JerryLove Posted February 24, 2003 Share Posted February 24, 2003 I believe it was Mr.Lee who said "Kicking someone's head is like punching someone's foot". So, let's ask the obvious leading question; how many of you in "fighting-oriented TKD schools) have functionally abandoned high kicks in favor of low ones? https://www.clearsilat.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KickChick Posted February 24, 2003 Share Posted February 24, 2003 The leg is three times stronger than your arms, and much longer so why not land a kick to the head?? In our style (Chung do Kwan) we train for strong hand techniques for close range and high targets harder to reach with kicking technique. .... although high kicking ability is definitely not "stressed" in our school (because the 'average' student cannot kick head high). Our instructor is always telling us not to concentrate so much on the height but power in execution (snap) and direct the kick to your target. (whether it be high or low)..... The goal is to learn technique that is strong enough that it can kill or incapacitate with one blow. If your technique is too weak, your defense is useless. Being able to apply what you learn in TKD class on the street requires that you learn how to hit hard, hit fast, and move out of the way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryLove Posted February 24, 2003 Author Share Posted February 24, 2003 Actually I like kicking the head, wha tthe statement is about is kicking high. That said, you need to ask why you should not drop mobility to zero, place all your weight on a single undefended leg, do a partial split (usually groin facing opponent), block your arms with your own leg, and attempt a hit that traverses about 8 feet at an opponent that is 2 feet away? If you have to ask why this is a poor thing for a combat school to emphasize, you have made it quite clear how much of a realistic look you have taken at fighting. https://www.clearsilat.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penguin540 Posted February 24, 2003 Share Posted February 24, 2003 it really depends.....for example, if you're locked up with someone, sometimes a hook kick to the (using the heel of course, not the toes like in the sport version) head will work better. Of course, you can always nail the kidneys, but the head draws more of their attention. red belt-American Tae Kwon Do"Men have little to fear but fear itself." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryLove Posted February 24, 2003 Author Share Posted February 24, 2003 I tend to think of "locked up" as "engaged in upright or ground grappling". In that case, you are on the floor as soon as you pick up the kicking foot (having now given up your base). I don't know how you kick while on your face on the floor, but I don't kick verw well from there. I'm guessing you mean something more in line with "squared off". To say that is simple to counter is an understatement. let's take a simple and obvious counter, he leans at his waist so his head/torso goes back and one leg comes up to counter-balance. Not only has his head disappears as a target, you just got kicked in either the one leg you are standing on, or the groin. Other opitions include: stepping forward (going for the takedown), stepping forward (smothering), or simply putting something hard / sharp in your line of attack (I can certainly put my knife / stick / bottle wielding hand up near my own face faster than you can get a foot up there). Never mind the questionable intelligence of trying such a large leg movemenr in a croded (with people or things) place, in restrictive clothing, or on slippery / broken surfaces.... Then there is the issue of both triends and just random people and their effect while you are in such an exposed pose. https://www.clearsilat.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaseP Posted February 25, 2003 Share Posted February 25, 2003 I think it's foolish to count out any part of an arsenal that you are capable of. It limites choice to do so. If an opening to the head, appropriate to a kick, presents itself then it can potentially stop the conflict. Now, that's different than advocating "head-hunting" in self-defense. The head is a small and very moveable target, and you have to be flexible, fast and accurate and powerful to take full advantage. Besides, If you train for head high kicks, delivering center-height kicks become that much more easy... Master Jason Powlette5th Dan, Tang Soo Do--Tang Soo!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koreantiger81 Posted February 25, 2003 Share Posted February 25, 2003 I'm not saying that you should always kick to the head in sparring, but I believe it's essential to kick to the head, when learning how to spar. I know some schools don't allow head shots.. I think this totally compromises your ability to spar. By training to kick to the head, you will effectively learn how to simply get out of the way, and learn how to react quickly. (You are most likely to react quicker if you see an attack going for your head, than an attack going for your body.) Also if you get kicked in the head, you will learn to "cover up" more. Kinesiologist/TrainerBlack-Belt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tombstone Posted February 25, 2003 Share Posted February 25, 2003 in my opinion, kicking high = bad. that quote makes alot of since. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramymensa Posted February 25, 2003 Share Posted February 25, 2003 KickChick, what you say looks like Shotokan One killing blow Well for myself. I love high kicks, just because they are a challange. I have a problem with all challanges and of course I love them. Maybe kicks at a high level are not that eficient, but my God they look great and make you feel the same. So I spend some time perfecting those inefective kicks A martial art is ... an art and we all, artists, should take care of the esthetic apect also. My opinion World Shotokan Karate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crash Posted February 25, 2003 Share Posted February 25, 2003 kicking high looks good and is helpful in forms competition, it can even be effective in point fighting, but in an actual self-defence situation kicking to the head is the last thing I would recomend because of the many drawbacks listed by the others in the posts above, plus in an actual situation you have to remember if something dont work theres no ref. there to stop the fight if you end up on the ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts