Punching and Kicking

[Bastich]

Funnily enough we practised kicks and use of knees last night. Sorry not sure of the correct name but it was a kick to the thigh using the shin. I can definately see how this would be useful in a threatening situation.

Joesteph my inflexibility is due to a couple of things i think. I am now 39 and from school until my mid 20's i was a very keen runner. However i was'nt such a keen stretcher. I also have degenerative disc disease in my lower two discs which three years ago went completely meaning i couldn't walk for 3 months. Forunately i recovered to a good condition without surgery although that lingers over my head which is why i am now training in karate to improve my core stability and flexibility.

[Kuma]

Bastich - The nice thing about that kick too is it doesn't take a lot of flexibility and warming up to use, and it's effective.

bushido_man - We're taught the knee as well, but PPCT allows low kicks so we can use them if able. That was the first time I ever got to use a low kick, but I've knee striked my fair share of thighs. Guess I get lucky on occasion working the night shift in the projects

[Killer Miller]

Kuma, that was a very common technique in JKA as well. Usually front snap to the thigh, then counter - they usually never see it coming....

- Killer -

[joesteph]

Sorry not sure of the correct name but it was a kick to the thigh using the shin. . . .

Joesteph my inflexibility is due to a couple of things i think. I am now 39 and from school until my mid 20's i was a very keen runner. However i was'nt such a keen stretcher. I also have degenerative disc disease in my lower two discs . . .

The kick is a Muay Thai roundhouse, and it can be delivered against the opponent's thigh with the shin like a baseball bat (thank for the analogy, Tallgeese), and at an upward angle slipping under the protective arms (elbows) of the opponent to hit his ribs.

I'm sorry about the the disc disorder, Bastich. You've got guts to do something about it. One of the adult students (age 46) at the dojang where I train has a bad lower back. In his case, karate keeps him moving, rather than atrophying, and he takes classes 3-4 times a week.

Good luck with that flexibility training.

[nacal]

Sorry to hear about your bought your back, I too have had back problems with unaligned and twisted vertebrae in my upper back.

Flexibility doesn't come easy especially if you have had injuries in the past, it took me close to three months to touch my toes on a hamstring stretch. That was stretching twice a day!

Kicks are an important part of sparring and while their application may be limited with your lack of flexibility they can still be used for feints/fakes.

Using punching techniques alone will limit the scope of your sparring and allow your opponent a great advantage.

Just keep stretching and with time you will definately improve.

[Fish]

I too was a runner through my teens, 20s and until my mid thirties. I also had flexibility issues when I started. Stretching every day helped, and I can kick mawashigeri to my own head height (I'm 6'). However, dynamic flexibility is different from static flexibility - regularly practising kicking higher will also help improve kicking flexibility. A certain amount of flexibility in the hips and leg muscles helps to get the "snap" even for lower kicks.

[JoiH]

I am in Shotokan and find the kicks to be very useful. I find that they extend my reach (I am vertically challenged) and can be quite effective. I am partial to round kicks in a sparring situation, and a front snap kick can be great for keeping your sparring partner back. My sensei always gets me with a spinning back kick and it is very effective. I found that my flexibility can be improved on, even at my age (35). After I had my baby my kicks were very low and my hip flexibility was gone, but I improved both by practicing the kicks very slow, concentrating on the chamber (knee up) before the kick. It really helped. That being said, I do prefer a nice reverse punch while sparring . Simple, quick and effective.

[JusticeZero]

I'm sure the flexibility for low level kicks will come with a bit of practice. You don't need to kick people in the head really as a rule; abdomen is quite high enough, and many don't even need that. I don't even generally kick head-high standing on my other foot, and my art is considered to be as kick-intensive if not more than TKD. If you can't kick at all, it just means you'll spend the time you would otherwise train kicking on how to get inside of kicks to compensate.

[Kuma]

I'm sure the flexibility for low level kicks will come with a bit of practice. You don't need to kick people in the head really as a rule; abdomen is quite high enough, and many don't even need that. I don't even generally kick head-high standing on my other foot, and my art is considered to be as kick-intensive if not more than TKD. If you can't kick at all, it just means you'll spend the time you would otherwise train kicking on how to get inside of kicks to compensate.

Best advice I've ever heard:

"If you want to kick someone in the head, knock them onto their butt first. Heck of a lot easier to do it when they're on the ground."

My grandmother was a mean lady.

[Patrick]