Jump Front Kick

[joesteph]

Korean arts are noted for their jumping--even called "flying"--kicks. When I studied Tae Kwon Do years ago, the instructors did not instruct us in these types of kicks (I never even saw dan members performing them in the dojang), but I learned that there was a concern about students falling, getting injured, and encountering that old bogeyman, the lawsuit.

My Soo Bahk Do instructor did introduce the jumping front kick to us just before the summer. The younger set, ages twelve to eighteen, had no problem with its execution and looked forward to it. The middle-aged set, though, and that includes me, had difficulties. One of us, for example, refers to his bodyweight, not coordination, and the assistant instructor worked with him to do a jump forward and a kick, so it's modified. With me, it seems to be coordination, and I have to be careful about bringing back the tendinitis I had when I overdid squats when weight-training, in that when you jump, you have to land, of course, making the knees act as shock absorbers; training for this jump means many jumpings and therefore many landings. My instructor allows me to do much as my friend does, to jump forward and fire off a kick, modifying it. But it disappoints me, thinking of my knees, yes, but having it in the back of my mind that if I'd been introduced to it when younger, I might have the coordination to require less training to perform the proper execution.

I may have found a training aid. When I was a boy, playgrounds were on asphalt, so a fall in the playground was little better than a fall on the sidewalk. Now they have a material that softens the playground area, and so helps regarding playground falls. There's a jogging/walking track in the main park in my town, and the material on its surface reminds me of the playground material, only it seems to be even thicker. My boys and I like to go to the park and take two walking laps around the track; then I supervise/direct them doing their three basic hyungs off the track. I went back to the track and started working on the jumping front kick. Coordination is a challenge; I have to stop holding my breath because I feel it when I land; I don't jump high and am probably kicking no higher than someone's upper shin; the silver lining is that I don't have any pain in my knees at all.

When we were introduced to the jumping front kick, it wasn't like the Tae Kwon Do one I'd first seen at Expert Village, called a flying front kick by Aaron Fruitstone. He takes an additional step, which I think gives him more lifting power. The URL of him performing it is at:

http://www.expertvillage.com/video/1377_tae-kwon-do-flying-front-snap-kick.htm

Mike Mallon, a Kung Fu expert, also takes an additional step from what I've been taught, although he performs it so casually that I'm envious. His URL is at:

http://www.expertvillage.com/video/133354_kung-fu-jump-kicks-jump.htm

The way I was introduced to the jumping front kick is the way Geoff Sterling, who is a Soo Bahk Do practitioner, performs it, one step less than the other two. His URL is at:

http://www.expertvillage.com/video/90385_soo-bahk-do-kicks-jump.htm

Do others here in the forum do a flying front jump kick--or any jump kick? If you do, could you say simply whether you're in middle age or not? (Old age starts at 100, so if you're doing martial arts, particularly jump kicks, at 100+, more power to you!)

[Truestar]

At the age of 16 I do a number of jumping kicks in our TKD school.

Jumping Front

Jumping Side

Jumping Roundhouse

Jump Turning Back

Jump Spinning Hook

Jump Spinning Crescent

In a real fight most of these would be impractical, but situations vary. I might see using the hook if I'm fighting an inexperienced slow opponent but I find jumping kicks in general to be risky in a real fight.

We also differentiate between jumping and hopping. Hopping kicks are used for distance whereas jumping kicks are used for height.

My young age is probably what allows me to do these kicks.

[tenshinka]

Korean arts are noted for their jumping--even called "flying"--kicks. When I studied Tae Kwon Do years ago, the instructors did not instruct us in these types of kicks (I never even saw dan members performing them in the dojang), but I learned that there was a concern about students falling, getting injured, and encountering that old bogeyman, the lawsuit.

My Soo Bahk Do instructor did introduce the jumping front kick to us just before the summer. The younger set, ages twelve to eighteen, had no problem with its execution and looked forward to it. The middle-aged set, though, and that includes me, had difficulties. One of us, for example, refers to his bodyweight, not coordination, and the assistant instructor worked with him to do a jump forward and a kick, so it's modified. With me, it seems to be coordination, and I have to be careful about bringing back the tendinitis I had when I overdid squats when weight-training, in that when you jump, you have to land, of course, making the knees act as shock absorbers; training for this jump means many jumpings and therefore many landings. My instructor allows me to do much as my friend does, to jump forward and fire off a kick, modifying it. But it disappoints me, thinking of my knees, yes, but having it in the back of my mind that if I'd been introduced to it when younger, I might have the coordination to require less training to perform the proper execution.

I may have found a training aid. When I was a boy, playgrounds were on asphalt, so a fall in the playground was little better than a fall on the sidewalk. Now they have a material that softens the playground area, and so helps regarding playground falls. There's a jogging/walking track in the main park in my town, and the material on its surface reminds me of the playground material, only it seems to be even thicker. My boys and I like to go to the park and take two walking laps around the track; then I supervise/direct them doing their three basic hyungs off the track. I went back to the track and started working on the jumping front kick. Coordination is a challenge; I have to stop holding my breath because I feel it when I land; I don't jump high and am probably kicking no higher than someone's upper shin; the silver lining is that I don't have any pain in my knees at all.

When we were introduced to the jumping front kick, it wasn't like the Tae Kwon Do one I'd first seen at Expert Village, called a flying front kick by Aaron Fruitstone. He takes an additional step, which I think gives him more lifting power. The URL of him performing it is at:

http://www.expertvillage.com/video/1377_tae-kwon-do-flying-front-snap-kick.htm

Mike Mallon, a Kung Fu expert, also takes an additional step from what I've been taught, although he performs it so casually that I'm envious. His URL is at:

http://www.expertvillage.com/video/133354_kung-fu-jump-kicks-jump.htm

The way I was introduced to the jumping front kick is the way Geoff Sterling, who is a Soo Bahk Do practitioner, performs it, one step less than the other two. His URL is at:

http://www.expertvillage.com/video/90385_soo-bahk-do-kicks-jump.htm

Do others here in the forum do a flying front jump kick--or any jump kick? If you do, could you say simply whether you're in middle age or not? (Old age starts at 100, so if you're doing martial arts, particularly jump kicks, at 100+, more power to you!)

Hi Josteph,

In Tang Soo Do, and indeed Soo Bahk Do, we (as you know) are quite form (hyung) based. I find it odd, that the only jumping kick (let alone flying kick) we have in the whole curriculum, is a single jump front kick in Kong San Kun (at 4th dan)...I have seen many SBD'ers performing flying scissor kicks, split kicks, double jump front kick, flying side kick etc. But I know that my TSD instructor never (many of them) taught them.

As a contrast, when I studied Kukki Tae Kwon Do, on my third or 4th lesson we were working on jump front kicks, and jumping side kicks.

Personally, I can say that I really only *practice* the following:

Jump Front Kick, Jump (Flying) Side Kick, Jump-Spinning Back Kick, and Jump-Spinning Hook Kick.

fwiw,

--josh

[joesteph]

Truestar, what you're doing is excellent. It should be that you take advantage of your age and dexterity and enjoy these aspects of your art. It doesn't mean you don't work on your self-defense skills, but there's no reason not to have more than one expression of your martial arts skills.

Josh, I'm going to assume you're older than Truestar, who's sixteen, and I'm going to tell you that I envy you. Those jump kicks that you practice are just great to be able to do. Reading over your post, I'm wondering if it's up to the instructor to broaden the offerings of the art, although it may be that when a practitioner of a particular art becomes an instructor, if s/he has a narrow base for a background, then that may be why a broader offering isn't made. Does this mean, then, that the instructor has an obligation to his or her students to broaden that base and so be able to offer more? Maybe so.

[tenshinka]

Josh, I'm going to assume you're older than Truestar, who's sixteen, and I'm going to tell you that I envy you. Those jump kicks that you practice are just great to be able to do. Reading over your post, I'm wondering if it's up to the instructor to broaden the offerings of the art, although it may be that when a practitioner of a particular art becomes an instructor, if s/he has a narrow base for a background, then that may be why a broader offering isn't made. Does this mean, then, that the instructor has an obligation to his or her students to broaden that base and so be able to offer more? Maybe so.

Hi Josteph,

I think it is most definitely (in this aspect) up to the instructor to broaden their offerings...Some cannot do it, and thus dont teach it...Others can no longer do it, but understand the principles and teach it...Some can do and teach, and just teach how they choose. Many of these *specialty* kicks, are not found in the base curriculum of TSD (and I assume SBD), as the techniques are the hyung lol Thus, not being promotional material the skills are often neglected. Personally, I feel that they are of ZERO combat value...But the historical value (in regards to Tae Kyun, where GM Hwang learned many of the techniques) they are interesting to at least be familiar with

In any case, an instructors obligations are really delegated by the contentment of his/her students. Its a mutual relationship...Its a fine line...Do I feel that if an instructor has a student that wants to learn hapkido, when the art being taught is TSD/SBD/TKD has an obligation to learn hapkido? NO. But I do feel that it IS an instructors obligation to be at least knowledgeable in all (*most*) aspects of the art they are teaching, or else they would best be suited to continue training, and not instructing others IMHO...Familiarity does not necessarily translate proficiency, however. That is a very fine line, and I would say must be based entirely on the particulars of a given situation.

Speaking of envy ( ) In April, I had the opportunity to train with GM Kwang S. Hwang (ITF 9th Dan), who is in his mid to late 70's...Watching him throw kicks WITHOUT WARMING UP was UNREAL! I can only hope and pray to have that amount at his age

take care,

--josh

[ninjanurse]

At the age of 16 I do a number of jumping kicks in our TKD school.

Jumping Front

Jumping Side

Jumping Roundhouse

Jump Turning Back

Jump Spinning Hook

Jump Spinning Crescent

My young age is probably what allows me to do these kicks.

Don't discount everyone due to age! I am in my mid 40's and can still throw these kicks plus a few others. The old knees do not appreciate it so I do not regularly practice some of them but I do demonstrate and teach them to all my students-regardless of age. Small modifications may be necessary for physical limitations until the student progresses but they are expected to practice as taught and most eventually get it.

[tallgeese]

Honestly, I think that they are a pretty phenominal atheltic ability. They fall outside of my area of intrest, but they are neat to watch. I couldn't do them at 16, let alone now.

[DWx]

In ITF TKD there is a tournament discipline specifically for these type of kicks. "Special Technique" requires you to break one board and you compete against everyone else to see who can go higher (or further) and still break. In most comps you do jumping high kick, jumping roundhouse, jumping hook, 360 back and flying side kick.

We do get jumping kicks in our forms too, mainly flying sidekicks although in one of my current forms we have the two-directional kick. Most would never work in self defense unless under exceptional circumstances but they are a nice challenge to learn as you have to have good plyometrics to do the jumps and they are pretty fun if you can do them.

[bushido_man96]

I was introduced to the jumping front kick the same way that you were, joesteph. However, adding the step would be a simple addition. One of the difficulties I have seen early on it training this kick is that most people are more coordinated on one side than the other, and getting that leg-switching motion down is the hard part. After that, the kick seems to fall into place.

When I was in the ATA, I was introduced to this kick at the 3rd belt (yellow). At the 4th belt (camo), we learned further variations of this kick. At purple belt (6th rank) we were introduced to the jump outside crescent kick and the jump round kick. At the next rank (blue belt, 3rd gup) we learned jump spin outer crescent, jump reverse inside crescent, and at the next rank (brown) we added the jump side kick. These were pretty much rank required skills, but depending on each student's skill level, they could be taught earlier, and more advanced kicking could be learned as well.

Back to the jumping front kick, in the style of TKD I do now, this kick is taugh as part of the basics for each class. However, other jumping kicks are not covered as soon or as often. None of the forms have a jumping kick until Choong Moo, which has a flying side kick. As for other black belt forms, in my research I have noticed that some of ours have been modified so that the jumping kicks are done either as hopping forward kicks, or more like skipping (in Gae Baek hyung, for example, on the flying side kick, and the jumping round kick is just a back leg round kick).

I like to teach every student some basic jumping kicks, just so that they get exposed to them. Not all students are created equal, though, so I try to work each with what I can, and let them make the decisions from there. I do enjoy jumping kicks, as they are fun and challenging to do. They help build leg strength and conditioning (there are lots of good jump kick drills out there to build explosive power), increase skill, and enhance proprioception.

As for me, I am 30 now, and still do some jumping kicks. Kicks like the 540 degree jump spinning variety are a bit out of my league, but some of the more simple jumping and spinning kicks, I don't have much trouble with.

[Truestar]

At the age of 16 I do a number of jumping kicks in our TKD school.

Jumping Front

Jumping Side

Jumping Roundhouse

Jump Turning Back

Jump Spinning Hook

Jump Spinning Crescent

My young age is probably what allows me to do these kicks.

Don't discount everyone due to age! I am in my mid 40's and can still throw these kicks plus a few others. The old knees do not appreciate it so I do not regularly practice some of them but I do demonstrate and teach them to all my students-regardless of age. Small modifications may be necessary for physical limitations until the student progresses but they are expected to practice as taught and most eventually get it.

Absolutely. My instructor in his late 40's still throws a great looking jumping kick. Flexibility and power I definitely know can come from all ages and sizes.