Hi there.

 

An interesting (and sore) kicking exercise used a lot within the KUGB is based on the three way kicking requirement that is done for the shodan grading.

 

That is, starting from Zenkutsu-dachi, kick mae-geri off the back foot to the front; snap back and maintaing balance. Kick yoko-geri kekomi to the side and back - again keeping your balance on one leg - and finally, ushiro-geri behind you, then leg back and step back into Zenkutsu-dachi.

 

So in brief it's mae-geri, yoko-geri, ushiro geri : forward, side, behind.

 

What is particularly useful is to break down each kick so that to the count (assuming we are starting with zenkuts with left foot forward and so kicking with the right side):

 

1. Right knee up

 

2. Kick mae-geri but keep foot held out

 

3. Snap back foot, keeping knee bent and up

 

3(b). Prepare for yoko-geri to the side

 

4. Kick yoko-geri kekomi and keep leg locked out

 

5. Foot back, knee bent, assuming knee pointed forward as though about to do another mae-geri

 

6. Kick ushiro-geri behind you, again keeping foot held out.

 

7. Foot back

 

8. Step back into zenkutsu-dachi.

 

This whole exercise is especially useful when done very, very slowly. You really do work your supporting leg and you need to concentrate a lot on good technique. Ensure your knee is bent fully between and at the end of the kick, so completing the technique correctly.

 

Do it is slow, 5 times each leg, then half speed and then fast.

 

A useful tip is to tense your stomach so to centre your centre of gracity as you focus each kick. This will help you to balance.

 

You can then build up the number of repeats and then add mawashi-geri after the ushiro-geri.

 

All good stuff.

 

Hope that all makes sense!

 

We call them "lock out kicks."

We do something similar to that in our syllabus, but we go further than just the 3 kicks.

 

We do:

 

1. kin geri

 

2. mae geri

 

3. mae geri

 

4. yoko geri

 

5. ushiro geri

 

6. mawashi geri

 

7. mikazuki geri

 

8. gyaku mikazuki geri

We do this too. It gets quite hard to keep balance after many repetitnions

We have a simular combination for brown belts which is front - back - side. It is in the required form, and is one of my sensei's favorite warm-up drills that we do in the advanced class.

I do this in warm up as well.

In my dojo, its the same, only after front side back we add a round kick to the front.

We do 'gehon-geri' faster and faster until we nearly pass out

 

mae-geri

 

mawashi-geri

 

ushiro-geri

 

mae-geri

 

mawashi-geri

 

ET

We've got another cuty like this. Front kick (mae geri) turn 90 degrees and so on. (if you kick with the right leg, you turn left 90 degrees)

We do that with the FSK too. It's also part of dan grade tests - shodan is maegeri, yokogeri kekomi and ushiro geri. Mawashigeri is added for Nidan and you have to do ushiro-mawashigeri as well for sandan.

 

It's a good little warm up excercise and good for improving balance too, as you're not allowed to touch the floor with the kicking leg until all the kicks are completed.