Kicking

[Jeanette]

I'm having a problem.

I'm a budding competitor, and my hand skills are excellent. However, when I kick, because I try so hard to kick fast, I'm very heavy.

Are there any training tips you could give me to speed up my kicks, without making them more dangerous?

Jen

[Gautam Bidd]

maybe practice on a makiwara? if not then a heavy bag, start slowly to make sure you reach your target correctly and gradually increase the speed and at the same time get closer and closer to the target without making too heavy a contact. eventually you will notice you can make better distance with the kick and so not be too heavy.once you can do this maybe try to be different distances away from the target and try to reach it in the same way. this will help with judging distance required and help co-ordination with your legs when making distnace. also, i find concentraing on the snap back esp with mai and mawashi geri helps not to make the kick too hard.

[Paul Herbert]

maybe practice on a makiwara?

WHY? That's not going to help speed up anything. Resistance bands are far better and some plyometric drills will sharpen you up but the truth is, Kicking in competition (and reality come to that) is not really about the leg speed, it's all about good timing. Knowing when to kick, and where to kick from. Knowing what kicks work off of what lines etc. Learn to hit the target first, even if it's too hard and then start learning control. The other way round is no good.

[Kataman]

maybe practice on a makiwara?

WHY? That's not going to help speed up anything. Resistance bands are far better and some plyometric drills will sharpen you up but the truth is, Kicking in competition (and reality come to that) is not really about the leg speed, it's all about good timing. Knowing when to kick, and where to kick from. Knowing what kicks work off of what lines etc. Learn to hit the target first, even if it's too hard and then start learning control. The other way round is no good.

I think learning your limits is the best way. By hitting for example a bag, even as Paul mentioned, if you hit it a bit too hard at first, by hitting the bag, you'll be able to judge distance, speed and heavyness. Overtime, you will learn how to feel your body. By learning this feeling you will learn to judge your power, and you'll be able not to use 100% of your power!!!

Thats what I reckon.

[Kevin]

The key is to kick more and stretch more. The more you kick, the more control you will have over your legs, hence the more control you will be able to exert.

[Gautam Bidd]

that makes more sense than what i said, ma bad paul

[garrywatters]

As Funakoshi Sensei said "I fear the man who has practised one kick a thousand times than the man who has practised a thousand kicks once".

Practice whichever kick you feel most at ease with until you feel you have it to a level that is good enough for yourself.

Me, I'm still working on Mae geri (10 years karate experience) might start on mawashi geri next year

OSS!

Gaz

[Paul Herbert]

Me, I'm still working on Mae geri (10 years karate experience) might start on mawashi geri next year

Mr Nakayama said 'it takes 3 years to learn a decent punch but 15 years for a decent kick'

[garrywatters]

Oh well, it looks like I'll be practising mae geri for another five years at least. So it would appear that Karate is for life.

OSS!


Gaz

[Sensei James]

I have been training since 1989, and i battle constantly with my kicks, i have found simple things like training with small ancle weights, kicking verry slowly, and having a mate to act as a target, just moving around helps, gets you into the timing aspect of kicking.
my advice start on the kick you are worst at, that way you can only get better! im still trying and i doubt ill ever get to the standard i want to be at.

[davywest1000]

Jen,
If your hand skills are superior to your legs then why not use what youve got? Try and devleop srategies of how to open up your opponent with your hands making kicking easier for yourself.
For a very basic example punching gyaku-zuki chudan and following with jodan mawash. Just another spin on things

[kensei]

Try kicking in a pool as well as resistance bands. The thing is, like Paul said, Timing is Key, but the speed and power that one can pick up with conditioning will help alot as well.

Now, for being a big guy and worries about kicking, dont! Shiina Sensei is about a big a guy as I have seen train in Karate and that guy is scarry when it comes to kicking. And to make it worse, before he takes you appart he flys into the splits before a match.

Personally I like the Mae Geri in tourneys. I am a small guy and dont find logic in kicking a taller guy Jodan when I can just go Chudan with a fast front kick.

Have fun with it and train hard. Enjoy.

James

[shotokan101]

What is this ? a remake of Night of The Living Dead ? (Thread)