how to kick properly?

[versatilefightR]

I have asked many people, and I always get opposite answers. My question is, when kicking in muay thai, do you block with the same hand as your kicking foot? or do you use that hand for balance, and use your left hand to block?

[YODA]

Block what? Which kick?

Here's a pic of Ajarn Chai countering a right cross with a right round kick - it may help?

http://www.martialartsplanet.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/668/size/big/password//sort/1/cat/500

[versatilefightR]

Damn... I just started Muay Thai and I thought you had to use your right hand to block with a right kick, it felt so natural. Now I have to re-train my kicks, and they feel so awkward :(

[YODA]

Some random google pix...

http://www.hotelthailand.com/tour/bangkok/tour29/images/pic01.jpg

http://www.elbowko.com/images/b5-2.jpg

http://www.claudiofrancabjj.com/graphics/phon2.jpg

There's a pattern in there :p

[versatilefightR]

now that I've tried a few kicks with that technique, it feels you can get a lot more power from the hips :D

[Kof_Andy]

Yeah, you gotta relaxe your shoulder and let your entire body flow through the technique. Stiff shoulder will ruin your hip rotation. Dropping kicking hand slightly helps with rotation and power, but one most important thing is make sure your hands back up after the kick.

[Nakthai]

yeah, i think i know what you're getting at. my kicks really were hindered at the start by

a) me not rotating my supporting foot
b)turning my whole body into my kicks, instead of just my hips.

best think to do is hold onto something for balance and go through it slowly, slowly and slowly, and eventually it comes.

[nicolo]

Nakthai:

It's like kicking a soccer ball...step into it, raise your supporting foot on tippy-toes, rolls your hips, twist them and whip your entire leg in there. The arm on the side of your kicking leg should naturally fall back and your entire body should turn. It's like ballet. Your body leans slightly away in counterpoint to the momentum of the kicking leg. Just whip the entire leg in. Work out the mechanics of it and it'll be alright.

[versatilefightR]

lol funny you mentioned soccer, when I first started kicking my instructor said 'you kick like a soccer player, thats wrong!' i guess he meant the snapping motion

[nicolo]

oh well it depends on how you kick a soccer ball. I didn't mean the snappy kicks but the harder kicks. When you launch a soccer ball high into the air, you're taking a committed motion and kicking through the ball. Watch how the kicker arches his entire body back and his hips forward like a bow before the leg kicks through. Now take that similar mechanic, apply it to a roundhouse but spin your entire body on the ball of your supporting foot, leaning slightly away. Don't hold your hips back. let your body twist and the leg will naturally go in.
There is a low cut or sweeping kick that looks very similar to a soccer kick, where you take a deep step in, arch back like a bow and slam your shin into your opponent.

[Nakthai]

Originally posted by Nakthai
yeah, i think i know what you're getting at. my kicks really were hindered at the start by

a) me not rotating my supporting foot
b)turning my whole body into my kicks, instead of just my hips.

best think to do is hold onto something for balance and go through it slowly, slowly and slowly, and eventually it comes. Yeah, I've got it now ^_^'

I just meant when i first started.
Thanks anyhoo

[Timmy!]

Although dropping the kicking arm seems the natural thing to do, my teacher has always said *not* to do that. But he also said that some people teach it that way while others teach you to drop the kicking arm. I guess it comes down to personal preference.

[peacfulwarrior]

Originally posted by versatilefightR
now that I've tried a few kicks with that technique, it feels you can get a lot more power from the hips :D

Think of it this way if you have your kicking arm up when kicking you'll wind up resticting the flow of your kick. In TKD sparring your kicks are used more for tapping because your taught to fold kick and refold. At least I was TKD focuses on bringing the kicking leg back for the next kick or strike so your hand is up to protect against speed not power. In Muay Thai your aim is to knock your opponent out with that one kick or strike focusing more on power rather the speed.




http://www.martialonline.net/download/gifs/images/combat_10.gif