Kicking Basics

[BC_]

I was just wondering if anyone could give me a video or small clip of proper kicking in muay thai. Low and mid Roundhouse, as you can see in my video clip Im not sure how I should be kicking. Should my leg be strait or slightly bent. Also do I spin on the ball of my foot when kicking. I would take some muay thai classes but none are available in my area. THe closes classes are 4 hours away. Will be moving and training at Arizona Combat sports. But till then want to get some basic kicking and punching down. ANy help would be great. THanks
MY SORRY ASS KICKING

[darrianation]

Dude that totally looks like the garage from my old house I used to work out in and had my heavy bag. So where in Arizona is the combat center? Do you live there now? I was born and raised in Mesa I still have lots of family there. I go there 3-4 times a year.

I’ll try to explain the round kick. However I’m not very good at writing down my thoughts, so bare with me. To me you don’t look that bad just need to keep practicing. It’s hard to see your foot work here, but from what I can see you might pay a little more attention to it. Also you need to whip your hips a little more.

Okay here it goes.
When doing the round kick, make sure you are at the correct range. Step in sideways at a 45 degree angle. As you step, your stepping foot should start to rotate. Make sure you are stepping on your tip toes, and not with a flat foot. As you step, you should lean your body in the direction that you stepped in (at the very first part of the kick). Your arms should be thrown in the opposite direction of the kick, helps with balance and speed/momentum of your kicking leg. This is the key to this kick.

With the round kick or any technique really, it is important to remember that the head, shoulder, hips, feet all move as one unit. Rotate on the ball of your foot. Your leg should be straight or at least mostly straight. As you rotate and kick, you should lean back slightly to keep your head out of range from being hit and to help generate the whip effect. This also helps balance you. When you kick the heel of your support foot should be facing towards your opponent.

On the low kick the support leg bends at the knee. The lower you kick, the lower you bend your knee but still stay on the tip of your toes.

The kicking area should be with the lower area of your shin bone. If you kick to high you run the risk of hyper extending the knee…Ouch!!! Always follow through the target with the kick. Be careful with range because if you miss you will swing through and your back will be an open target. The follow through is probably the most important part of kick. Think of your leg as a two by four. Swing it like you mean it. Try to break your opponent or heavy bag with it. Go easy on you buddies though.

I Think I got most of the key components here. I hope I explained it well enough. Maybe someone else can explain it better.

I hope this is helpful.

[Khun Kao]

Darrianation...

My thoughts exactly. LOL

You got that from the download, didn't you? (parts of it, that is... hehehe)


Khun Kao

[Khun Kao]

Darrianation's post is correct, but I'll add some thoughts to it.

First of all, the video quality isn't all that great, so I can't post in much detail because I can't clearly see what it is you are doing, or aren't doing.

However, I can tell you beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are not rotating anywhere near as much as you need to throw an effective roundhouse kick. For lack of a better way to put this in words, your hips are still "open" when your kick hits the target.

Think of it like this, there is an imaginary line running from hip to hip. The imaginary line continues off into the distance to your far right and far left. When you throw a kick, the imaginary line from hip to hip should pass through the target. In the video of you kicking the bag, the imaginary line would barely intersect with the bag at all because you're not turning your hips enough.

That may not make sense, and I do not have a drawing or graphic to post to make it make any more sense then that. So lets backtrack to what Darrianation posted....

As stated, when you kick your whole body should move in one direction at the same time. Your hips, shoulders, and feet should all rotate almost simultaneously in the same direction. When you kick, the shoulders and hips should rotate THROUGH the target together! You should be trying to swing your leg through the target as if your leg were a baseball bat. Your support foot should rotate so that at impact, your heel is turned towards the target. You can also use the visualization of getting your knee to turn away from the target. (make sure you're up on your tippy-toes!)

As you kick, your body should be leaned away from the kicking leg. This is another very important aspect to get right. Many beginners make the mistake of leaning back away from the target, but you should instead lean away from the kicking leg throughout the kick.

One of the nicknames that we use for the roundhouse kick is the "Hurricane Kick". Imagine that your support leg/foot represents the eye of the hurricane. Your upper torso and your kicking leg represent the winds traveling aroud on opposite ends of the 'eye'. The scientific principle of the kick is one of centrifigul (sp?) force.

Now, when you kick, you should be making impact with the lower shinbone. The 'ideal' striking surface should be the lower shin just above the ankle, where your tibia and fibia come together into a large mass of bone. But basically try to make sure you're impacting between mid-shin and instep.

A common mistake that people make is that because they are kicking with their shin, they forget to pay mind to the position of their kicking foot. You still need to point your toes as though you are kicking with your instep! This is VERY IMPORTANT! You have to remember that when you are fighting, your opponent will be moving around, in and out, and attacking, blocking, etc. Even though you kick to impact with your shin, your opponent merely has to step backwards and you will end up making impact with your instep. If you have not pointed your toes, you can hyperextend or break your ankle easily! Pointing your toes 'tightens' all the muscles and tendons up so that when you do make contact with your instep, they will protect you.

Khun Kao

[BC_]

Well thanks for all the infor I think it help me some. Click above where it says sorry ass kicking. I updated it and would like to know if it looks any better. My heel is pointing at the bag after im done. When I kick im up on my toes but I still I think I need some pointers. Where should My hands be, and also I spin on my supporting foot? I m also leaning a little away from my kick. I guesss I just need more practice.THanks again for all the good info.

[Khun Kao]

I could see a whole lot of improvement in this 2nd video over the first video. Good job!

I can tell that you are beginning to rotate properly, but your butt is sticking out at the end of the kick. Your butt should not stick out as the hip should be leading the kick, and it should continue to rotate through the target at impact. Fortunately, your butt isn't sticking out very far, so it shouldn't be too difficult to correct. Just thrust through with the hip more, as if you're trying to drive the kick through the target and back down into the floor on the opposite side of the target.

As far as your hand position. If you are throwing a right roundhouse kick, your left arm should be held in a tight guard with the elbow stuck into your ribs and your hand/wrist in front of your face. Your right arm is your "swing" arm. There are a variety of options for how this arm can be used. You can stick it forward into your target in the manner that an American-rules Football player will "stiff-arm" a defensive back as he runs past (same principle applies, you create a solid barrier preventing your opponent from closing the gap), you can use it to brush your opponents guard aside to open up your kicking target, you can cock it back for a follow up punch or elbow, or you can swing it out to the side for counter-balance and hip torque.

In your video, you're tucking the arm into your body, where it is COMPLETELY USELESS! I would recommend extending your arm forward towards the heavy bag as if you're sticking it into your opponents face. This will be a good starting reference point. When you extend this arm forwards to your target, make sure that you are keeping the same shoulder up to protect the jaw. Your jaw should be tucked down and into the shoulder as you kick.

Do you have the ability to "pan" the camera back as you kick so that we can see your ENTIRE body? I'd like to see how you are stepping and rotating.

Khun Kao

[retired]

When you kick think of drawing a half circle (like when the sun half rises) & try to hit the bag at least at the top of the circle or preferablly on the downward arc as this has more chance of cutting through his guard.


This the only clip i have of my kick (you'll have to ignore my guard sorry) but you can see how the hip & foot twists.

http://www.theapproachingstorm.com/thailand/forumpics/knockout1.wmv

[kh_s]

Hmmm, does anyone have or can post a small clip of proper Thai kick ?

[Khun Kao]

http://www.elbowko.com/

Go to VIDEO CLIPS link on right-hand column

Then click on DEVASTATING ROUND KICKS

You have to watch the whole video clip. The first little bit while he's getting warmed up, the kicks are only so-so. But as he starts getting his rhythm, the kicks are sweet!

Khun Kao

[BC_]

Well, I look at that video and it looks like his heel is pointed 45 degree's oppistie of the bag. When I kick the bag my heel is pointing at the bag. I must say he has great footwork. I now relize the footwork switching orthadox to south paw, really quick footwork. Anyways, I will record some Of my kicks tomorrow and you guys can judge me. First clips will be me kicking it then next will just be my foot work. Thanks everyone for the tips and encouragement(sp) peace, Brandon

ps. Is the twist of the supporting leg kind of a raised on the toes, like a spring up?

[Khun Kao]

Yeah, on many of the kicks it kinda is at that angle. This has a lot to do with the style of footwork that he applies to his kicks. You'll notice that the lower the kick, the less he pivots. The higher the kick, the more he pivots.

In regards to his footwork, you'll notice that he moves on an angle as he kicks, which cuts down on the need for full rotation.

But, I'll have to be honest and admit that he is not rotating as fully as he should. I gotta cut him some slack though, because its just a video of him drilling, and c'mon! he's 65 years old! LOL

Khun Kao

[dave_UK_MT]

That stance switch or 'skip' as we call it is essential when kicking with your left leg (if your orthodox).

So a left kick would go.

1. Skip to change stance (this should be a very quick shuffle)
2 Throw kick
3. Bring left foot back level with right foot
4. Move right foot back so your back in your fighting stance.

Obviously this is all done in one gracefull, fluid movement and power comes from rotating your hips/upper body

You definately need some work on your technique but don't be disheartened its just something you'll pick up after a while. Instruction is pretty vital though maybe try getting a itraining video or some fights to watch.

[retired]

BC_

If you send us an email address or somewhere to post it can send you some clips of some thaiboxers kicking the bag with some slowmo as well.

Remember mind that people who start thaiboxing wont pick the kick up straight away as this can take months of practice but you'll get there!!!!

Also anyone can kick or punch a bag but the skill is making it effective with practice, something that a non MA observer will never understand.

[chalambok]

When I started with Master Chai in 1983, he said the 3 most imortant parts of the Thai kick, in descending order were

1) the pivot, without this there is no power, and the next steps will be irrelevant. Also, you should not get in the habit of stepping in because the second time you step toward a Thai boxer he will cut you

2) swing the arm, this will push your hips through the target and force you to push your shoulder through also

3) keep the leg straight, this does not mean rigid, but relaxed

Also remember to practice kicking over something and going fully around so you will learn to be relaxed through your whole kicking motion

[retired]

Yeah to many people try to flick their leg AT the bag at the last moment & lose all the power instead of following through the bag.
If you always kick at the bag & not swing your leg & hips as if it's going past it when you miss a target in real life you'll get all tied up because your going into angles you haven't practiced.

When you first start kicking the bag try just getting the first part right (the leg going to the bag) so as you over emphasize the swing of kick & swivel of foot so much that you have trouble getting your leg back, then when you get used to this & the way your hip turns & your shin goes through the bag then start worrying about bringing your leg back, only after this do you start building up speed & power.
(always good technique first)


(BC_ do you want the clips?)