Side Kick question

[EmrldWepn]

I dont have much to add that hasnt already been said, but one thing about pivoting on the base leg vs not pivoting on it... I used to not turn the base leg (it would be 90 degrees from the target) which allowed a much faster kick. I could still get to about rib height this way. Recently an instructor told me while this may be faster, its not as powerful becasue the way your body is aligned. I always knew it was weaker but apparently thats becasue when you pivot your base foot 180 degrees, your frame lines up so the hip socket doesnt have as much tension on it. While it may be not as good for the knees, its better for your hips. Ahh, the tradeoffs...

[Heather Smyth]

I dont have much to add that hasnt already been said, but one thing about pivoting on the base leg vs not pivoting on it... I used to not turn the base leg (it would be 90 degrees from the target) which allowed a much faster kick. I could still get to about rib height this way. Recently an instructor told me while this may be faster, its not as powerful becasue the way your body is aligned. I always knew it was weaker but apparently thats becasue when you pivot your base foot 180 degrees, your frame lines up so the hip socket doesnt have as much tension on it. While it may be not as good for the knees, its better for your hips. Ahh, the tradeoffs...

I learned in my TKD school that you run less of a risk of injury to the knees when you pivot the full 180 degrees. I also notice a pulling sensation in my knee when only pivot only 90. Just tried it to see

Anyone else have any opinions on this. I just do not see how 180 degrees is bad on the knees..

[marie curie]

It's hard on the knees because of the twist that your leg has to be at to make 180 degrees. For the 90 degree kick, actually, both of your feet are pointing in the same direction, so there is no twisting at all. I know that for the 180, the angle is supposed to be mostly in the hips, but you can never get all the pressure off your knee.

[bushido_man96]

I am in TKD, and do the 180 degree pivot. I like it, and feel that with the foot pivoted 180, instead of 90, there is more support behind it, and the body is positioned correctly.

When the foot only pivots 90 degrees, then the body tends to lean to the side, and not toward or away from the kick (if that makes sense).

Keep practicing, it will come to you.

[WudangDragon]

In LJK Kung Fu we're told to pivot at least 90 degrees on the base foot but we can do 180 degree pivots if we feel comfortable with them.

Either way is considered effective and will let you pass a grading in our art.

[marie curie]

Awesome. Thanks. I've been checking around the university's ma clubs, and tiseems to be that Japanese arts are more with the 90 degree and Korean more with the 180. I've been watching some demonstrations, too, and I've decided that the 180 just leaves people too far off balance (I knock them over) and not so much with the 90, so I'm probably going to stick with that for in fights. Thanks so much for everyone's help in finding what works best for me~

[tkdan]

I'm in TKD and we use the 180 method. If I'm going through kicks in class or working on a bag I'll pivot 180. However if I'm fighting/sparring I will pivot halfway between 90 and 180 which is 135. I feel like I get the power of my hips in to the kick without sacrificing speed.

[ninjanurse]

Personally, I think it all depends on what you are trying to accomplish with the kick. Variations in the degree of pivot, height of chamber, and path of travel are all variables that alter speed, power, and direction of impact through the target.

I teach my beginners to pivot 180, chamber high, and kick straight out like a piston in an engine. This develops muscle and tendon strength, flexability, good foot shape, balance, and power. It also gives us the body mechanics to work on variations later. The pivot should be taught to be timed with the kick so that the body weight is not fully on the supporting leg thus avoiding twisting the knee.

[danbong]

In my shotokan class the side thrust kick is performed with the base foot at 90 degrees and it pivots to 180 degrees. The side snap kick is performed with the base foot at 90 degrees the whole time. In my hapkido class our side thrust kick was performed with the body fairly upright. Our base leg pivoted to not much past 90 degrees. It seems to me that the amount you base foot pivots depends on the amount of body lean you have and how much you turn your hips over - the lower you have your body and the greater the hip turn over, the more your foot pivots.

[marie curie]

In my shotokan class the side thrust kick is performed with the base foot at 90 degrees and it pivots to 180 degrees. The side snap kick is performed with the base foot at 90 degrees the whole time. In my hapkido class our side thrust kick was performed with the body fairly upright. Our base leg pivoted to not much past 90 degrees. It seems to me that the amount you base foot pivots depends on the amount of body lean you have and how much you turn your hips over - the lower you have your body and the greater the hip turn over, the more your foot pivots.

Thank you danbong- this was exactly what I was looking for!