# I kind of "lay back" on my kicks?



## Red Ranger (Nov 29, 2008)

When I kick, I go for full extension, still connect with my shin, but I kinda lay back as to stay out of their range. I'm guessing it takes away from power?
But is that bad? I really can't lay back on leg kicks but anything above the waist, I'm almost bending back and throwing that leg up there, which does hit perfectly.


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## girlbug2 (Nov 29, 2008)

Do you mean roundhouse kicks? 

Coming from a Krav Maga perspective, if you are fully extending your leg straight when you kick lands and/or if you are leaning back you will have problems with being able to recoil quickly. Not so good for defensive reasons.


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## jarrod (Nov 29, 2008)

it's hurting your balance more than your power.  by extension, it puts you out of position to follow up your kick with more strikes or even basic footwork.  

if you are throwing a right leg roundhouse, you should be able to immediately plant your right leg forward & throw a straight left with your weight coming down.  try it on the bag & see if it feels awkward.  if it does, you might be leaning back too much.

jf


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## hkfuie (Nov 30, 2008)

All good points.

Also, when you lean back on kicks, you are sending energy behind you and if your opponent realizes it, he can take advantage of it simply by doing any technique that will add power toward the way you are leaning or laterally to the way you are leaning (z axis, if that makes it any clearer).  Any time you kick, you are in a less stable position.  That is one thing people say about high kicks in TKD, which is my art.  But if you know what is weak about the weakness, you can do what you can to correct it.    Many opponents won't recognize their advantage when you lean back, so you may get away with it sometimes.


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## ljdevo (Dec 9, 2008)

what they said.


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## Thunder Foot (Jan 4, 2009)

Coming from a Muay Thai perspective, I'd say that leaning back is a bad thing. Not only are you putting yourself out of balance, but it also takes away from the rotational power from the hips, in the swinging kick. If you want to protect yourself during the kick, be more aware of your arm placement as you kick. Leaning back stops you from being able to follow up as others have stated. I would say, save the leaning back for when you throw a long knee, or a frontal push kick, or a defensive counter kick in terms of Muay. But not with every kick. 

If this is due to lack of flexibility, which is quite common... I would recommend employing some stretching techniques which focus on the groin, hamstring, and hip flexor muscles. Good luck with you training!


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## nakhon phanom (Feb 1, 2009)

step a little further over when you kick,and bend your post leg quite a bit more,helps to kick through your opponent,
 pivot on your foot,get your hips and body into it, your head should be fairly well out of range if done right,the hand that is not being swung back for power should be covering your face anyway.


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## tokyo_cowboy (Feb 25, 2009)

if you find kicking above the waist hard it could be a flexibility thing so try working on that. And as you said taking the power out will help in getting a better technique, just work the power back in slowly when you get the technique right.


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## TehEl1te (Feb 26, 2009)

I too am working on my kicks alltho I don't think I lean back when I kick... It actually feels quite natural (very hard hitting) but I do have a tougher time with the higher kicks, from the chest up. It is most likely a flexibility issue that I will have to work on. Either way, I'm right there with you learning bro! Stick with it!


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## suicide (Feb 26, 2009)

:whip1:


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## Jarrod G. (Mar 3, 2009)

leaning back is not neccesarily a bad thing, it does keep your head out of range while you are kicking, thus making them unable to do the leg check/puch defense.  However...If your leg is caught by your opponent you will have a serious balance isssue if you are leaning too far back.  you should never need to lean back more than 45 degrees from upright.  Make sure that you are swinging your right arm back and keeping your left hand near your head (for right kicks)  This should help to correct if you are leaning back too much.  

practice, practice, practice (and have fun) =D


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## Thems Fighting Words (Mar 12, 2009)

Could be a flexibility thing or maybe just not wanting to get hit in the head. Could be you're preparing a striking chamber (badly  I may add). Either way, leaning back isn't a good thing. Leg check and Front Thrust Kick is going to send you sprawling back. Keep practicing though and you'll be fine.


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## Silentwarrior702 (May 25, 2009)

Try pivoting on at a 90 degreee angle on your kicks to deliver power instead leaning. Leaning back can throw you off balance. It can also open you for a devastaing injury to your knee if you may be straighting out your leg while your leaning back. Also always keep both hands up.


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## MuayThai (Jun 17, 2009)

Laying back is ok, as long as you keep eye contact with your opponent's chest, and the momentum of your body is forward. To throw the roundhouse, step 45 degrees out with lead leg, but keep the toes pointing forward, or you sacrifice rotational power. Then step up on the ball of your lead foot, but be sure to bend your knee so you don't lose body momentum going upwards. Rotate on the ball of your foot, and bring your kicking hip forward. (that was badly phrased but I can't describe it better) Make sure it rotates, and ideally, your lead foot should have the heel pointing at your target. This all has to be done fluidly, and alot of people have trouble with it, in fact many competetive athletes don't have the proper technique. Make sure you follow through with the kick, and not just at the target, but THROUGH the target. If your trainer says you did it right, then do that same thing again. Only do it tens of thousands of times, and you'll have a wicked roundhouse. Oh, and along with forward momentum and eye contact, make sure your collarbone and shoulders are parallel to the ground, that'll keep your balance good.
Cheers


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## Andrew Green (Jun 18, 2009)

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While you do want to keep your head out of range, you don't want to lean back excessively.  As the body comes around you'll see that the right shoulder is lined up fairly closely to being above the left foot.

Power comes from rotation, and if you rotate you need a axis, as your leg comes away from that axis in one direction you have to compensate the other way or you will end up off balance.


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## Marginal (Jun 18, 2009)

hkfuie said:


> All good points.
> 
> Also, when you lean back on kicks, you are sending energy behind you and if your opponent realizes it, he can take advantage of it simply by doing any technique that will add power toward the way you are leaning or laterally to the way you are leaning (z axis, if that makes it any clearer).  Any time you kick, you are in a less stable position.  That is one thing people say about high kicks in TKD, which is my art.  But if you know what is weak about the weakness, you can do what you can to correct it.    Many opponents won't recognize their advantage when you lean back, so you may get away with it sometimes.



Also, leaning back will lower your head making it easier to get kicked in return. Always a fun thing when you're off balance and in a poor position to see and/or defend.


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