Kicking: How high will you go?

[Kicks]

In competition only body and head shots are allowed. One point for a body shot and two for a head shot. I stay with the body using a varity of techniques then go to the head when: 1) I've convinced my opponent to protect his body and he's focused there with his hands down 2) if I feel I can safely hit to the head without getting injured (I'm not worried about just being counterd for a point. I can always get that point back) or 3) I'm behind on points or it's a close match and I have to get those two point shots to win. It's like a 'Hail Mary' pass in American football.

 

In a real life situation I would only go the head after I've doubled him over with a body or leg shot. There's NO WAY I'm going to hang my leg in the air for him to grab it and turn me into a piñata.

[WapCaplet]

I often practice kicking head height mainly for the flexibility and stretching. It also helps me a bit with balance and weight transfer. However, I have much more power and speed if I kick to the stomach or short ribs.

 

Wap

[longarm25]

high kicks not only put you off balance but there is a longer recovery time until the next tech

[karatekid1975]

In a real life situation I would only go the head after I've doubled him over with a body or leg shot. There's NO WAY I'm going to hang my leg in the air for him to grab it and turn me into a piñata.

 

I agree Kicks. This is what I was trying to say LOL. But in class, I can get away with kicking to the head. Outside of class, kicking to the head is suicide in my opinion.

[Shorinryu Sensei]

I'm finding everybody's comments about head kicks not being a good idea in a fight very interesting...and unexpected.

 

Why then, if it's generally agreed upon that head kicks are potentially suicidal in a street fight, are they taught at all? Sure, they're fun..but so is playing pool and driving go carts...but is "fun" what the martial arts is all about? Personally, I think dancing with a beautiful woman in my arms is much more fun than any martial arts class I've been in. Yes, practicing high kicks improve flesability and balance...but there are better was to do both.

 

So, somebody please try to explain to me why some martial artists will spend hours and hours, years and years trying to kick higher and fly farther, knowing full well that you'd never..or rarely ever use that technique in a real situation? Wouldn't the time be better spent working on a side kick, back kick, or just a basic front snap kicks?

[thaiboxerken]

I think it will help a person have more control kicking at the lower lines of attacks if they have practice kicking at the most difficult line of attack.

[battousai16]

not only does it give me better control, but quite frankly, it's just fun. i like being able to jump in the air and do a 540, or kick off one person into another, even if i know i'll never, ever, ever use it. sometimes it's just fun to practice the useless stuff for a little while. and there's a certain sense of satisfaction to just picking up your leg and kicking someone in the head.... i don't know what it is... at any rate, yeah, control, fun.

[47MartialMan]

Low kicks.

[kbgirl]

I think practicing kicks to the head is about expanding your abilities and your knowledge of what is possible. In MA we are taught to remove the pre-existing thought of the impossible and strive to make it possible. If you only aim to be able to kick to the waist/stomach, that is as high as you'll be able to go. If you remove the boundaries and say "I plan to be able to kick 10 feet in the air", with practice, you may do so one day. I'm shocked by what I'm able to do now vs. 4 years ago... I hope to continue to improve and who knows how amazed I'll be 10 more years from now.

[47MartialMan]

Yeah, per ability to high kick vs that you could not physically do it before is satisfying. But, the ablity to do it in defense is another issue.