to do a 'sliding roundhouse' then I will lift my front (left) leg and kick forward, just like a normal front leg round house, except since I'm kicking at just beyond range, my rear leg will 'slide'.

A 'traveling' kick actually involves bringing my back leg up about even or in front of my (front) kicking leg.

A sliding kick keeps the weight to the rear, a traveling kick involves putting the weight first on the front leg as the rear leg comes forward, and then shifting weight again to the plant leg

A traveling kick is much more powerful, but also slower. A sliding kick is much quicker but not nearly as powerful

I'll see if I can put together a video to show the difference....
We call both sliding but one is faster than the other so most time we use just sliding to mean the front leg vs. off the line sliding to mean the back leg. If it is known that sliding kicks should be used then we simple say fast leg vs. off the line.
 

Stac3y

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I'm not that great at sliding kicks, and I've been told it's because I'm so pigeon-toed that I can't point my rear leg toes away from the direction of the kick. In other words, if I'm in a left leg forward fighting stance facing the front of the room, and I kick with my front (left) leg, sliding on my back (right) foot, I can't angle the toes of my right foot toward the back of the room.

Anybody have any comments or suggestions? Does that make sense, or are they full of it?
 

FearlessFreep

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Ok, I uploaded an example video that I just made. I got my son to hold pads and I did the kicks, this was just impromptu in the back yard a few minutes ago so not much preparation or anything :)

Sliding and Travelling Kicks

Caveat: I have a bad right knee that keep same from chambering all the way unless I really think about it, but I did all these kicks with the right leg so...my lower leg does flop a bit.

Notes: The difference in footwork between a traveling roundhouse and traveling sidekick. With the roundhouse, I step my back leg to the front side of my kicking foot but with the sidekick, I step to the back. This is crucial because of how it sets up the hips for kick.

Note: I added a "skipping" roundhouse at the end on one side. This is mechanically similar to to the traveling kick but is what a lot of beginners do on the skipping kick until they get the concept of 'lift front, drive from rear' that the skipping kick requires. It's a bit of a mechanical compromise between the two, not as fast as a sliding kick but not as strong (or as much distance) as the traveling kick

Note: The difference between the traveling kick and just 'step and kick' is that I keep my hips and shoulders facing the same direction

I suppose lots of other notes, every time I look at it I find more...good and bad
 
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dancingalone

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Ah, now that you've posted video, FF, what you're calling a traveling kick is what I would term a "step through" or "step behind" kick, which is equally a good way to cover distance.

The traveling kick in my lexicon is executed with the rear leg. Just picture a rear leg kick but your supporting leg (which is the initial front leg) is the one that slides. It's more powerful and due to the difficulty of exploding off the front leg, it's probably a better exercise to teach hip and waist awareness.
 

FearlessFreep

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Ah, now that you've posted video, FF, what you're calling a traveling kick is what I would term a "step through" or "step behind" kick, which is equally a good way to cover distance.

Ahh, ok, a matter of terminology. Yeah, the "step behind sidekick" is another way we refer to the traveling sidekick.

The traveling kick in my lexicon is executed with the rear leg. Just picture a rear leg kick but your supporting leg (which is the initial front leg) is the one that slides. It's more powerful and due to the difficulty of exploding off the front leg, it's probably a better exercise to teach hip and waist awareness.

I see what you mean now. It's a distance technique for a rear-leg roundhouse. It's sorta part of a larger set of ideas of adjusting your pivot leg to set your distance. I don't think it has a particular name, not that I've ever heard, but I used to use it a lot to get people who thought I was out of range :)
 

ATC

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Can't see the vid until I get home fom work. So I cannot comment. But dancingalone discribes it correctly as I understand them. You can do them with front leg or rear leg but there is no step inbetween. If you do step it is only to gain or close greater distance between you and the target. So I guess you could step and still deliver a sliding kick.
 

ATC

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Actually, it's funny because I put a lot of effort into something totally irrelevant based on a misunderstanding of terminology :)
Well just got home and finally got to see the vid.

If you take your front leg sliding round kick and use that as an extension to the rear leg round kick you have the rear leg or off the line sliding round kick, if you can imagine what I mean.

Also when we do the fast leg or front leg sliding round kick the slide is executed with the rear leg sliding in to the front leg as the front leg knee is pulled up into kicking position then trusted out with the rear leg (supporting leg) continuing to slide a bit towards the target. Giving you added depth and speed towards the target. Some may think of a shuffle or skipping kick as something similar but not exactly the same.

Thanks for the vid post a the same, as it did help one to understand in the end.
 

Earl Weiss

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I'm not that great at sliding kicks, and I've been told it's because I'm so pigeon-toed that I can't point my rear leg toes away from the direction of the kick. In other words, if I'm in a left leg forward fighting stance facing the front of the room, and I kick with my front (left) leg, sliding on my back (right) foot, I can't angle the toes of my right foot toward the back of the room.

Anybody have any comments or suggestions? Does that make sense, or are they full of it?

They are full of it. If you can do the kick without sliding, you can do it while sliding. Just look at the angle of the foot when not sliding and duplicate it when sliding. DO NOT try to comply with some textbook angles if you do not have a textbook body, Just align your body how it needs to be based upon your unique alignment. I speak from experience.

I can only guess that the issue may have to do with leg strength. Can you raise one leg and kick with that leg while hopping on the support foot? If so you can do the sliding kick.
 

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