Powerful kicks

[sbaker10]

When sparring the kicks i tend to throw usually pass through the blocks, that is not to say I kick with enough force to injure my sparring opponent but the other beginners I spar with usually don't block well enough to stop or redirect the kick merely slow it a little, I am quite comfortable I could hammer through the blocks with enough force to injure if so choose.

My question is should I "end" the kick as soon as the block it even if there is nothing really behind the block or does he need to learn how to redirect or fully block them?

[ps1]

I would end the kick when you make contact with the body. It's bad enough that you need to practice in a way that will build bad habits. May as well make a little contact with them.

Another idea is to learn to set up the kick so you don't have to go through a block. Find the angles and set up your kicks better. Now no energy will be wasted on going through arms and legs and all the energy will be directed into the target.

[Spartacus Maximus]

I suggest that you do your kicks the correct way so that you don't end up with a bad habit. Just adjust the power to your training partner. If you are with a lower rank or novice try to make it just so they realize that your kick will go through. That usually means they are blocking incorrectly and you should try to help them by thinking how and what needs to changed. Weak blocks hurt just as bad as incorrect ones.

[Shizentai]

My question for you is this: What happens when you try to kick trough the block of an experienced opponent (your sensei, or a big senpai)? Does this kicking-through-the-block thing still work out for you?

For me, the answer to this question would determine how I trained my kicks, not just the habits of a few inexperienced people.

[Spartacus Maximus]

When training with a partner the goal is never to go all out but to help each other figure what works and why. You help a less experienced partner by showing that a strong kick will get through. But do it with control just enough to get through.

I was on the receiving end of my sensei's front toe kick while we were doing low blocks. His kick was controlled but it got through because I did it wrong and at the incorrect angle. The result was a sound I never heard before. Like a muffled thud and low cracking. Not broken but quite close and a deep bruise the size of a tennis ball that lasted nearly a month. That a mark above my hips where his toe hit me.

[DWx]

My question for you is this: What happens when you try to kick trough the block of an experienced opponent (your sensei, or a big senpai)? Does this kicking-through-the-block thing still work out for you?

For me, the answer to this question would determine how I trained my kicks, not just the habits of a few inexperienced people.

When training with a partner the goal is never to go all out but to help each other figure what works and why. You help a less experienced partner by showing that a strong kick will get through. But do it with control just enough to get through.

Great points.

What does kicking through a block actually accomplish? I would imagine if you are kicking that hard all your momentum is continuing through and maybe upsetting your balance too? If so, a skilled fighter will let you kick through and then take you once you're unbalanced.

[mal103]

Do the drills with control, learn to kick with power against a bag. A skilled fighter will happily break your arms if you try to block a kick so don't match these drills to combat... move away from a kick, preferably at running pace.

[mal103]

Thinking about it more you should do these drills progressively - meaning that you should play at kicking/blocking so you get the feel of what's going on and can work at distancing, reaction speed etc. Gradually build up to making it a more effective drill by adding more speed and power, ultimately you should end up trying to reach your target and perform a controlled impact before your partner has had a chance to block. A lot of this will depend on the skills of your partner.

This leads nicely to my previous post where you should start to move out of the way of a kick, the average leg is far stronger than an arm and all you get by putting another leg in the way is bruises and bumps.

What you could expect in the real world is someone kicking you in the groin or whilst you are already on the floor, if you are sharp enough to see a groin kick coming then just blocking it is very risky, you should be thinking more about moving the target out of the way.

Not many people will be trying to kick you in the head unless you upset a fellow MA'ist so training to block a Mawashi Geri Jodan is not realistic, and if you do upset another MA'ist you will have no idea how good they are until after the kick...

I have recently dropped all kick blocks from 6th Kyu upwards from our syllabus as by then the training should be preparing them better for Shodan and for realistic situations. There are still a few but the emphasis is to move, check/parry the leg and counter attack from a new postion/angle rather than just stand there and hope you can stop the kick with an arm.

Sorry to go on about this but there are several drills done in Karate that only really work if you have the speed of lightning or arms like Popeye.

[unknownstyle]

Thinking about it more you should do these drills progressively - meaning that you should play at kicking/blocking so you get the feel of what's going on and can work at distancing, reaction speed etc. Gradually build up to making it a more effective drill by adding more speed and power, ultimately you should end up trying to reach your target and perform a controlled impact before your partner has had a chance to block. A lot of this will depend on the skills of your partner.

This leads nicely to my previous post where you should start to move out of the way of a kick, the average leg is far stronger than an arm and all you get by putting another leg in the way is bruises and bumps.

What you could expect in the real world is someone kicking you in the groin or whilst you are already on the floor, if you are sharp enough to see a groin kick coming then just blocking it is very risky, you should be thinking more about moving the target out of the way.

Not many people will be trying to kick you in the head unless you upset a fellow MA'ist so training to block a Mawashi Geri Jodan is not realistic, and if you do upset another MA'ist you will have no idea how good they are until after the kick...

I have recently dropped all kick blocks from 6th Kyu upwards from our syllabus as by then the training should be preparing them better for Shodan and for realistic situations. There are still a few but the emphasis is to move, check/parry the leg and counter attack from a new postion/angle rather than just stand there and hope you can stop the kick with an arm.

Sorry to go on about this but there are several drills done in Karate that only really work if you have the speed of lightning or arms like Popeye.

i totally agree with this. in Shorin Ryu i have been taught not to use hard blocks against kicks but rather slaps to push them away, or my instructor actually favored bringing the knee up to cover the groin and lower parts of the body. but as was said in what i quoted. the beat defense for a kick is to not be there. When getting to higher levels of fighting traditional blocks are rare in fighting. you will more or less redirect the attack enough so that you are able to move in or around your opponent to strike or sweep them.

Also if you were tp just stop the kick after their failed block you are doing them and you a disservice. They will not develop the block or body movement they need and you will never have the chance to learn to get ypurself out of the crappy situation you would be in after a blocked kick really happens. and me personally would rather learn to fight from a bad position with a low rank rather than higher ranks who will know how to keep you there.

[sensei8]

Great posts, thus far!!

My first impression was that your kicks were getting through because those whom you were kicking at didn't have an idea of how to properly deflect/block as well as how to properly use footwork. But, that's to be expected from beginner students.

Yes, go for full penetration but only with control. Control; on and off the floor!!