TKD Round Kicks

[JaseP]

Historically, kick execution in Japanese/Okinawan styles tended towards the short and choppy, whereas in the Korean styles, they tended towards movement of the hip that was more grand. Of course, that is a generalization.

Tang Soo Do and TaeKwonDo have a slightly different lineage. TaeKwonDo has more direct connection to Japanese karate than does Tang Soo Do. In Tang Soo Do, the Japanese/Okinawan influence occured later in development. In TaeKwonDo, the Korean influence was "rediscovered" to a large extent, and the early development was with Koreans who studied Japanese and Okinawan arts.

Many Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan practitioners jumped ship from the Korean Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan to form the TaeKwonDo Moo Duk Kwan in the mid 1960s. From there, there was a great deal of cross pollination. So Tang Soo Do is not really the grandfather of TaeKwonDo in the strictest of senses (although many other Kwans called their art Tang Soo Do, Kong Soo Do, etc. than just the Moo Duk Kwan).

However, some things are universal, found in all arts, Korean, Chinese, and Japanese alike, like the available striking edges of hands and feet, and certain postures. The ball of the foot is one such universal thing.

[neclos]

Superfoot: I don't know the whole history. I'm not interested in the detailed history (yet). I'm still struggling to improve my techniques and remember the katas.

As far as I know, my current instructor associates more with ITF (which is the federation created before 1970?). He teaches us kibon, palgwe and pyung ahn for katas. That's a lot of katas (2 katas per rank test). He kind of combines aikido into our drills too.

Whereas I learned only taegeuk many years ago in my previous school (more WTF, I think).

[ninjanurse]

Since I am not an authority I am not sure I can answer your question fully. The extent of "swinging" motion will depend on the circumstances and angle of the kick in any given style but generally the top of the foot is not used in Japanese systems. The Olympic style TKD schools teach the "uprising kick" (the kick you are inquiring about) because it does not waste as much energy in it's execution thereby increasing its ability to produce "trembling shock" which, in Olynpic TDK is required to score a point. It is merely a matter of physics and science. Traditional schools tend to teach both styles of kicks as they each have a different application within the style.

[mattyj]

i dont think you should kick with the top of your foot unless its in a tournament... its not a good striking tool.

ball of the foot is the way 2 go

this is what were taught in itf anyway.

[tufrthanu]

It's a great striking tool against the right target and for those of us not able to do one with the ball of the foot. Because realistically you could do a ball of the foot round kick in a tournament is easily as one with the instep so thats not really a very good way of explaining the difference.

[Superfoot]

Thanks alot for all your responses, each new post brings so many new answers.

In regards to the best striking surface, I tend to use the instep of the foot for the torso area only. To aim for the head during kyorugi, I use the sole of the foot (e.g hook kick, rising axe kick) in a fleeting motion. Personally, a ball-kick employed in a circular swing motion is telegraphed, so if I were to use it, I would aim 4/5 of those kicks to the torso, and on the last, look at the opponents torso area, but then aim high. Hopefully, the previous kicks have conditioned them to believe any progressive kicks will be towards the torso area, which will coax them into lowering their guard, and thus take the kick to the head. However, I wouldnt employ this method in class, it seems fit for competition if a knockout is your objective. This is not to say the instep cannot be used for the same purpose however. Just that IMO, the former would perform better in that context.

Once again, thank you all for responding. Means a lot.

[cjburns77]

We learn both "traditional" style and "olympic" style roundhouse kicks.. Traditional is ball of the foot and olympic is instep.. I am very new to TKD as I am only in my 2nd year.. When I started we where a ITF school and the only roundhouse we learned was ball of the foot style. But we got a korean master and his style is WTF. So we now incorporate both styles. Traditional for board breaking and Olympic for sparring.. I think both styles are important to know and can be usefull...

It is funny because after reading all of this I am alittle confused.. We use to call a roundhouse a turning kick.. We still call it a turning kick but our korean master does use the term roundhouse, and our traditional turning kick is like the karate style as discribed in the tkd tutor link..

Superfoot I would LOVE to see this "high impact kicking".. Do you have a link to it somewhere.. I would appreciate it.. This is a very informative topic.. Thank you superfoot for the thread...

[Superfoot]

Thanx for your response cjburns77. That's a very sound idea to incorporate both styles (WTF and ITF) into your inventory. I'm happy you liked the thread!

The Art of High Impact Kicking will be hosted tonight, and tommorow on the 8th of April, the link will be posted. The file is 698mb, and it's 10pm at my end, so I'll host tonight on a temporary server called Yousendit. On this server, you upload your file onto their server, and your file stays on their server for 7 days, or 25 downloads, whichever comes first. I'll post the link tomorrow. If it's not too much trouble, would you mind rehosting the file once you've downloaded it? I'll be rehosting too, just until all the people who have wanted to see it have seen it. You'll love the video, honest.

EDIT:

O.K, the time is now 12.25pm on the 8th of April, and the Yousendit servers crashed on my download 5 times . I'll keep trying, and if it doesnt work, I'll use the Hi-Speed internet we have at University to upload the file quicker than using the home connection. That will probably be on Saturday or Sunday, most likely Saturday. In the meantime, does anyone have any suggestions on what other sites other than Yousendit would be appropriate for uploading files for others to download?

[TSDforChrist]

So what's the word on the file?

[Superfoot]

http://s7.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2F9KEOB566ZPP36MY845UZI0PE

Here it is.

If anyone does download it, and the link expires, please rehost the video if others with to see. The file size is 698mb.

Here is what's covered on the video:

-The 8 elementary kicks of Tae Kwon Do which, when multiplied by the spinning motion of the body, form the sixteen basic kicks

 

-Forward and Rear Leg attacks using the 16 kicks

 

-Advancing and Retreating motions using the 16 kicks

The kicking techniques are then expanded within the 4 primary footwork patterns:

- Stepping

 

- Sliding

 

- Skipping

 

- Jumping

Combinations:

In this part of the video, the techniques demonstrated in the video are then put together in sequence.

Video Duration = 1hr 11min 52sec

The video is an .ogm file, a type pioneered by Ogg Media. Before watching the vid, download the following 3 pieces of software found on the link below:

http://ld-anime.faireal.net/guide/ogm-en#what

Once you have installed those, run the video in Windows Media Player 6.4, you can find that in your Windows Media Player file folder, alongside your most recent version too.

Enjoy!

Edited April 15, 2005 by Superfoot