Improved kicks

[Kante]

Lately I've been getting nterested in improving my kicks drastically. My Mawashi Geri can get way above my head but I simply no longer want to settle with the slow motion easily predicted kicks that you mostly see around in Dojo's.

I have great balance but it can be way better and I wish to gain more control over my kicks. So overall I want my kicks to be faster/more controllable and develop knockout power in the process.

I need some tips on how to improve my kicks. I have a punching bag, a makiwara and ankle weights at hand and all I need is to know how to correctly take advantage of them.

[Killer Miller]

The key is Speed of the Knee going out to target, via the Hips driving the knee - finishing the action up with Kime. Weight or power is not the factor with Mawashi Geri.

- Killer -

[TigerDude]

Practice, Practice, Practice. Thousands of repetitions. Kick into a bag if you want to develop power, and if you are trying for power, you need to practice also what you do when your kick misses.

[bushido_man96]

Along with the notes listed above, work on the speed of your initiation, especially your chamber position for you kicks. Try, without kicking, brining your leg from the floor to the chambered position as fast as you can, and then hold the position for a count or two. Then, work it into the complete kick.

I like to do wall-kicks, where I use the wall for balance, and either do slow, tension kicks, or fast, repeating kicks, where I can work on muscle tension/speed as opposed to worrying about balance.

To work on balance, practice the tension kicks away from the wall, doing a 5 second count from chamber to extension, and a 5 second hold, and then 5 seconds back.

The heavy bag will help to develop power and balance, as well.

[Kante]

I did 200 Mawashi Geri's on the punching bag today with both legs then did 200 more with both legs wearing ankle weights. It took me 2 hours straight. I was planning to do 800 with each leg but was "interrupted".

Tomorrow I'll be doing 800 with each leg then move on to the makiwara to shield myself from feet to elbow hits.

[DWx]

One thing that helped me to gain control over my leg was to work my kicks extra slow. Just taking time to correct my techniques and positioning not only strengthened my legs but also made it easier for me to move on and then add speed and power. Also made me aware of which muscles I should be using at certain points.

[Kante]

Thanks for your responses. Today I did 600 Mawahi Geri's on the punching bags with both legs. 200 weighted and 400 normal.

My balance has improved tremendously. I can now hold an extended high Mawashi Geri in the air for several seconds.

My Mawashi Geri has always been great according to the standards. But am starting to look for more and I'm deffinetly getting more now.

The bad thing is though, I can't use the makiwara to strengthen my feet because my makiwara is the kind that is mounted on a wall and made out of several pieces of wood. So it's impossible for my to practice my Mawashi Geri on it. Any tips for an alternative?

[Montana]

I did 200 Mawashi Geri's on the punching bag today with both legs then did 200 more with both legs wearing ankle weights. It took me 2 hours straight. I was planning to do 800 with each leg but was "interrupted".

Tomorrow I'll be doing 800 with each leg then move on to the makiwara to shield myself from feet to elbow hits.

800 kicks? Per leg??? Using leg weights while kicking is a really BAD idea. You're asking for a really serious injury.

[bushido_man96]

The bad thing is though, I can't use the makiwara to strengthen my feet because my makiwara is the kind that is mounted on a wall and made out of several pieces of wood. So it's impossible for my to practice my Mawashi Geri on it. Any tips for an alternative?

What you could do is use a clapper target pad to work on your round kicks, instead of the makiwara. It won't toughen your feet, but I don't really think that toughening them is all that necessary. It will help with targeting, though.

[AngelaG]

Please please PLEASE be careful with doing kicks with ankle weights on, especially at high numbers as you can cause serious damage to yourself.

The problems with high numbers of kicks (with or without weights) is that unless you do every single one perfectly it will not help your training, and in fact every one you do sloppily will detract from your training. You will also run the risk of over-extending your joints if you get tired from multiple repetitions.

In order to gain speed in the relexes and accurace get some focus pads and get a partner to put them on. Then they present a target for a short period of time and you have to kick it before they remove the target. Start on the spot and work up to moving around, and gradually turn up the speed.

For working up speed work on the heavy bag, or again get a partner with a tombstone pad or thai pads. Work it at various heights. A partner is always best because they can give feedback as to how your kicks are coming along.