Kicking Techniques - Turning Kick

[Marc_2002]

I'm trying to improve my turning kick, or what some arts call 'round-house' kick. It may be one of the most simple of kicks yet, after two years of training I'm still having difficulties.

For example, doing a waist height turning kick and slightly just above is fine. When reaching head height there is a problem. I can reach head height but a) there's no power b) I'm leaning back too much rather than keeping upright and c) my technique is wrong as my knee is dipping too much i.e. facing downwards instead of upwards.

I'm fairly flexible and have strong legs, but something is lacking, Im not sure how I can improve in order to execute a high turning kick with power, correct technique and keeping more upright.

I'm guessing if I were able to bring my knees higher up to my chest then this would help, but its difficult...Im guessing that any improvement in my turning kick would also improve my side kick (in terms of height).

Anyone has any similar problems? or anyone know of any good exercises for this?

[thirtytwohits]

i once asked a question like you. when i was a beginner. i always thought i was doing it wrong. i asked my insstructor, he a former Muay Thai champion from Thailand, he told me i was doing it right but i needed practice to to get used to it.

so to do a roundhouse, have your leading foot step to the side hlaf a step in the direction toward your rear foot. then turn, hips first, and swing your leg

[terry]

The turning kick I'm familiar with from Muay Thai is "crocodile swing the tail." Basically, a spinning cresent kick, it suffers from the same problems that all spinning crescent kicks face: is is a rather sophisticated technique that can be countered with a basic technique. Specifically, it can be counted with a knee jam or straight knee. And if you jam right on the knee the kicker can wind up with a knee injury.

I talked to Bonkerd Fairtex about this kick one day when he was fooling around with Enn. He said that it was fun to throw, but that he didn't use it to fight.

terry

[thirtytwohits]

ya, ur right. it is complicated an anything can happen between the time you start to kick and finish the kick. i use it to keep the opponent away after i throw a sidekick and miss

[Marc_2002]

thx guys,

My instructor also tells me my technique is ok, but I guess my problem is with achieving power and more of a range, so im not happy yet. practice makes perfect right? lets hope so...lol

As for the 'crocodile' kick that was mentioned, I dont think that is it - a turning kick is where you raise your knee whilst pivoting on your back foot then snapping you bended leg outwards - so like a side kick, but swinging the leg rather than thrusting it.

We also do a spinning crescent kick in TKD, but that too isnt really used in sparring because its too slow - most of the kicks we use sparring are fairly simple and most of the spinning/jumping kicks arent used as much...unless you're really good...lol

[terry]

The Muay Thai gyms that I have been to that train spinning kicks the most still don't use them in fighting. Rather, they use them in training so their fighters can recognize and react well to the line. I think most Thai guys get a kick out of breaking the knee with a cut kick. There is a great knee break off a spin kick in Rick Roufus vs. Kitsandra.

In addition, Benny Urquidez threw a spinning kick that was thrown at close range when he got somebody trying to get out of the corner by circling outside. He would throw a kind of a funky line that would arc up at close range towards your solar plexus. A lot of his fighters used it when they were hemming a guy into the corner.

T

[twillbanks]

Marc,

The kick you're talking about sounds to me like what we call a "round kick" at the Muay Thai Academy in San Jose, CA. The knee is brought up on the side, then the leg is turned while pivoting and "whipped" around. Is this what you're talking about?

I had all kinds of problems at first with this kick. I always felt off balance, I never could get it to spin easily, etc. My suggestion is that you be aware of every part of your body at that point where you start to feel uncomfortable performing that kick. When you start asking yourself whether you're doing the kick correctly or not, check yourself. See what you like and don't like. Personally, I have a visual in my mind of what a perfect round kick looks like, and in my mind, I observe how my skeletal structure mimics this. Where do the ball and socket joints in my legs rotate? How much? Where in by body do I feel off balance? At what point do I feel off balance, and can I correct it by bodily awareness? This might seem a little silly to some, but I find myself throwing faster and better kicks, and I'm more confident that I'm doing it correctly. As always, my suggestions are just my humble opinion.

Tom W.

[twillbanks]

Oh! To the head!

My suggestion here is that you be aware of the center of gravity in your hips, and the degree to which your leg is elevated based on the ball and socket joint that connects your hips and your leg. Yeah, your knee might feel closer to your chest. Anyway, if your mind's eye can take "snapshots" of you as you kick, you can correct it. It's principally upstairs. That, and lots of stretching!

Just tryin' ta help...

[Khun Kao]

*Rick Roufus vs. Cheungpek Kiatsongrit. It was an attempted spinning backfist, not spinning kick. Same difference however. Spin techniques are risky stuff.

Khun Kao