Mawashigeri

[Shotokan-kez]

Yes the round kick bushido, kicking from your back leg and landing with it in front (although i guess it could be the other way round as well).

[bushido_man96]

Thanks, Kez.

[KarateK]

The way we teach our kids is to swing your knee up to the side first, flick the kick, keep your alance with your arms out and bring the knww back to the same position. Only then do you drop back into zenkutsi (yes i know its spelt wrong) dachi.

It probably depends on the style of karate too. As bushido man says he does the roundhouse kick then lands forward, our style we practise against a pad dropping backwards.

[karateone]

rotate on the ball of your foot right behind your toes. this will make it easier to turn.

[cathal]

You can go easily back into your fighting stance, front stance, etc from this kick. When you've performed the kick, bring your foot back as though you were doing a front snap kick. Begin with your hips and move them to face forward again, and use the pendulum action to lead the forward movement. Everything else falls into place.

[dragonwarrior_keltyr]

Well, for some odd reason this kick is one of my best - if not the best. I guess what really helped me improve the speed of the kick was practice. Try standing in a front stance (zenkutsu dachi) or fighting stance (fudo) and then lift your leg up to set position and slowely kick outward. Once it's out pull it back to set as fast as you can. If it helps think of kicking yourself in the butt when you pull it back This will also improve your balance. When you can pull it back to set it will be easy to step foreward or bring it back from there. Hope that helps

[Elky]

I think I understand what this guy's saying, and I find it difficult too. When you throw a mawashi geri with power your momentum carries you in a circle. This is made even more so by the rotation of your back foot which makes your hips face sideways. The natural way to land from a committed roundhouse kick is to land with your back facing your opponent which is obviously not a good idea. So how do you recover from a position where all of your previous movements have been driving it in the opposite direction. My only solution so far has been to under-commit to the kick, which doesn't seem a great solution really.

Edit: as with everything else in karate, doing this move in the air is much more difficult than doing it on a target. When free sparring it's easy not to over-rotate because you get the other guy's head in your way

[shogeri]

With both the Shotokan and Goju Ryu rear roundhouse, I practice and teach, the knee comes up(1), out(2), back(3), and down (where it began - 4). There is a twist of the waist and a snap of the leg between step 2 and 3.

However when I teach a forward leg roundhouse the knee still comes up and the leg snaps out and then back down.

When teaching rear leg Korean kicks, I do demonstrate that the leg snaps out and then the leg/foot just goes down to the front. Basically, what I was taught and what is shown in the forms.

Just my two cents.

I used to put my leg in a noose with a pulley and practice the kick while pulling my leg up. Helps with flexibility and form.

Later!

[bushido_man96]

I used to put my leg in a noose with a pulley and practice the kick while pulling my leg up. Helps with flexibility and form.

That is a great way to stretch!

[bushido_man96]

I just had an idea....when you throw the kick, at the moment of execution, throw the same hand you are kicking with back behind the outstretched leg. This reaction force should help you to control your leg and stop the momentum, so you can return the kick more easily to the ground where you started.