How to strengthen your Kick ?

[Safroot]

Hello Guys,

during my last kyokushin class (3rd class) I discovered that I have very weak left leg .... weak kicks and slow movement ?!! It's not the case with the right leg though.

Any idea how to strengthen your kicks specially at home or Gym ?!

Have anyone had the same problem before ?!!

N.B: I have had torn left ankle ligaments twice before but now it's alright

[Hawkmoon]

....

N.B: I have had torn left ankle ligaments twice before but now it's alright

...well that explains the 'weakness', in that leg!

You have over time, without realizing, been compensated for the damage with the way you do things, by things I mean walk, jog, play football, run and such like.

Now you do MA, that 'habit' that teaching (that muscle memory) controls how you use that leg, its become habit, its become normal to you to do all these things to not load or impact that leg!

The simple answer is you need to relearn how to use the leg the same as the other one, basically you need to work it more to build it up!

One of guys here at work went to a sport therapist because his knee would hurt after a run, they worked out it was his weaker leg, so that had him do exercise specifically on that leg to build it up!

Once his quads were built up to match his other leg his knee pain went away.

Go get yourself checked out see what they can offer you and the weaker leg!

It can only help no matter what they say!

[Safroot]

....

N.B: I have had torn left ankle ligaments twice before but now it's alright

...well that explains the 'weakness', in that leg!

You have over time, without realizing, been compensated for the damage with the way you do things, by things I mean walk, jog, play football, run and such like.

Now you do MA, that 'habit' that teaching (that muscle memory) controls how you use that leg, its become habit, its become normal to you to do all these things to not load or impact that leg!

The simple answer is you need to relearn how to use the leg the same as the other one, basically you need to work it more to build it up!

One of guys here at work went to a sport therapist because his knee would hurt after a run, they worked out it was his weaker leg, so that had him do exercise specifically on that leg to build it up!

Once his quads were built up to match his other leg his knee pain went away.

Go get yourself checked out see what they can offer you and the weaker leg!

It can only help no matter what they say!

Thanks Hawkmoon , I think you are right

but does this affect my MA training?! I am planning to use ankle support from now on during training... hopefully this doesn't affect my training, I have just started

[ShotokanGage]

Thanks Hawkmoon , I think you are right

but does this affect my MA training?! I am planning to use ankle support from now on during training... hopefully this doesn't affect my training, I have just started

I cannot see it affecting your training, other than you must remember to focus on training your left leg too. My right mawashi-geri is somewhat fast and well formed, wheras my left mawashi-geri is weak and inferior. This is due to training more frequently on my preferred leg. I am currently working hard on practising my left leg, so that I can comfortably kick with either leg. It's all hard work and practise, nothing to worry about, as long as you don't push your ankle too far.

[Safroot]

Thanks Hawkmoon , I think you are right

but does this affect my MA training?! I am planning to use ankle support from now on during training... hopefully this doesn't affect my training, I have just started

I cannot see it affecting your training, other than you must remember to focus on training your left leg too. My right mawashi-geri is somewhat fast and well formed, wheras my left mawashi-geri is weak and inferior. This is due to training more frequently on my preferred leg. I am currently working hard on practising my left leg, so that I can comfortably kick with either leg. It's all hard work and practise, nothing to worry about, as long as you don't push your ankle too far.

Thanks for the encouraging comment

[Wastelander]

If it makes you feel any better, my left leg kicks used to be weaker than my right leg, and now they are just as strong, if not stronger. I'm afraid I don't have a magic pill for that, though--it just took LOTS of practice! The heavy bag is your friend. Kick the stuffing out of it

[Safroot]

If it makes you feel any better, my left leg kicks used to be weaker than my right leg, and now they are just as strong, if not stronger. I'm afraid I don't have a magic pill for that, though--it just took LOTS of practice! The heavy bag is your friend. Kick the stuffing out of it

Thanks Wastelander for your advice. I will try

[sensei8]

Don't favor one leg over the other, unless injury/etc force you to!!

[Safroot]

Don't favor one leg over the other, unless injury/etc force you to!!

sure I won't

[bushido_man96]

If it makes you feel any better, my left leg kicks used to be weaker than my right leg, and now they are just as strong, if not stronger. I'm afraid I don't have a magic pill for that, though--it just took LOTS of practice! The heavy bag is your friend. Kick the stuffing out of it

Thanks Wastelander for your advice. I will try

This is good advice. Also, you can look into some general leg strengthening excercises, like squats and lunges. Sets of those, along with the bag work (do them after the bag work) will be beneficial to your leg strength. After you've built up some leg strength, you could look into adding some plyometric exercises to help build your explosiveness.