The Linea Aspara muscle and kicking.

[Reverse Fracture]

When you began your training with high kicks, do you remember a *popping* feeling near your hip and / or pain? This is the linea aspara muscle, a large muscle that lifts the femur. I speculate that training of this muscle will greatly help the speed of my kicks. Am I right? What are some ways of training the speed of my kicks? I'd like to not telegraph my kicks as much as possible. Thanks.

[bushido_man96]

Doing some plyometric types of exercises can help to build that muscles' explosiveness...thus improving your kicking speed.

[Reverse Fracture]

Hmm...plyometrics...I know that word, but I forget what it means. Could someone now explain "plyometrics"? No need to go into depth, just a reminder of what kind of movement is required.

[bushido_man96]

It goes into the stretch-shortening cycle, and really building up explosive power in the muscles.

Do an internet search on it, and you will find plenty of information.

[Reverse Fracture]

The most useful information I could find on plyometrics is as follows.

A student once asked Bruce Lee how to increase his kicking speed. Bruce Lee replied "...kick faster..."

The other information I found on plyometrics was based on running speed, jumping height, etc. etc. Nothing was found on kicking.

So to my understanding, plyometrics is the idea of stressing your ligaments with sudden, increasingly fast movements. Correct?

[bushido_man96]

Yeah, you are on the right track there. It helps to build explosiveness in the muscles, which can help with kicking speed as well.