Balance.

[KUNTA KINTE]

What are some good ways to improve my balance?

[mindsedgeblade]

Karate Kid style- up on the rail of a boat kidding, kidding. Slow kicks with your hand against a wall work. Slowly moving away from the wall, till you balance on your own. And of course, kicking a heavy bag.

Anybody else have some input, I'd really like to hear it.

[MASIsshinryu]

Balance come with experience, but not just in class.

When walking, and with NO traffic, walk on the curb. If there is any traffic, try walking only on the edge of the sidewalk. Use your balance as much as you can, and you will hone it over time.

Practice kicking, try doing hand techniques balancing on one foot... all good ideas, as well.

You sense of balance is a product of your bodies awareness of itself. The more opportunities you give your body to get used to changes in stance, movement, etc, the better your balance will get.

[mindsedgeblade]

Walking, even jogging on a curb is easy. Throwing two or more kicks without putting the foot down gets sticky.

[Shorinryu Sensei]

Practice doing your kicks VERY slowly and holding your leg extended at the end of the kick for about 10 seconds at first. Do each leg 10 times. As you get better and stronger, hold your leg out longer. Don't use the wall...it's a crutch. Consentrate on good form with your base leg (the one on the floor) slightly bent, not straight.

[cathal]

Practice doing your kicks VERY slowly and holding your leg extended at the end of the kick for about 10 seconds at first. Do each leg 10 times. As you get better and stronger, hold your leg out longer. Don't use the wall...it's a crutch. Consentrate on good form with your base leg (the one on the floor) slightly bent, not straight.

Taking this to another level, do one kick forward, then change over to a side snap kick. Take it slow, like he said. It will help.

[MASIsshinryu]

Front snap... Angle ... Side (Knife Edge) ... Side (Ball of Foot) ... Back ... Switch! (Do them slowly, but repeat until exhausted)

Now, that's a fun time!

[fangshi]

And when you have that perfect . Close eyes

[Kicks]

Shorinryu Sensei wrote:

Practice doing your kicks VERY slowly and holding your leg extended at the end of the kick for about 10 seconds at first. Do each leg 10 times. As you get better and stronger, hold your leg out longer. Don't use the wall...it's a crutch. Consentrate on good form with your base leg (the one on the floor) slightly bent, not straight.

Believe it or not, this will also increase your speed and power. Speed because you are building muscle memory; and power because of the resistance training involved.

After I started doing this routine people started commenting how quicker and more powerful my techniques were.

[KUNTA KINTE]

Practice doing your kicks VERY slowly and holding your leg extended at the end of the kick for about 10 seconds at first. Do each leg 10 times. As you get better and stronger, hold your leg out longer. Don't use the wall...it's a crutch. Consentrate on good form with your base leg (the one on the floor) slightly bent, not straight.

AHHHHH MUSCELE SPASIMS AND CRAMPS!!!!!!