Best form for kicks

[NidaninNJ]

If your looking for flashy kicks, sure TKD is good. But will they do anything if you connect with a mugger?

If your looking for really powerful and effective kicks I think maybe the only thing better than the 'big 4' Japanese karate styles is Muay Thai. They are tough and have some really strong kicks. I think Kyokushin is strong too but usually sloppy. Actually I have never seen a TKD person with kicks I would call really good. Flashy is one thing but not effective.

If your looking for good kicking FORM I would suggest Shotokan, Wado-ryu, Shito-ryu or Goju-ryu. But most important is to find a good instructor of whatever you decide on. What is that saying? 'It's not the martial art its the martial artist'???

[mourning_]

I agree with that, and from now on, i will live by it.

[Gyte]

Actually I have never seen a TKD person with kicks I would call really good. Flashy is one thing but not effective.

So, you never seen TDK practioner who was good with kicks.

Well, I can name a few examples: Hwang Jang Lee, Casanova Wong, John Lui, Tan Tao Liang, Hwang In-Shik. All these men studied either TDK or Hapkido.

I know that these are just kung fu movie actors, but they sure know how to kick. If you watch their movies you will see that they execute their kicks with the uttermost perfectionism. It sure looks very effective.

[Fish]

Wado Ryu is good for developing kicks with strong, proper form.

[Co_Co]

if u r intrested in kicks then try Muay Thai as it uses its legs and nees

GET A FILM CALLED (ONG BAK) with tony jaa in it its wicked u see alot of muay thai in it

[NidaninNJ]

if u r intrested in kicks then try Muay Thai as it uses its legs and nees

GET A FILM CALLED (ONG BAK) with tony jaa in it its wicked u see alot of muay thai in it

Awesome flick!

[NidaninNJ]

Actually I have never seen a TKD person with kicks I would call really good. Flashy is one thing but not effective.

So, you never seen TDK practioner who was good with kicks.

Well, I can name a few examples: Hwang Jang Lee, Casanova Wong, John Lui, Tan Tao Liang, Hwang In-Shik. All these men studied either TDK or Hapkido.

I know that these are just kung fu movie actors, but they sure know how to kick. If you watch their movies you will see that they execute their kicks with the uttermost perfectionism. It sure looks very effective.

Never seen any of them. I don't mean it to sound like there are NO TKD people who are any good. I just haven't SEEN any who have been any good. I've also seen a lot of karate people who haven't been good at kicking. But from my experience I would say that what I've seen leads me to believe that karate people are IN GENERAL better at kicking.

[pers]

It all depends on the instructer .In my own experience shotokan has the most powerfull form of kicking .but it won't happen over night ! it takes maybe twice as long as learning to punch effectively to master kikcing !

but good instruction and years of dedicated training could help reach that goal.

by this I mean becoming so good in kicking that you would feel confident in delivering a knock out kick ! not talking about how high one can kick or how beautiful it looks but how it can deliver the finish !

shotokan can teach that to great effect if one is lucky enough to find a master who could teach it ! Having said that I am sure there are other masters from other schools of karate who are equally impressive .

I have heard shorin ryu is very simillar to shotokan and has the same roots .so it is important to meet the right guy rather than the style !but I am glad I chose shotokan for sure !

[powerof0ne]

It really depends what your looking for. My advice to you is to try out, if possible, and research the following:

Savate

TKD

Kyokushin Karate

Muay Thai

Yaw Yan (extensive kicking curriculum) (http://www.yawyan.com/kicks.htm

Kum Gek Do

Savate is commonly overlooked. Savate is a French martial art, that is a combination of old street fighting methods, e.g. those used by the French Apache ("A-pash") gang, and the incorporation of Asian kicking methods observed by sailors, from arts such as Muay Thai and Karate. The two historical figures implicated in the development of the art are Michael Casseaux and Charles Lecour (who would incorporate a boxing curriculum as a result of him losing a fight to an Englishman who used punching alone).

Kun Gek Do is a hybrid art comprising the punches of western boxing and the kicks of Muay Thai and Taekwondo.

http://www.concentric.net/~sdseong/kmar.vid.kgd.htm

Click the link for more on KGD.

I'd pay attention to superfoot and probably pm him if I was you in regards to finding a good kicking art/school. I have to agree with him 110% about Savate, it is very overlooked(for some dumb reason)and has some very good kicks.

When I'm sparring Muay Thai rules against someone that's allright at Muay Thai and is too accustomed to my Muay Thai kicks I will resort to my Karate kicks to throw them off. With Savate and how many of us knuckleheads don't train in it you will learn many effective kicks not really seen in other martial arts that will throw a lot of people off.

What I will say about TKD has allready been kind of said..I used to be one of those people that thought all TKD was crap but this isn't the case. Just, sadly for TKD's sake that many dojang are too commercial. If you can find a school that is an offshoot from the ITF(international TKD federation) in someway I would definitely look into them because it's not olympic style TKD. Now you can learn some awesome kicks in Olympic style tkd but probably won't learn how to do them with much power. I'm all about flashy kicks but I guess maybe my own personal preference is to be able to tko/ko someone with a strike that I'm throwing. I don't do gymnastics, I do martial arts as a way to get in shape, have fun, and be able to defend myself...throwing a 720 arial kick that has no power is ridiculous..on the other hand if you can modify a butterfly kick with a whip kick to the neck or do it low and connect with a muay thai leg kick to the thigh...more power to you mate I love flashy kicks with power, hehe.

[Sensei fighter]

I would tell you guys something about harmony.

Certainly everything depends on what your aim is. If you're looking for great stretchng, fleshy and beautiful jumping rotation kicks to look cool - you can really take TKD (ay school at all because they are all good in that).

But! If you're looking for a way to master the art of combat you need to define in which way you want to develop your skills. Did I say TKD is not good enough for it?? No way! That's not the point what has been given to you from one master or another - the point is what you take!!

Here is the example for you Gentlemen AND Ladies of course. I have a friend who's tripple Russia's Champion in TKD (WTF and ITF), he also studied Judo and Boxing. I will tell you that's a man, who's perfecting himself as Bushi - he's after mastering the art and philosophy of combat.

That's what I'm trying to do. The point is - harmony with what you are after!

Dedicate your time and strenth and you'll be the best at your way.