Leg grabbing

[datguy]

When I first started tkd, my kicks were caught quite often. I hated that. Having someone catch my kick is one of my biggest pet peeves. I absolutely hate it. I practiced, practiced, and practiced some more and got some help from my instructor and now my kicks are very seldom caught. Just practice the right way and you'll get it down.

[sensei8]

Imho, Jamming any kick is much easier than trying to catch them. Trying to catch a kick sometimes is like trying to catch a high speed train; not fun!

[ps1]

Did you consider a change in footwork and target? Most of the time, roundhouse kicks come in linearly. That is, you bring your knee up and fire your kick straight across to the target.

If you aim for the back of the head, rather than the side, you'll be able to come on an angle directly from the ground up to the target...because the shoulders will no longer be in the way. This will make your kick faster.

To accomplish this, you'll need to use footwork and setups to put you on the proper angle. I like a basic front foot sweep followed by the head kick. Also, you can use parry's and blocks to give you the angle.

You should also consider that you may be playing into the strength of your opponent. If you know he's good at grabbing kicks, why give it to him? Use feints to get him to put his hands down and then finish with punches or different kicks.

[DWx]

Did you consider a change in footwork and target? Most of the time, roundhouse kicks come in linearly. That is, you bring your knee up and fire your kick straight across to the target...

Actually that reminds me of a drill we use to speed up the roundhouse (and any other kick) to reduce telegraphing and the chance of getting caught. Basically it just forces you to change the trajectory of the kick slightly so the angle the leg takes decreases.

You're most likely to get caught when doing a wide angle kick, i.e. one that comes around and in, the more traditional way to do it. Its easy enough to step in on the inside of the kick and then check or grab it when you can see it coming around like this. Cutting the movement shorter like making a roundhouse more like a Brazilian kick does sacrifice a bit of power as you're not getting as much mass in it, but it is a much faster kick and more difficult to read because its not coming around and in. The path of the leg also means its harder to step inside the leg and grab. Same principle with any kick. The back kick is another good example. Bringing the kick in wide, with the knee high and moving around is easier to spot that something that comes straight up from the floor.

The drill for that is simple enough. If you want to roundhouse with your right leg, put your right shoulder next to a wall. Can't go around and in because the wall restricts your movement so you have to come knee up and the rotate at the very end. Have someone there with a focus pad and you can work any kick like this. Start off further away from the wall and then keep coming in closer until you're right on it.

Could also work on how your kicks start. Go with Superfoot Wallace's method of having the same chamber for all kicks. Your opponent then has even less time to recognize what he's being hit with and less time to think about grabbing you.

So forgetting for the moment what happens when you're grabbed, in order to reduce the chances of grabbing, try working on changing how your kick is coming in to reduce telegraphing.

[Lee M]

Usually caused by telegraphing the technique or not recoiling.

Try not to be too reptitive and easily read by your opponent.

[bushido_man96]

Cutting the movement shorter like making a roundhouse more like a Brazilian kick does sacrifice a bit of power as you're not getting as much mass in it, but it is a much faster kick and more difficult to read because its not coming around and in. The path of the leg also means its harder to step inside the leg and grab. Same principle with any kick. The back kick is another good example. Bringing the kick in wide, with the knee high and moving around is easier to spot that something that comes straight up from the floor.

The drill for that is simple enough. If you want to roundhouse with your right leg, put your right shoulder next to a wall. Can't go around and in because the wall restricts your movement so you have to come knee up and the rotate at the very end. Have someone there with a focus pad and you can work any kick like this. Start off further away from the wall and then keep coming in closer until you're right on it.

These sound a lot like how the WTF does their Olympic style kicks. The way is a great drill, and I use that at times to help a student with their spin back kicks. They are good variations.

[Liver Punch]

It's super hard to not get your leg caught when sparring without a lot of speed and power. It's also harder when kicking the body repeatedly, because the guy will probably catch on at some point.

I do the following:

1) Kick gets caught - whoops.

2) Lean my weight forward and off of my supporting leg.

3) Move my supporting leg back to avoid a sweep.

4) Thai clinch their head or grab the gi collar (if possible)

5) Start hopping - hop wherever they try to take you. If they run you backwards, hop really high and wait to be ran into a wall.

6) While hopping, punch them in the face (they won't be expecting it) and try to get your leg pulled out, or pushed through.

[bushido_man96]

It's super hard to not get your leg caught when sparring without a lot of speed and power. It's also harder when kicking the body repeatedly, because the guy will probably catch on at some point.

I do the following:

1) Kick gets caught - whoops.

2) Lean my weight forward and off of my supporting leg.

3) Move my supporting leg back to avoid a sweep.

4) Thai clinch their head or grab the gi collar (if possible)

5) Start hopping - hop wherever they try to take you. If they run you backwards, hop really high and wait to be ran into a wall.

6) While hopping, punch them in the face (they won't be expecting it) and try to get your leg pulled out, or pushed through.

You can always opt for jumping and bringing the base leg around for a spin heel or hook kick to the head. It is a bit risky, but I actually got that to work on my brother one time. It was pretty cool. It is kind of a sacrifice move though.