Help On Keeping Multiple Kicks High

[april]

I really need help on performing multiple kicks without dropping the leg.

While sparring, I can do one kick straight to my head level with my back leg. However, when I do a fake kick to the knee, the second kick can only reach to my chest level. It is the same thing with hook kick / round kick which may only reach my chest level.

I am only 5’ 0” so my chest level is usually someone’s solar plexus level (sigh). This is very frustrating in sparring because my kicks are never a threat.

Wonder if anyone can me some pointers on how to keep the 2nd and/or 3rd kicks up high without dropping the leg.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

[andym]

How old are you ? And one of the key points - relax. Sounds daft, but are you trying to put too much into the kicks, power wise, while still learning to apply them ?

[Nidan Melbourne]

This is very frustrating in sparring because my kicks are never a threat.

Actually you can be a massive threat. You just have to condition them to respond to a certain movement. then they'll go the other way and you can smack them on the other way.

Say you condition them with a roundhouse kick, then once they start reacting to it you can do a reverse roundhouse (as they are going to try and dodge it).

But for it to work is to have a similar movement in your legs to have them fall for it.

so it isn't always necessary to do multiple kicks in one go.

But to do multiple kicks in succession without dropping your leg, is to do as andym said, but also you need to practice whilst doing both. I am 5' 7" and i can barely do it due to my poor flexibility

[wayneshin]

It really is a combination or core stability and leg strength. There a many ways to develop this but the simplest to explain in writing is simply practice your multiples while holding on to a wall. Work on key elements such as body alignment and chamber position then gradually decrease your reliance on the wall. Hold on with 2 fingers then 1 then not at all.

As has been mentioned there are other ways to be dangerous with your legs. Faked kicks to preframe a response or setting up your kicks with your hands. Also as a shorter fighter you should also consider lower level kicks. If leg kicks are not an option in your style develop good body kicks.

[DWx]

IMHO this is down to leg strength. Specifically the upper leg. You're flexible enough that you can use the momentum of the leg to throw one kick high but when you don't have that force, ie. when you have to throw the 2nd you've not got that strength to lift it high enough.

Exercises to develop the quads, hamstring and adductor will help. So (bodyweight) squats and leg raises would be good. Throwing in some plyometric exercise would also help such as squat jumps, leaps, maybe even burpees. Then also practice as wagnerk has suggested by using a wall or chair to support you initially. The most important bit will be to retrieve your leg to chamber under control and keep that chamber position high.

To further develop the kicks, practice doing them slowly and focus on proper alignment of your body and hips throughout. A great exercise from this position is to execute a slow side kick or roundhouse to full extension, then hold the leg and do small movements with it. Keep lifting the side kick up 2 cm, left and right and also do small figures of 8. That will really work your adductors.

I would also point out the kicking high when coming through off the back leg can also be easier because the rotation forces you to take your hip over and to rotate your standing leg. This is not so crucial with leg kicks and often when then throwing the 2nd kick students don't fully rotate over. So make sure that you kick to the leg, pull up to chamber and keep the knee high, the throw the kick whilst rotating your hips over.

[sensei8]

What's your experience level?

Is the style of the MA you train in contain kick within its syllabus/curriculum?

So far, you've received some solid advice thus far. Try them! Don't rush the kicks, and allow EACH KICK to stop before starting a different kick.

[bushido_man96]

IMHO this is down to leg strength. Specifically the upper leg. You're flexible enough that you can use the momentum of the leg to throw one kick high but when you don't have that force, ie. when you have to throw the 2nd you've not got that strength to lift it high enough.

Exercises to develop the quads, hamstring and adductor will help. So (bodyweight) squats and leg raises would be good. Throwing in some plyometric exercise would also help such as squat jumps, leaps, maybe even burpees. Then also practice as wagnerk has suggested by using a wall or chair to support you initially. The most important bit will be to retrieve your leg to chamber under control and keep that chamber position high.

To further develop the kicks, practice doing them slowly and focus on proper alignment of your body and hips throughout. A great exercise from this position is to execute a slow side kick or roundhouse to full extension, then hold the leg and do small movements with it. Keep lifting the side kick up 2 cm, left and right and also do small figures of 8. That will really work your adductors.

I would also point out the kicking high when coming through off the back leg can also be easier because the rotation forces you to take your hip over and to rotate your standing leg. This is not so crucial with leg kicks and often when then throwing the 2nd kick students don't fully rotate over. So make sure that you kick to the leg, pull up to chamber and keep the knee high, the throw the kick whilst rotating your hips over.

This is all solid advice. Use a wall or chair for balance, and work on these exercises a few times per week, along with your stretching, and you should see improvement.

The key, as mentioned, is making sure that chamber stays at the same level, i.e., making sure the chamber doesn't "dip" between kicks.

Also, as you improve, do some focus mitt work to go to different targets. Do consecutive round kicks, mid-high, and also hi-mid. They both affect the body differently, so its important to do it both ways. Good luck to you!

[bushido_man96]

IMHO this is down to leg strength. Specifically the upper leg. You're flexible enough that you can use the momentum of the leg to throw one kick high but when you don't have that force, ie. when you have to throw the 2nd you've not got that strength to lift it high enough.

Exercises to develop the quads, hamstring and adductor will help. So (bodyweight) squats and leg raises would be good. Throwing in some plyometric exercise would also help such as squat jumps, leaps, maybe even burpees. Then also practice as wagnerk has suggested by using a wall or chair to support you initially. The most important bit will be to retrieve your leg to chamber under control and keep that chamber position high.

To further develop the kicks, practice doing them slowly and focus on proper alignment of your body and hips throughout. A great exercise from this position is to execute a slow side kick or roundhouse to full extension, then hold the leg and do small movements with it. Keep lifting the side kick up 2 cm, left and right and also do small figures of 8. That will really work your adductors.

I would also point out the kicking high when coming through off the back leg can also be easier because the rotation forces you to take your hip over and to rotate your standing leg. This is not so crucial with leg kicks and often when then throwing the 2nd kick students don't fully rotate over. So make sure that you kick to the leg, pull up to chamber and keep the knee high, the throw the kick whilst rotating your hips over.

Here's a video of some exercises like what Danielle is mentioning here:

Don't worry about doing the exercises as high as this guy does. He is very good at them, and it takes time to build up to working at that level. Instead, do them a belt level if you can, or lower if need be. If you feel the muscles burning, then its working.

[Van Zandt]

Address flexibility first, strength second.

All forms of active flexibility (dynamic and static-active) are governed by passive (static) flexibility.

That means you can only kick up to the limit of how far you can stretch in the splits - holding your leg up even less so.

Example: Say you can only reach 160° in the splits. You will only be able to kick up to 160° (a vertical kick is 180°). The difference between how far you can stretch, and how high you can hold your leg up, is usually about 50°. So to hold your leg 180° in the air ("vertical side kick" for example), you usually have to develop your splits to around 210° (usually called a 'negative split' or 'over split').

Work on increasing your splits, then worry about kicking high.