roundhouse - instep or ball of foot

[shogeri]

Ball of foot, not always unless I was kicking a side body shot to the solar plexus, or groin area, which implies I am attempting to be very accurate with the strike. This would be the hardest to master.

Shin, being the bigger bone makes for a good weapon when you just put your all into the swing of the kick (as with Thai Boxing).

~ and ~ the instep is good for snapping the roundhouse as in TKD, GJK, etc.

[Menjo]

Anywhere else and damage could be done to the foot

Do you mean damage to the foot? If so, I disagree. The ball of the foot can take and do great damage if trained properly.

True, not only that, but you can try kicking a concrete wall with the ball of your foot and there isnt much pain at all if you actually try it. If anything the since the shin doesnt give way at all, personally I would break my shin faster than foot kicking a hard surface, and had training in both types.

[pegasi]

To answer one person's comment about forms using round kicks, Tageuk Yuk jang in TKD uses a ball of the foot roundhouse kick twice in that form.

To have more options when using a ball of the foot roundhouse, it's necessary to have a great deal of ankle flexibility to be able to pull the toes back toward you enough to get them out of the way. I can stand next to a wall with my left shoulder next to the wall, (standing perpendicular to the wall) and execute a ball of the foot roundhouse with the ball of the foot hitting the wall, not my toes. To do this, you've got to be able to dorsiflex (pull up) the foot enough to get the toes out of the way.

[Shotokan-kez]

We practise both ball of the foot and instep. To be honest i much prefere the instep i can get much more power from the kick that way, i find it difficult to kick with the ball of the foot.

[Killer Miller]

The ball of the foot is the only way to go IMHO. No broken toes, much more delivery power to target, etc. It takes lots of practise to perfect, but once perfected it's very natural - it happens without thought...

- Killer -

[shogeri]

I have never bruised or broke any bones after 25 years of using insted and or shin...

However, without the proper execution of technique, I have on occasion hurt my toes, though not in any bad way, while striking with the ball of my foot. Basically, no matter what one prefers, it just takes practice like anything else.

[wadorue1]

I dont know what other kata`s are in other styles of karate?but in our (wado kai) we do not have a kata that require a spinning headkick or a round house kick to the head?as in reality it is not a requirement!As in battle it could cost you your life as a round house kick/spinning kick to the head is only showing off?but god help those that miss..lol

[armanox]

Shorin Ryu (and every Shotokan school I've visited) teaches primarily the ball of the foot. But, depending on distance, etc; the instep and shin (and toe if you're not going to break it) are perfectly valid strikes

[armanox]

I dont know what other kata`s are in other styles of karate?but in our (wado kai) we do not have a kata that require a spinning headkick or a round house kick to the head?as in reality it is not a requirement!As in battle it could cost you your life as a round house kick/spinning kick to the head is only showing off?but god help those that miss..lol

In Shorin Ryu the roundhouse does not appear in any kata (nor is the roundhouse a traditional Shorin Ryu kick.....). A roundhouse to the head, while painful, is not practical. A roundhouse to the hip or knee will do PLENTY of dmg if done correctly.

[bushido_man96]

The ball of the foot is the only way to go IMHO. No broken toes, much more delivery power to target, etc. It takes lots of practise to perfect, but once perfected it's very natural - it happens without thought...

- Killer -

I do like the ball of the foot. The only problem that I have noticed when striking with the ball of the foot, however, is that some angle is usually required with the target in order to strike solidly with the ball. I notice this when board breaking, but it may not be as tough when striking a surface that is not as flat as a board.