How can I improve on my roundhouse?

[Rich_2k3]

What are the best tips for executing your roundhouse with excellent technique and speed, also what exercise are best for building up the relevent muscles that give your roundhouse kick power, discuss.

[SaiFightsMS]

Practicing the round house kick. Holding onto a chair for balance practice the kick in slow motion concentrating on technique.

 

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Kicking into a hand held target will help build accuracy. Kicking into a kick shield or heavy bag will help build power.

[monkeygirl]

Do lots of roundhouse kicks without setting it down, alternating between rapid-fire (about 20 or 30 as fast as you can) and slow-motion (tensing muscles and holding the kick once it's fully extended). The higher you kick during these drills, the more pressure you're putting on your leg muscles. Expect to be sore for the next two days or so.

 

Holding on to a chair can be helpful for this.

[Rich_2k3]

Thanx guys i'll give them a try

 

Another thing, what exercise's strengthens the key muscles used in the roundhouse?

[hobbitbob]

Have you access to a heavy bag?

[Guest]

The best excersize to work the muscles used in a roundhouse is doing scores of roundhouse kicks. Remember that in addition to the muscles of your legs, it is also important to get the proper amount of hip rotation so that the kick has the maximum amount of force.

[Neil]

vrey few people actually know hot to perform roundhouse kicks let alone others. When you execute the roundhouse you kick you use the whole body, but it is the waist that moves first, then the leg cathes up and then the whole body travels DOWN. When ever you see people exuting high kicks it is not actually a kick. All kicks travel down.

 

Round House execution:

 

1. Turn the waist FIRST

 

2. Then let the leg catch up

 

3. As the leg comes round pivot the standing leg foot away so the whole body drives in.

 

4. Make striking application with either the top of shin, or knee.

 

5. Snap the leg back so that the raised knee is in front of your chest and now your pivoting foot is facing slightly forward so you are ready to perform a front kick so you can protect the groin.

 

6. Step into the next stance.

 

90% of karate clubs will teach you to raise the leg out to the side first and then turn the hips. This is wrong. This is bad karate and should not even be called this. People have had countless hip operations due to this very kick. It is bad biomechanics of the body. All karate movement is natural and was created with the body mechanics in mind, so don't listen to people who wish to muck up peoples bodys.

 

The muscles used is really the waist. The best way to condition and strenghen the kick is to drive your kicks into a heavy bag. To strenghen the kicks movment you can apply ankle weights to the leg and perform slowly in ir. And then apply it to the bag.

 

Also remember to bend the standing leg as it provides stability and power.

[theswarm]

i was going to suggest instead of holding onto a chair

 

just practice kicking over the chair

 

and if the chair has a flat surface along the top put something on top of the chair and practice pulling your kick just before it contacts if you are wanting to learn control

[Dragon]

Practicing the round house kick. Holding onto a chair for balance practice the kick in slow motion concentrating on technique.

 

Thats very good advice. Try it because i read doing it in slow increases muscle in the leg.

 

Try to keep kicking.

 

Oh and stretch your leg real well to get the height

[Rich_2k3]

I've actually been planning on buying a kick/punch bag, but these bags aren't like the heavy bags, they weight about 25 kilos whereas the heavy bags weight 300 pounds or somthing like that. Will a kick/punch bag still be effected because I can't really afford a heavy bag right now.

 

One more thing, how often should I practise the slow motion roundhouse and for how long?