Kick Like Lightning

Three Ways to Improve Kicking

In most martial arts schools a student begins to form a solid foundation by standing and punching for increasingly long periods of time. Why is it we always begin with the punch? The argument can be made that the punch is easy to execute and safer for the new student. Why is that? Wouldn’t it make better sense to begin with kicking techniques earlier on? The student’s balance and flexibility would improve much faster. Not only that, but the student will, overall, have more time spent learning the more difficult of the basic techniques. This is just food for thought.

There are many reasons why students begin with hand based attacks over those that use the leg. The hands are faster, more accurate, and much more dynamic. They have a greater variation of attack angles and an almost limitless range of motion. Having said that lets get to the reason you chose to read this article. The title is about kicking and all I have really talked about is punching. Do not discredit this though.  Lessons can be drawn from fist skill that can help us with our kicking techniques. Here we will be discussing three.

First we must establish what makes a powerful kick. The kick must be fast and accurate. It must have good penetration. An effective kick must be able to hit a variety of targets. It wouldn’t do much good to have a technique that could only hit one target lest your opponent learn that and be diligent at guarding that target. The kick must also have a good recovery. You ever touch something hot? What happens? Reflexively, whatever you touch with it is snatched away lightning fast. Now imagine if it was stuck there because you didn’t have the muscle strength or control to pull it away? You would be severely injured. A kick is sort of like that when you are fighting with someone that knows how to handle themselves.

Keeping these elements in mind lets dive into the three methods I mentioned earlier.

Method # 1: Slow and Steady

This is a drill I like to call “slow and steady.” It is simply going through the entire kick in parts and as a whole but in slow motion, super slow motion. Let’s take the front kick for example. Stand with your feet in a natural position or acquire your fighting stance if you must and count out the front kick going through it by the numbers.

1. Knee up to waist level with foot in proper kicking position.

2. Thrust foot out to the target.

3. Bring foot back to chambered position.

4. Knee down putting foot back onto the ground.

These steps seem simple enough right? Okay, now for the fun parts. It is all in the minor details. I want you to try this and hold each position for one second. If that is too easy then hold each position for three seconds. If that is too easy still, hold each position for ten seconds. Now do this for a set of ten and tell me how you feel. It burns a little doesn’t it? Now for round two, you will not be holding anything static this time. You should move throughout the entire count. I want you to take one second to complete each step of the kick. One second to puck your knee up, one second to thrust your foot out, one second to pull your foot back, and one second to put your knee down. Is this too easy? Fine, take two seconds for each step. Now take five seconds, then ten, then twenty, and finally thirty. Now do a set of ten kicks with thirty second sections. Each kick takes two minutes. If my Bat Math is correct then training both legs in this fashion a single session practicing a single kick should be forty minutes of training. ENJOY!

Method # 2: Pool Kicking

In this training you will need to trade your training uniform for a bathing suit unless you want to go to the beach and be all Daniel-san in the surf. Though the beach would be nice and kicking in the waves would do wonders for your balance, I would suggest you begin in a pool. We can always progression up to the beach later.

Find a pool or other calm body of water, nothing with waves that will disrupt your balance. Wade in up to your waist. Then, simple enough practice your basic kicking techniques. Be sure to stick to the basics: front kick, back kick, round kick, side kick, and knee strike. Make sure your hamstrings are warmed up. They will get tight and you will have to stretch them out. After you are comfortable with the basic kicking techniques you should move on to more advanced kicks. Here start practicing the axe kick, hook kick, and both the inside and outside crescent kicks.

Practice twenty five of each kick with each leg to start out. Kick at medium speed and try to relax. Keep your core tight and maintain your balance. The beauty of this training is that the water gives resistance and strengthens your muscles while at the same time being very forgiving on the joints. It is a great workout and you are in water so your body stays cool allowing you to push yourself a little longer.

Now before you go and get all karate kid and head to the beach, do one more session in the pool. This time move into water that is at chest level and repeat the training sequence once again. Remember to stay stretched out. This differs from the previous training in that your legs will not be breaking the surface of the water this time. They will have the resistance throughout the entire kick.

Work your way up to doing fifty of each kick with each leg and then you will be ready to tackle the surf. Also I would recommend being able to swim before you head to the beach and watch out for undertow; that will take your leg out from under you better than any floor sweep. Train hard and have fun. When training is over go for a swim. ENJOY!

Method # 3: Circling a Door Knob

Okay by this time you have spent many mornings unable to sit up in the bed because kicking in slow motion kills the lower abs and you are burned from the sun with all the aquatic training. Well I am sorry to say that I have another abdominal killer for you but you will love it. YOU BETTER LIKE IT! HOOAH! Forgive me. That was my Air Force coming out.

Come inside and put your uniform back on. This training is going to be done indoors. More to the point this training will be done on a door. Go find a door, any door. Make sure it has a door knob. Now stand facing the knob. Stand close enough to raise your leg and just touch the door knob with your big toe. Now straighten your leg and point your toes just to one side of the door knob. With your big toes as a pointer draw ten small circles around the door knob going clockwise. Once you get to ten, without putting your foot down, draw ten more small circles counter-clockwise. Then repeat the process on the opposite leg.

Now to intensify the work, do twenty circles and then thirty after that. From here you should be well acquainted with the burn. This is good. It will help forge your spirit, make you tough. You need to be tough. If this method seems to easy add ankle weights and start from the beginning. Start with one pound and work your way up to ten pound weights.

Do not go over ten pound weights. You don’t really need it. ENJOY!

Here is a secret. I am about to drop some jewels so pay attention. The training is always simple. The methods to mastery are never complicated. Someone who tells you otherwise is trying to sell you something. What is very hard is the time, effort, and discipline it take to stick with the simple training. The new student always believes there is so much more than there is. It is true that there will always be more material but it is all just training. Anyone can reach a high level of proficiency with time, effort, and consistency. Remember to be consistent. Knowledge dropped. There you go. Go train.