Hello and kick question

[oneheart]

Hi everyone, first time poster.

I just returned to Isshinryu Karate, my old dojo in fact, sense having to leave it after a short stent there in high school, but its now high up on my priorities and its always been a dream of mine to focus great attention to it.

I have a question about the front snap kick. Its a technique almost everyone learns, and honestly I like it a lot. I have a lot of control over it, can get it strong at any height, and its pretty fast. Even though my sensei has never said so though I feel he isn't a fan of this kick. He teaches it but I sometimes wonder if I like it more than I should.

What are some ways you find to apply this kick?

[BDPulver]

well a quick welcome. I'm a practicioner of Isshinryu of over 25yrs. Normally I use this kick to startle and gain distance on my opponent.

Other then that, I only use a few kicks now. The general consesus of the front snap kick was a straight groin strike to penetrate "armor" of old. Since then its been modified and with how clothing is, its still effective that way.

But like I said, since its a quick kick. Its easier to use to startle. And if done correctly can be used to make up distance on your opponent.

[ShoriKid]

I hit the hip or front of the thigh to stutter up someone's foot work.

Your instructor may just be looking at it as not doing enough damage for his tastes. There is nothing wrong with liking a technique more than others, we all have personal favorites within our styles. Congradulations on getting back into training.

[Shotokan-kez]

I always considered the front kick to be very effective and strong. With the fast snapping motion you can as mentioned use it to startle your apponent. I often use it during kumite because it is fast. If i don't score a point from it i follow it through with double punch.

[joesteph]

Hi, Oneheart. You mentioned "startle." That may be because of its speed, but also because so many expect the roundhouse, side, and crescent kicks that they keep seeing (and performing) when they spar.

Do you use the front leg for front kicks as well as the rear leg? I've found that it just isn't expected that the front leg will be a front kick, while no one seems surprised at a front leg for roundhouse and side kicks.

What I like is that it's a kick you can deliver and then re-deliver rapidly, and even switch between legs, so that it's like the "one-two" of a punch.

[tallgeese]

I go with the front snap, done with the lead leg, to the groin (for obvious reasons) and the front of the shin as a stun or stop hit motion.

And welcome to the site.

[sensei8]

What I've seen over the past 4 decades is that MANY practitioners of any Martial Arts, beginners even up to high black belts, still PUSH with the front kick, whether it's snap/thrust, instead of KICKING. Why? Lack of maturity in the effective applications of any said technique by the practitioner! Push/flick makes no sense to me whatsoever, either kick or don't kick at all if all one does is just push. It's called the front snap/thrust KICK, not the front snap/thrust PUSH.

Well mister smarty pants, me, how do I go about doing 'it' as a kick instead of as a push? LISTEN TO YOUR INSTRUCTOR! SPAR UNTIL THE WHEELS FALL OFF AND THEN SOME! DRILL/BAG WORKUP/DOWN DRILLS UNTIL THE OTHER WHEELS FALL OFF AND THEN SOME! When one is pushing, then stop! Go back to basics and "master" the basics of the front snap/thrust kick first.

Wwwwhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!

[oneheart]

Yeah, but what are you using the kick for?

One application I considered was that Muay Thai fighters and Boxers as well as some untrained fighters use a high guard with their hands, keeping both arms up near the face, some Krav Maga guys do this to. As fast as the front snap kick can be and because it can come in low I would think I might have a chance from a front or "seisan" stance as we call it in Isshinryu sometimes, to get up onder the guard and plug the ball of the foot into the stomach, or the solar plexus. Does this sound like a reasonable application? In the Seisan kata, I have imagined this as bunkai for the katas snap kicks, possible bunkai, I am still learning the kata.

Yes, I have heard its use for the groin. I also considered though a slightly altered groin attack. Similar to the snap kick, but the ankle is bent down like in a round house, so that the instep comes straight up. The instep smashes into the BOTTOM of the groin, and you deliver the attack between the legs hard, as though you wanted to lift the opponet up. Does this sound like a feesable technique?

[joesteph]

Yes, I have heard its use for the groin. I also considered though a slightly altered groin attack. Similar to the snap kick, but the ankle is bent down like in a round house, so that the instep comes straight up. The instep smashes into the BOTTOM of the groin, and you deliver the attack between the legs hard, as though you wanted to lift the opponet up. Does this sound like a feesable technique?

This sounds like a description of an already-used kick, the instep instead of the ball of the foot for impact, and even, if close enough, the lower shin instead.

Is this correct, OneHeart?

[bushido_man96]

I think that the front kick has many great uses; a push, a stop-kick, and it is great for lower level attacks to knees and legs. It is also one of the more efficient kicks to throw high, if thats the kind of thing you dig.

Welcome aboard, as well.