Hook kick.

[sensei8]

Random question:

For the proponents of high kicks...

Why kick high?

Edited April 16, 2010 by sensei8

[Toptomcat]

Legs are strong, and the head is a very valuable target. Kicking high undeniably involves risk, but there's a high potential reward involved as well- a hard blow to a very vital area. With careful study of how to identify and minimize the risks involved, high kicks can become an intelligent risk to take under the right circumstances.

[bushido_man96]

Toptomcat is right on. Although it is a difficult thing to pull off, with proper set-up tactics, a head kick can be very rewarding.

[DWx]

If you have the ability to do them and have the right opening for one they are good techs to pull off. Getting the kick right can easily lead to a KO... And of course in a lot of point fighting you'll get rewarded more for the head shots.

[Kuma]

Admittedly I train high kicks just for kumite purposes. In a real self protection encounter, high kicks are one of the last things on my list. I prefer to kick low.

[sensei8]

Admittedly I train high kicks just for kumite purposes. In a real self protection encounter, high kicks are one of the last things on my list. I prefer to kick low.

Would this be a true statement? I kick high because I can!

Would this be a true statement? The situation dictates the kick!

Btw, I'm not judge and jury as to what a practitioner should do or should not do; I'm just a student. If it, no matter what it is, works for that practitioner, then just do it! It's all good!

[sensei8]

We get to the kick portion and we start the hook kicks. What is this kick designed to do?

Good question. Here's my two cents. The hook kick is designed to circumvent the angles as offered up to me by my opponent's different defenses. Just as a hook punch does; searching out for the vulnerable and unguarded angles. What is thought by my opponent to have been protected actually becomes unprotected.

Some well known 'don'ts' regarding the hook kick:

>Kicking too low or too slow

>Jamming the kick on the opponent's guard

>Impact at less than 180 degrees of the turn, and the kick lands short of a full turn.

>Impact at more than 180 degrees of the turn...past the target.

Practice and practice and practice....and have fun!

EDIT: Spelling errors!

Edited April 19, 2010 by sensei8

[Kuma]

Admittedly I train high kicks just for kumite purposes. In a real self protection encounter, high kicks are one of the last things on my list. I prefer to kick low.

Would this be a true statement? I kick high because I can!

Would this be a true statement? The situation dictates the kick!

Btw, I'm not judge and jury as to what a practitioner should do or should not do; I'm just a student. If it, no matter what it is, works for that practitioner, then just do it! It's all good!

A lot of it is mostly because in the types of situations I usually find myself in it's either close range or at infighting range which negates a lot of kicks. Because of the range, my usual attire, and the fact that seeing me roundhouse kicking a guy in the head would not be a good thing on the nightly news, kicking low is more a necessity than anything else.