kicking

[KarateKid7]

my sensei made us do some drills last lesson involving extension of the legs from a crane stance. i.e. bring the knee up and extend the leg in maegeri position to c how high and how long u can hold it. i just cudnt hold it out at all! and also it wasnt high at all. any ideas on how to improve this coz i think it will make my kicks much better...my sensei called it passive static something. any ideas?

[Bleeding Lion]

it is called static streching i believe.

you probably not like my answer, but to be good at it, just do it more often (mornings and evenings) and the best you can. with perseverance you will improve.

And also dont limit yourself to static streching. Do active and passive as well (google it).

[kuwait_karate]

Make more of them and train to train your legs you cants carry it because theres no muscle and your veins or watever you call them are not strong enough

[Zaine]

Practice makes perfect. You got to just stand on one foot all day or do something that takes balance.

[Drgnslyer]

Sounds like your muscles aren't quite up to snuff yet to hold it for periods of time.

Really, that's not a big deal...we all start somewhere. Work on developing your leg muscles, watch tv while in a training stance rather than sitting...just an idea.

*That's worked for me at least, when in doubt, of course, ask your sensei*

[Tommy_P]

Practicing holding your leg out as your instructor had you do over and over is a good idea as already suggested. Just keep doing the same exercise and you will improve.

Another aid that might help is something akin to weightlifting where you use a "spotter" to help you lift a weight just a bit too heavy for you to do on your own. What you will do with your kicking is place the hand of your non kicking side "lightly" on a wall or a chair to balance yourself and use your other hand to hold the kicking leg up. Take a roundhouse kick for example, raise the leg to chamber with knee bent and pointing in the direction you are kicking. Place a hand under your thigh or grab hold of your gi and extend the leg keeping form. Re chamber the leg and repeat for ten reps then switch legs. You can do this for front and side kicks to. This will assist you in strengthening all those little stabilizer muscles until you can do it without aid. Little by little lessen your hold (aid) of your leg as well as use less balancing with your hand on the wall or chair.

Also work on your abs as they are a big part of holding the leg up....midsection strength is important for karate.

It all takes time and constant practice...but you have to practice

Tommy

[Takezo]

keep doing it

you'll get better

[KarateKid7]

thank you all for your tips and advice. all much appreciated

[JimmyNewton]

repetition

[Superfoot]

Much of the time, holding a leg up requires more attention on your hips. So go to your local gym, and there should be two machines that train both "Hip Abduction" and "Hip Adduction", which involve trying to close your legs together under resistance and vica versa. It helped me alot. I often found that when I held my leg out for long, my glutes and hips cramped up.