higher, straighter kicks

whaaa · August 30, 2002

does or can anybody help me out, i want to learn how to kick higher, and kick straighter thanks...oh yeah does anybody know any kb schools in manassas va?

Bretty101 · August 30, 2002

Whaaa! (is that short for aaiihhyaaa-whaaa?)

Kicking higher requires flexibility and strength. which one would you like help with? Any kicks in particular?

What do you mean by straighter? so you can straighten your leg at height(requires flexibility) or so your foot can travel in a straight line like sidekick for example (requires coordination, flex and strength)

If you name the kick you want we can all help you with stretches and exercises!!

Bretty

monkeygirl · August 30, 2002

Kick Higher: a lot of this has to do with stretching...you need to be able to move your leg there in the first place, before you can kick that high! Do you "chamber" your kicks? (e.g. sidekick: bend your leg at the knee and pull it into your chest before slamming the kick out) If you do, bring your chamber up higher. This will definitely help you apply height. You can lean back slightly with your kick to help balance and move your upper body out of the way, but not too much. It can make the kick look sloppy, as well as throw you OFF balance.

Speed is also very important; using momentum to really swing the kick. Make sure you're relaxed and well-stretched so you don't feel restricted as you kick. High kicking is one of my specialties, so if you need anything else in detail, just PM me ;P

Kick Straighter: Try to kick something specific. You could put a big red bullseye on a blank space of wall. Stand with the target just outside your kicking range and very slowly kick out to it. Gradually increase the speed of your kick. This will help you aim your kicks as well as determine your range.

When you get comfortable kicking at full speed at the target, raise it slightly to kick higher. Do this for as often as you can, working each leg and maybe several kicks, for a total of about 5-20 mins.

To do in class: When kicking, try to imagine your specific target and kick at it. If there's someone in front of you in lineup, kick at their profile! If you use heavy bags, pick a spot on those at well. On heavy bags you generally want to focus on power and kicking the center of the bag, so this is a good time to work on straightening your kicks.

Good luck!