Strikes or thrusts?

[Rateh]

I call that a flutter roundhouse kick

It was a purple belt sparring requirement at my last school.

The point being to slide your back foot forward about 6 inches with each kick. The kick actually pulls the body forward. Hopping forward was (and I believe is) incorrect as it slows you down, changes your momentum, and if you're hoping then your forward movement isn't coming from the kick, its coming from your base leg.

The best way to practice is to start at one end of the dojo/dojang, pick up your front leg, and flutter kick all the way down the mat/floor without dropping your foot. When doing it this way you will quickly find that sliding is much faster and smoother than hopping.

Also the word "flutter" is a good description because we don't completely retract our leg back into our chamber for each kick. Instead we retract it about half way, then throw the next kick.

More challenging, but more effective, is varying the levels of the kicks as you move forward. I also like to perform the last kick as a side kick instead of a round kick (again it is only a partial chamber, but the kick still must go straight in with a proper foot position, so it looks like the end of a proper side kick, not one of those round/side kicks that some people throw).

I also like to perform the side kick all by itself. When you pick up your front foot for a side kick, and you are obviously not close enough to contact, most people do not react with any sort of evasion or movement. Then as you throw the kick you slide your base foot forward with the momentum, thus reaching 6-12 inches further with your kick and connecting with your opponent. That's actually my favorite sparring technique .

Back on the original topic though....I believe a strike goes in and out with the same speed (fast as possible speed) in a snapping motion. A thrust doesn't retract as quickly so rather than a snap one gets more of a pushing motion. For pain imho snaps are best. But for gaining distance between you and your opponent than the thrust may be preferred as it pushes them away.