Flexibility for kicks , and Kumite

[Kuma]

Dynamic stretching helped me improve the height of my kicks dramatically. As for power, it's all technique and speed. We're all still working on maximizing the power in our techniques

[Hidden Ronin]

Id say relax. The more tense you are, the harder it is to move.

This relates to flexibility, as the others have said.

[fallenyuyu]

Lol, I'm pretty ashamed of my leg work but its like everyone said its strech and practice. There is absolutely no short cuts

[Superfoot]

If you are looking for solid information with respects to flexibility training and kicking, I would recommend any materials (e.g. books, video etc) from Bill "Superfoot" Wallace (He's also an experience lecturer in Kinesiology), Marco Lala (has a series of videos dedicated to flexibility and kicking) and Thomas Kurz, perhaps one of the worlds foremost exponents on effective training protocols for kicking.

Here's a useful video you may be interested in:

http://www.stadion.com/power_high_kicks.html

Superfoot.

[FushinRyu]

well the way i got my jodan mawashi geri higher is to do the straddle stretch... A LOT! trust me, i used to go to the back of my dojo everyday after school and stretch in that stretch for 30 minutes everyday. i can now kick over my head and a couple people over me

[Blade96]

Do not worry about the height of your Mawashi geri at the moment ,rather put your effort into performing a correct Mawashi geri .one that would actualy work for real ,even at lower heights .

karate is not about jodan mawashigeri alone ,once you bulid a sound foundation (basics ) your technique and movement and thus your kumite will improve .

I been practicing shotokan for 7 months almost a year and got my yellow belt and my sensei would have said something like that, focus on doing a correct mawashi geri first and the height will come

I learned to a mikazuki geri last night and my sensei said it wasnt bad for my first try. I'd try get a correct mikazuki geri before a height one. doesnt matter if you can kick as high as yer head. if it isnt being done right, then the fact you can kick that high wont matter.

[TheKarateKid]

Its strange that you mention the hook kick; i graded in march to white belt and because of the classes i am able to attend, in the training kumite session we have just started doing them (( i'm told to do it to the best of my ability of course)) i do have one thing going for me and that is...i'm no lightweight so it takes a couple of kicks before i actually move.

[Blade96]

yeah i like the hook kick and mawashi geri. with mikazuki geri i think i'm better at soto than uchi.