Piston

Does anyone ever feel that when they throw out an axe kick that their heels/ankles are in danger when they do so? It's a pretty dangerous area to damage what with your achilles tendon an all, and if so any tips on minimalising damage?

HtTKar

Never thought about it really. But anytime you stick a limb out it is in danger of being attacked. So the best thing I can think of is to say that a kick is explosive, like a punch. Chamber it high; Get it out there and bring it back quickly and with power....and follow it up. Axe kicks for me are usually only used to knock down someones guard, and followed up with shots to the head. I'm not really worried about what they think about my foot, its a distraction. If it distracts them at all it accomplished its goal.

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"The harder you train, the harder it is to surrender"
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Ironfist1989

I would of thought you aim to hit with the tip of the heel than the actual back of the foot where the achilles is to be honest, and when i've done Heel Kicks in training there so effective and i hardly ever feel pain at all, so i say don't worry after a while like your hands they start to condition which means then you can hit targets harder with damage increase to opponent than one self

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Be like Water, and Flow

Piston

Nah on the downward swing of an axe kick one is using the back of the heel,rather than the end of the heel like in a reverse side kick. On review one does have enough heel to not be hitting with the achilles part of it, its just an irrationa little fear of mine I guess. And yeah you're right TKD does tone your feet like hell, I've been doing TKD for a little over a year and my feet are like tough, old, wooden, salt-encrusted boards.

Xtschneider

heh i liked that board comment

I use axe kicks if Its a sure thing, like if someone dropped there guard and is leaving a large area open.

Or I'll use it to break a guard. when fakes and other kicks just won't do.