Complete Kicking (26 page)

4. With your right knee bent, move your leg horizontally back and forth. Increase the range of motion of the hip joint as you progress. Repeat 20 times.

Practice this exercises on both sides, 3 times a week.

common mistakes

The most common mistakes are in centering and balancing. When your kick has too much power, it becomes out of control. Your body loses balance and thus misses the target. *You may rotate your torso first, then the hip and leg. Choose what works best for you.

• remember

1. Center your body.

2. Spot the target before kicking.

3. Relax while moving.

4. Focus your power at impact.

• avoid

1. Kicking too powerfully without accuracy

2. Tilting the head

3. Over-rotation of the body

4. Kicking in a wide arc

HOPPING KICKS

Hopping is a graduated tactic between stepping-in and jumping. Hopping should be short, light, and quick and may be done with a straight, circular or spinning kick. Adding a hop to a kick generates powerful penetrating impact. Be sure to synchronize your entire body as one unit and hop-kick in one count. Ultimately, you should be able to hop and kick in less than one second.

HOP KICKS

purpose

Hop kicks are used to stun the opponent, to decisively break into his defense, or to counterattack against a fast attacker. Your movement should be short and quick, hitting the target accurately. Hop kicks should be springy in action and stinging in impact. On the following pages are three examples of hop kicks. Experiment in your practice to develop others.

key points

Kick with clear-cut precision and lightning speed. Coil your body as you move into the hop and uncoil it into the target as you kick. Always keep your supporting knee bent and charge your hop with aggressive energy.

striking area

Ball, blade, instep, toes, bottom of the foot

targets

1. groin

2. lower abdomen

3. solar plexus

4. chest

5. mouth

6. temple

7. rib cage

8. thigh

9. knee

HOP ROUNDHOUSE KICK

how to

1. From fighting stance, shift your weight to the front (right) leg.

2. Bring the rear foot forward, crossing in front of the front leg, and simultaneously twist the torso to the right and “coil” the body as you hop forward.

3. Rotate your hip into the target, uncoil your body and release your foot into the target. Strike the target before your bottom leg touches the ground. Land in fighting stance after kicking.

HOP SIDE KICK

how to

1. From fighting stance, shift your weight to the front leg, and bound forward bringing your back leg to your front leg as you leave the ground.

2. As your body elevates, snap your foot toward the target, striking with the bottom or blade of the foot before the other foot touches the ground. Keep your body perpendicular to the target throughout your movement. Land in fighting stance.

HOP WHIP KICK

how to

1. From fighting stance, shift your weight to the front leg while bringing the rear foot next to the front foot, bounding forward and elevating your body.

2. Raise your front leg and throw your whip kick, striking with the bottom of your foot before your other foot touches the ground. Land in fighting stance.

JUMPING KICKS

Jumping requires strong leg and abdomen muscles and complete commitment to the technique. To succeed, you need to jump suddenly and kick powerfully.

While hopping kicks are speedy techniques, jumping kicks are powerful attacks or counterattacks. However, jump kicks are impractical unless you have mastered the technique and have experience with a variety of situations and opponents. You should be able to sense, not just see and think, the perfect moment for a jumping kick. Be bold and focus on the timing of your kick. Generally, the best chance at success with a jumping kick is when your opponent is rigid, planning his next move, or tired. Avoid using jumping kicks against opponents who have superior footwork or agility, because they will take advantage of their superior skills to avoid your kick and counterattack.

JUMPING KICKS

purpose

Jumping kicks are used to overpower, to counterattack, or to demonstrate advanced skills, such as a board breaking. The key to success is total body coordination and control of your bodyweight while in the air. Since they are fully committed techniques you should be absolutely certain in their execution. A half-hearted jumping kick results in disaster. You can improve your chances of success by reducing your opponent’s mobility and stamina prior to a jump kick.