Balance on some kicks

[Kuma]

Thank you for the advice everyone.

I've been trying to practice kids and flexibility for several weeks, but have now decided to quit martial arts.

My feet are gonna screw me over every time, I'm not improving in either strength or flexibility, and to be honest I'm too old to really improve at all anymore considering where I'm starting from now.

I wouldn't go that route when you're so close to shodan. I have flat feet too thanks to the military so I know where you're coming from. The thing that helped me the most was the three way kicking drill (start with right leg, front kick, side kick, back kick, down, then repeat with the left). I was so wobbly I had to stay at gedan level for a long time. It took me almost five years to actually kick with speed and power at the jodan level.

[jason ainley]

Before giving up try looking at the elastic steel by paul ziack { i think thats his name } or stretching scientifically by tom Kurtz.

Both these programmes show good dynamic and static flexibility training together with balance an strength training.

[robothat]

Yeah...I feel like I'd regret it so much if I quit now...but at the same time training feels so pointless, when I don't know to what extent my badness at kicks comes from the flat feet, and to what extent it's leg strength and flexibility. It's very frustrating for me.

Kuma, or any other flat feet people:

Did you, or did you used to, find that when you stand on one foot, for example during a side kick, that you keep unintentionally lifting up onto the outside of your foot to keep your balance? (Outside meaning the side with the pinkie toe...like your inside foot is lifting up, so you're just on the outside edge.) I always do this unvoluntarily to keep my balance; like my standing foot goes into a position like I described where it looks like a normal (non flat) foot, as that would give better balance, and is a more natural position, but not for me and I'd rather my foot just stay flat on the ground so I'd be firmly planted and not WOBBLE.

I don't know if leg strength can fix that; I have such a sense of inevitable failure about this I hate it.

I wanna cut my feet off and replace them with robot feet, as soon as such feet are better than the current ones now and suitable for martial arts.

[senseikellam]

I currently have multiple sclerosis and balance is always an issue for it. Although practice practice practice has helped me w/ balance.

I also have MS and you just have to learn to alter moves and kicks a little to meet your physical capabilities. I have learned that with just a few minor changes in my stance, I can do most kicks and most moves as well as most people that don't have MS. I am a very tuff opponent.

As time goes by, you will come into your own and find what works for you. Just be patient and try different things. Remember people progress at different rates. Don't push yourself to hard, or you will not enjoy the journey. Like maybe don't try to get as low in your stances as others until you are stronger. Also, try squatting on a wall with your legs apart. Just find a wall, squat like in a Kibadachi or horse stance, but, a little lower and hold the stance for a while. Then a little longer next time, and so forth. Your legs will burn, but, you will start getting stronger. Also, talk with your doctor just to be sure that nothing is wrong that you are not aware of. Sometimes people that suffer from inner ear problems have issues with balance and being wobbly.

[bushido_man96]

Thank you for the advice everyone.

I've been trying to practice kids and flexibility for several weeks, but have now decided to quit martial arts.

My feet are gonna screw me over every time, I'm not improving in either strength or flexibility, and to be honest I'm too old to really improve at all anymore considering where I'm starting from now.

With that kind of outlook, you certainly won't improve. You've got to change that around for yourself.

Kicking high isn't always a necessary thing, as most of the kicks you are likley to ever use for self-defense purposes will probably be below belt level. You can still improve; you just may have to find different things to improve yourself physically. You can always improve mentally, too.

Don't give up on yourself so easily. Keep at it. You only fail when you stop trying.

Did you, or did you used to, find that when you stand on one foot, for example during a side kick, that you keep unintentionally lifting up onto the outside of your foot to keep your balance? (Outside meaning the side with the pinkie toe...like your inside foot is lifting up, so you're just on the outside edge.)

I'v had this problem at times. It seems like some days I can't get away from this. I try to think about gripping the ground with my foot a bit, and that helps at times. I also check my body alignment to see if I am leaning or shifting some, as that can cause the problem, too.

[Kuma]

Kuma, or any other flat feet people:

Did you, or did you used to, find that when you stand on one foot, for example during a side kick, that you keep unintentionally lifting up onto the outside of your foot to keep your balance? (Outside meaning the side with the pinkie toe...like your inside foot is lifting up, so you're just on the outside edge.)

Mine was the opposite way for me initially, I kept wanting to lift up the outside part as it felt like I kept falling forward and wanted to keep my balance.

It took a lot of time. Lots of stationary and moving kicking, fast and slow, kicks for loads of reps and multiple kicks at the same time. Admittedly I hated kicking for a while and would only kick gedan and didn't train geri waza too much. Fortunately I got my head on straight again and began training kicks again with the desire to kick head height without falling over. Now I can. Heck, I can even throw axe kicks and some spinning kicks (though I don't train them much).

A big part that also helped me was working a lot on Sanchin kata, and working on gripping the ground lightly with my toes for support.

[Rateh]

I have very flat feet, when I have to just stand with my knee up I wobble all over the place. I too find myself trying to lean onto the outside edge of my foot. When we have to "break down" the kicks, I can never hold the individual parts of the kicks with everyone else, especially the side and back kicks, I always have to keep putting my foot down to catch my balance.

Now saying all of that. I am currently going for my 2nd dan in Omega Martial Arts (a mainly taekwondo based style). We do a LOT of kicking. Am I the best kicker? No. But with practice I am far from the worst. I have some difficulty spinning on hook and swing kicks, but that just means I place my foot down about a foot from where it started rather than exactly where it started, the kick is fine. All other kicks I can do just fine.

It truly does just take lots of practice. Your body will learn to compensate. And IMHO its a WHOLE LOT easier to do kicks fast than slow. If I try and kick slow, that's when I wobble all over. Once you understand all the mechanics of the kicks, then try upping the speed, it will greatly increase your balance.

And it is essential that you understand the mechanics. If you are doing part of the kick wrong, it will throw off the whole kick, thus your balance. Seek out higher ranks or instructors if you think you may not be doing every part of a kick correctly.

Flat feet or not, it can be done. I have been training for 14 years now, I am far from perfect. After side kicks occasionally I'll do a slight hop to regain balance too. But my kicks are up to par with others of my rank, in fact very few people know I have flat feet.

Good luck, don't give up now. As my instructor says, everyone has something in their life or in their martial arts to hold them back. Sometimes these things are obvious to everyone. Sometimes it is known only to that person. But whatever it is, don't let it be a road block to your future, keep working, you'll make it.

[robothat]

Does anyone here with flat feet do calve exercises to try to correct their fallen arch?

I've started doing that again after having not done it for months....I don't really see how it work but thought it couldn't hurt.

I'd rather just get the corrective surgery asap, which I plan to.

How much do you think leg strength training such as lunges and squats can help balance for someone with flat feet?

What about practicing the kicks themselves; what sort of process do you go through in a session?

Typically I hold onto a chair or wall and kick in slow motion and hold it out as long as I can.

If I do that without holding onto something I automatically wobble and sometimes stumble, and I do often with even fast kicks too it's so annoying.

[Kuma]

Anything that can improve your balance can work well. Despite my flat feet, I can manage several reps per leg in the pistol, the one-legged squat.