Some Tips On Kicking

by Andy Murray

A good kick is a valuable weapon in anyone's arsenal, be it for competition fighting, or 'real world' situations.

A good kick has a number of aspects; Accuracy, Speed, Timing, Power and Surprise! Before I give you some ideas about improving your technique, let me first explain these aspects.

Accuracy.

The ability to hit the target. A kick, which misses the target, is useless, and potentially an opening an opponent can exploit. You also wish to pinpoint the area of the opponents' body you wish to strike, as opposed to simply kicking in their general direction.

Speed.

Speed is part of the power equation. In most cases a kick, which is too slow, will be 'read' by your opponent, who may simply avoid it or counter-attack.

Timing.

The ability to predict or even dictate your opponents movement patterns. Put them on the end of your foot, as opposed to putting your foot on them.

Power.

The ability to combine your body mass, moved at speed, into the target. E=mc2. Energy is equal to mass times coulombs squared. Or, roughly translated. Good weight behind your kick, sent in at speed, can hurt! Small guys with skinny legs can usually kick quicker than big/heavy guys. For a lot of kicks, smaller guys actually hit harder and have a better chance of hitting the target.

Surprise.

If your technique is telegraphed, your opponent will negate it. A good kick has no superfluous movements or clues as to what is actually happening until it strikes. Which is more dangerous, the dog which growls before it bites, or the dog which wags it's tail?

Training your kicks.

Always warm up properly, then stretch before you practise kicks.
Practice all kicks equally with each leg. If one leg is poorer on some techniques, then you need to train it more.
Repetition is nine tenths of the law. A good kicker will throw at least a hundred kicks per day.
Your kick is never perfect. Practise, practice, practice and practice again.
If your muscles become too tired to throw the kick properly, then train something else, as you may be starting to practise with poor technique.
Never throw 100% power or joint lock into kicks unless you are training at hitting an object (pads, bag etc).
Visualise an opponent when kicking. Imagine what they may be doing to you while you are throwing your fancy kick.
Keep as good a guard as you can when kicking. The reason for this should be obvious.
In competition, higher kicks usually score more points. In the street, high kicks may get you killed. Make sure you are training effective techniques.
There is no substitute for an experienced training partner/instructor to 'spot' for you. They may point out bad habits you don't know about.
Practice different angles of attack. Lead leg, back leg, with a step, with a skip or jump. Hard as you can, or fast as you can.
Stretching and flexibility are important. Leg strength even more so. Train squats, horse stance, and sprints.
If you have, or can borrow one. Use a video camera to record all your kicks. You can then sit and analyse them in slow motion. This may shock you!
When training pads, try to hit a specific spot, not just the pad in general.
Analyse the technique of other people, but be wary of adopting the kicking habits you see in most martial arts films. What looks good, may not work!
If possible train combinations. Hands to legs and legs to hands.
I personally find' isometric' or 'pnf' stretches to be more effective than static or passive stretching
Finish off your training session with a light stretch and cool down.

Paper Tigers.

A lot of us read articles about various aspects of martial arts. Do you always go and practice what you have just learned. If you have read this quick tips guide, I really hope that you have found something new or something helpful. What you have picked up is of no value to you unless you actually go and do something with it. Too many people just talk the talk. A true martial artist will apply everything they have learned, with a thirst for yet more. 'You don't learn how to swim by walking round the pool'.

Article written by

Andy Murray

Three Dragons Kung Fu

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