How I throw a dolyo chagi (instep version)

[OneKickWonder]

Do you think my static stiffness affects my performance? i have no pain in my limbs and can kick fluently as long as it's fast.

Do you think martial artists that are at the top of their game, perhaps just before they enter a competition against other serious competitors, say to themselves, my tight hips won't be a problem, I'll just kick fast and hope momentum alone is enough to land it without any possibility of him catching my leg and exploiting my tightness to knock me off balance and do untold damage to my my muscles and connective tissue?

If top martial artists think that, then your kick is absolutely fine. No need for any more work on it. All the advice you've received is irrelevant.

If they don't think that, then I guess it comes down to, do you want to be a good martial artist or a mediocre one?

[Prototype]

Do you think my static stiffness affects my performance? i have no pain in my limbs and can kick fluently as long as it's fast.

Do you think martial artists that are at the top of their game, perhaps just before they enter a competition against other serious competitors, say to themselves, my tight hips won't be a problem, I'll just kick fast and hope momentum alone is enough to land it without any possibility of him catching my leg and exploiting my tightness to knock me off balance and do untold damage to my my muscles and connective tissue?

If top martial artists think that, then your kick is absolutely fine. No need for any more work on it. All the advice you've received is irrelevant.

If they don't think that, then I guess it comes down to, do you want to be a good martial artist or a mediocre one?

I want to be a functional martial artist.

[OneKickWonder]

Do you think my static stiffness affects my performance? i have no pain in my limbs and can kick fluently as long as it's fast.

Do you think martial artists that are at the top of their game, perhaps just before they enter a competition against other serious competitors, say to themselves, my tight hips won't be a problem, I'll just kick fast and hope momentum alone is enough to land it without any possibility of him catching my leg and exploiting my tightness to knock me off balance and do untold damage to my my muscles and connective tissue?

If top martial artists think that, then your kick is absolutely fine. No need for any more work on it. All the advice you've received is irrelevant.

If they don't think that, then I guess it comes down to, do you want to be a good martial artist or a mediocre one?

I want to be a functional martial artist.

Do you think you can achieve that and maintain that long term without addressing your known weaknesses?

[mushybees]

I have no experience of tkd kicks so I can't comment on that.

What I will say is I have had the exact same experience as prototype in regards to muscle weakness and imbalance. I can kick high and quickly but only with speed. In time the weakness in my glutes and hip abductors caught up with me and made training painful.

I'm now on a course of strength training. i wish I had incorporated it in my training from the beginning.

[Prototype]

Do you think my static stiffness affects my performance? i have no pain in my limbs and can kick fluently as long as it's fast.

Do you think martial artists that are at the top of their game, perhaps just before they enter a competition against other serious competitors, say to themselves, my tight hips won't be a problem, I'll just kick fast and hope momentum alone is enough to land it without any possibility of him catching my leg and exploiting my tightness to knock me off balance and do untold damage to my my muscles and connective tissue?

If top martial artists think that, then your kick is absolutely fine. No need for any more work on it. All the advice you've received is irrelevant.

If they don't think that, then I guess it comes down to, do you want to be a good martial artist or a mediocre one?

I want to be a functional martial artist.

Do you think you can achieve that and maintain that long term without addressing your known weaknesses?

It appears so. I don't train diligently enough to get pain in my limbs. Three times a week for 1 hour, mostly hands. Then 15 minutes kicking training at home once a week.

[OneKickWonder]

Do you think your kicks will be as good as they could be, if you only practice them for 15 minutes per week?

[Prototype]

Do you think your kicks will be as good as they could be, if you only practice them for 15 minutes per week?

I kick quite a bit in classes too, if we're lucky and have one those exception days..especially if the assistant instructor takes over.

I am going to train harder now. Mostly to improve my transitioning and body control. I have found that just drilling techniques over and over does wonder to overall balance performing them..

For an example, the only kick I have consistently trained is tee side kick, and it's the only one I can do in slow motion, 20 in succession.

The problem with training low kicks is that it doesn't challenge my flexibility. I don't see how that solves the problem with my hips. I was the same way when I started training age 15

[OneKickWonder]

Do you think your kicks will be as good as they could be, if you only practice them for 15 minutes per week?

I kick quite a bit in classes too, if we're lucky and have one those exception days..especially if the assistant instructor takes over.

I am going to train harder now. Mostly to improve my transitioning and body control. I have found that just drilling techniques over and over does wonder to overall balance performing them..

For an example, the only kick I have consistently trained is tee side kick, and it's the only one I can do in slow motion, 20 in succession.

The problem with training low kicks is that it doesn't challenge my flexibility. I don't see how that solves the problem with my hips. I was the same way when I started training age 15

Repetition does lead to improve BUT, only if every repetition is your best effort to achieve correct form.

Kicking low in slow motion will help you develop good form. Way better than kicking fast and relying on momentum. Think about this. If someone says something to you verbally and the speak ridiculously fast, you may not get the full message. It was simply too fast for your brain to process. The exact same is true with our physical techniques. Firing a kick is not (or should not be) a one way communication. Your brain launches the kick, but it also receives feedback. Which muscles reported that they delivered without effort, which muscles reported strain etc. Practicing in slow motion allows your brain time to process that feedback, so that over time it can make better use of the muscles. This leads to better form.

Better form leads to better flexibility. I see new starters and even those that have trained for a couple of years getting frustrated that they can't kick high because they are not flexible, when often they are just doing it wrong. There's a reason why martial arts masters have take something as primitive and innate as a kick and refined it to a fine art. They've found the best way to make best use of your body mechanics. Sometimes it's a seemingly trivial adjustment here or there that converts your limits from waist height to head height.

Slow motion low kicking practice aids flexibility for another reason. Simply, it makes all the muscles involved stronger. Stronger muscles require better blood circulation, better blood circulation makes muscles more pliable, and stronger muscles can be stretched more without tearing.

All this is not to say that there's no value in kicking fast and high. Of course there is. But it's just about tools in the box.

Edited April 21, 2018 by OneKickWonder

[singularity6]

Even with my lack of flexibility, my round and side kicks are approaching (my) throat level. Slow-kicking exercises have been instrumental in this. I'll do these exercises while holding onto something (stair railing, chair, wall, etc.) You'll be crazy sore at first, but it's worth it!

[MatsuShinshii]

I didn't start seriously practicing MA until my mid-30's. That started after about a decade of sitting on my rump playing a whole lot of WoW. Needless to say, my hips weren't happy. My flexibility is still relatively limited, but improving, as I work on it regularly. Due to my lack of flexibility AND weak hip flexors, I have been battling injuries. Here are some things that helped me:

Leg lifts in 4 directions (lifting up while on your back, on your stomach, and you can get 2 directions when on your side.)

Stretching my hips with specific stretches on a daily basis (you can look these up)

Simple leg stretching machine (link isn't intended as an advert... )

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B001QVN0X6/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Jesse Enkamp has some decent videos about how one can improve their kicks. He's a bit hyper, but the content is solid.

Do you think my static stiffness affects my performance? i have no pain in my limbs and can kick fluently as long as it's fast.

Take it from an old guy. You may be able to force the height now without damage but as you age you will find that damage is looking for you. Forcing your leg to stretch passed it's normal limits will eventually catch up with you. Developing actual flexibility so you can legitimately perform these kicks will save you a lot of discomfort later in life.

Take the time and stretch everyday and you will eventually get to the point where you can do these without relying on momentum. Your body will thank you for it later in life.

Just my 2 cents.