leg flexibility for side kicks

[ZenPilot]

Have started karate in my late 40’s; I’m athletic but have never been naturally or exceptionally flexible – have always had to really work at it. After a couple years all is well, but I would really like to have a higher mawashi geri. I can strike chudan level at best; I’m not really going to get a head strike kick unless my opponent falls down (joking).

I’ve done some searching, but find a lot of mixed opinions/advice. I’m OK (pretty decent actually) with flexibility on fore/aft kicks such as Mae Geri, Mae Keage or Ushiro Geri; it’s just that my side kicks suck.

Any advice?

[sensei8]

IN TIME, flexibility will come, but be patient. You've just started, and you're body isn't use to what it's being demanded to do. Follow the guidance of your instructor and don't rush into anything, especially if it's against the advice of your instructor. His/her advice is above everyone's!!

Make sure you do a complete stretch, don't rush and don't force and don't bounce before anything. Cold movement invites serious injuries!!

Good luck, and be patient!!

[pers]

Have started karate in my late 40’s; I’m athletic but have never been naturally or exceptionally flexible – have always had to really work at it. After a couple years all is well, but I would really like to have a higher mawashi geri. I can strike chudan level at best; I’m not really going to get a head strike kick unless my opponent falls down (joking).

I’ve done some searching, but find a lot of mixed opinions/advice. I’m OK (pretty decent actually) with flexibility on fore/aft kicks such as Mae Geri, Mae Keage or Ushiro Geri; it’s just that my side kicks suck.

Any advice?

Even people who started in their teens or twenties will start to kick lower once they get to their late forties, why do you need to kick jodan mawashi at this stage?!

There's so much to learn and develop In your training and kicking head high should be the least of your priorities, develop your chudan mawashi to good effect or similar kicks and they will serve you better if need be.

A lower kick to the ribs area is more self defense wise realistic than a risky jodan mawashi.

the reson I am saying this as a fellow martial artist I don't want you te be disappointed for not being flexible enough to kick jodan now that you are at this stage of life ,being in mid 50s myself I know where your coming from .

I used to kick jodan mawashi and score with it , looking back it was never a kick to use in self defence because of risk factors .

[Spodo Komodo]

When I was 30 my head kicks were fearsome, now I am 47 a side kick to the armpit is about the best I can do. Relax, practice diligently and let your kicks find their own level. Don't try to force them higher, a hip injury can put you out of the dojo for a long time.

[LastKing]

I have the same problem. It comes from of over tight aductor tendons from cycling and impinged hips. The tendons I can work on, the hips I can't. Basically, hip impingement is the way your femur rotates (or doesn't) in your hip. You can be born with it, or it can develop as a bony outgrowth over time. I can tell when I'm hitting my limit as I get pain in my hip rather than a tendon stretch keeping me from kicking high. Unfortunately, the more you try and open it up with stretching, the more damage you can actually do to your hip (basic rule, if you get pain, stop it).

Luckily, I'm really flexible on a forward plane, and so I tend to concentrate on kicks which utilise front and back rather than the side.

There is a simple test for hip impingement. It's something along the lines of lying on your back, holding your knee up and getting someone twist your lower leg from the foot away from your body. With unimpinged hips, the lower leg should get to around 45 deg. Impinged hips is less.

If I have time I'll try and find the video.

All the best

[bushido_man96]

The side kick is one of the toughest kicks to gain flexibility and height for. The main obstacle, I think, is the way the hips line up when a proper side kick is performed. I find that I'm able to get high round kicks up more easily than I am able to get high side kicks.

Stretching is important, but so is developing the muscles on the outside of the leg that are used to hold that leg up in the air. Use a wall or a chair to hold your balance, and do slow, tension side kicks, holding the leg out when you complete the kick. Then pulse the leg up and down about 6 inches. Doing these exercises will help those muscles get more used to holding the leg up when you try to kick high, along with the stretching.