# Please critique my front kick



## Ivan (Jun 20, 2019)

I have recorded myself doing the front kick on both legs in four different manners. Back right leg front kick, front right leg front kick, back left leg front kick, and front left leg front kick. Prior to me filming this video, I practiced by doing 400 front kicks, 100 for each position. Note that since this has been filmed the sides are reversed i.e. what appears to be my right leg in the video is actually my left leg. Please tell me how to improve my technique: I would like to know what I do wel, and what I need to improve on.

Also, please ignore my abundace of bracelets, my weird guard position (specifically the hands), and me constantly looking at the camera. Sidenote: I am a Tae Kwon Do green belt.


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## jobo (Jun 20, 2019)

Ivan said:


> I have recorded myself doing the front kick on both legs in four different manners. Back right leg front kick, front right leg front kick, back left leg front kick, and front left leg front kick. Prior to me filming this video, I practiced by doing 400 front kicks, 100 for each position. Note that since this has been filmed the sides are reversed i.e. what appears to be my right leg in the video is actually my left leg. Please tell me how to improve my technique: I would like to know what I do wel, and what I need to improve on.
> 
> Also, please ignore my abundace of bracelets, my weird guard position (specifically the hands), and me constantly looking at the camera. Sidenote: I am a Tae Kwon Do green belt.


I think it looks pretty good, you've good speed, reasonable height and good balance, now get something to kick and and practise power, is a lot less reps and a lot more ummp, you don't need the ability to kick someone gently  400 times, one good one is enough, and a couple more in reserve just in case


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## isshinryuronin (Jun 20, 2019)

Form - good
Execution - knee is the key.  The foot follows the knee.  Knee could come up faster and the foot should come back faster.  This will greatly increase overall kick speed and provide snap - this will make it harder for it to be caught and give quicker recovery for the next move.  The kick should come back faster than it goes out.


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## Monkey Turned Wolf (Jun 20, 2019)

Was there something about the front kick in particular that you're concerned about? If there is it could help us know what we're looking for


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## Buka (Jun 20, 2019)

Ivan said:


> I have recorded myself doing the front kick on both legs in four different manners. Back right leg front kick, front right leg front kick, back left leg front kick, and front left leg front kick. Prior to me filming this video, I practiced by doing 400 front kicks, 100 for each position. Note that since this has been filmed the sides are reversed i.e. what appears to be my right leg in the video is actually my left leg. Please tell me how to improve my technique: I would like to know what I do wel, and what I need to improve on.
> 
> Also, please ignore my abundace of bracelets, my weird guard position (specifically the hands), and me constantly looking at the camera. Sidenote: I am a Tae Kwon Do green belt.



I froze this image of your front kick with the front leg.
In bringing back the kick...you have brought it back further than needed, then have to bring it forward to put it down.That's an extra step that takes time. You want to bring it down as economically as possible, no extra movement, no extra time taken.







Right now it's being brought back from the target to the line of the rear leg, then forward to your preferred stance.

 

In that second photo, that line where your front foot wants to stand, that's how far you should pull back that kicking leg....and bring it right down to your stance.


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## dvcochran (Jun 20, 2019)

It may have been from the limited room you were in but it is not often that the front leg kick looks better than the rear leg kick, but yours do. 
You are doing a segmented kick, meaning you are using only the leg. A powerful front kick comes from using your core and especially the push or drive from the hips. @jobo is right (can't believe I said that); you need a target to work on to develop your power.
You have the "invisible rope" thing going on where a person pulls their arms down thinking it is helping pull their leg up. All it is really doing is dropping your guard. Especially the shoulders and arms are relaxed throughout the kick. You will be amazed how much relaxing the upper body will help your wind. 
It will come with the reps you are doing but you need to get comfortable, keep your body up and get the knee higher. This is fundamental for most all kicks, and it is a guard in its own right. 
Overall I feel you are progressing on pace for your belt. Keep up the good work.


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## Kung Fu Wang (Jun 20, 2019)

isshinryuronin said:


> knee is the key.


Agree! If you can stretch yourself that your knee can touch your chest before you kick your leg out, you will have good front kick.


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## drop bear (Jun 20, 2019)

jobo said:


> I think it looks pretty good, you've good speed, reasonable height and good balance, now get something to kick and and practise power, is a lot less reps and a lot more ummp, you don't need the ability to kick someone gently  400 times, one good one is enough, and a couple more in reserve just in case



You don't really need heaps of power. You just need to aim it.

This is the number one move I drop people in sparring with.


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## Monkey Turned Wolf (Jun 20, 2019)

Kung Fu Wang said:


> Agree! If you can stretch yourself that your knee can touch your chest before you kick your leg out, you will have good front kick.


That's in line with something i was taught about 7 yeard ago thats stuck with me-when you kick, raise your knee about 6-8 inches above where you're aiming to hit, and students without full contact experience should aim (their knee) almost a foot above where they think it (the ball if their foot) will land.


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## marques (Jun 21, 2019)

It looks good to me (but I am no TKD man). What you need now is a heavy target to strike. Your mass centre moves back (for balance) instead of towards your target. Also, having something to hit gives you some clues about the power you can deliver.


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## jobo (Jun 21, 2019)

drop bear said:


> You don't really need heaps of power. You just need to aim it.
> 
> This is the number one move I drop people in sparring with.


Heeps of power may not be needed??? but power most certainly is and you won't develop the intermuscle co ordination to develop any notable degree of power doing air kicks. quite the contrary doing say 400 sub optimal air kicks on a ongoing basis is fixing sub optimal movement pattern, that you need to unlearn at some point. which is why soccer players as a general rule kick soccer ball's to practice rather than thin air, you have an immediate feed back loop on both power and accuracy that allows you to modify the mechanics


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## Dirty Dog (Jun 21, 2019)

Overall, it looks very good for a green belt.
If you were my student, the things I'd be pushing are:
Hands. They need to be guarding. They're not. At all.
As @Buka mentioned, you're withdrawing the kick farther than needed.
You're not fully extending the knee. 
You need to push the ball of your foot out. Your ankle is at 90 degrees. That's not how it's taught in TKD, or at least not in any of the flavours I've trained in.



This shows what I'm talking about. See how the ball of the foot is pushed out, with the toes pulled back?

Again, it's a very good kick for a green belt.


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## drop bear (Jun 21, 2019)

jobo said:


> Heeps of power may not be needed??? but power most certainly is and you won't develop the intermuscle co ordination to develop any notable degree of power doing air kicks. quite the contrary doing say 400 sub optimal air kicks on a ongoing basis is fixing sub optimal movement pattern, that you need to unlearn at some point. which is why soccer players as a general rule kick soccer ball's to practice rather than thin air, you have an immediate feed back loop on both power and accuracy that allows you to modify the mechanics



In a round about way yeah.


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## jks9199 (Jun 21, 2019)

I would agree with a few others; you need to actually kick something with resistance.  You've got the mechanics, it seems.  You need to work on the guard position of your arms -- that's just something to work on and be aware of.  But I strongly suspect you haven't really kicked anything that's solidly resisting, like a good-sized heavy bag, or a partner holding a shield strongly.  There's a solidity, rooting, and unification of the body that I just can't find a better way to teach than making contact with something that'll knock you on your *** if you aren't solid behind your kick...


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## Gweilo (Jun 22, 2019)

As already pointed out, foot placement, and would need to see you kicking a heavy bag, in addition I would add, you only showed a right leg kick, which is probably the strong leg, and the leg with the bad habits, it would be nice to see the same sequence with the left leg, the only other criticism,  I could see was there was a slight dropping of the head and arms, which to an experienced fighter/combatent would be a tell, apart from that keep practicing.


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## Martial D (Jun 22, 2019)

Ivan said:


> I have recorded myself doing the front kick on both legs in four different manners. Back right leg front kick, front right leg front kick, back left leg front kick, and front left leg front kick. Prior to me filming this video, I practiced by doing 400 front kicks, 100 for each position. Note that since this has been filmed the sides are reversed i.e. what appears to be my right leg in the video is actually my left leg. Please tell me how to improve my technique: I would like to know what I do wel, and what I need to improve on.
> 
> Also, please ignore my abundace of bracelets, my weird guard position (specifically the hands), and me constantly looking at the camera. Sidenote: I am a Tae Kwon Do green belt.



2 things. 

The first is a matter of preference I guess. Thrust more with the hip to make it a teep. 

The second is that your front foot travels too much. the foot should return to where it lives in stance asap. you are pulling it all the way back to the rear leg. That's a split second opening to get swept that someone good WILL snatch up.


Other than that, looking good. your balance and form looks solid.


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## Kung Fu Wang (Jun 22, 2019)

To kick a small tree can be helpful.

- If the tree is the size of a human leg, you can develop accuracy for your kick.
- You can adjust the kicking distance and use your jumping kick to move in (kick far, not kick high).
- the tree will give just enough yield so you won't hurt your knee.

If you can't find any tree, to set a PVC pipe on the ground can be helpful.


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## pdg (Jun 23, 2019)

I'm only quoting you for convenience  also my comments are from my interpretation of my own tkd research so may not be 'current' and certainly won't apply to everyone.



Martial D said:


> The first is a matter of preference I guess. Thrust more with the hip to make it a teep.



Depends on the type of front kick...

Snap, thrusting, pushing - delivered with a slightly different amount and style of hip movement and different intent. In theory, they have different applications.



Martial D said:


> your front foot travels too much. the foot should return to where it lives in stance asap. you are pulling it all the way back to the rear leg. That's a split second opening to get swept that someone good WILL snatch up.



It's stated that the foot should return to the chamber position, so up to chamber / out to target / return to chamber / down to stance - as opposed to the triangular trajectory you describe (up to chamber / out to target / down to stance).

The disadvantage is as you describe (stood on one leg longer than absolutely required), but the advantage is that you can deliver a second kick quicker, because you're in chamber.

I return to chamber (partly because that's how it's described in the encyclopedia, so is 'of the art'), but I don't hang there unless I feel the need - the full return should be as quick as the full delivery.


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## Kung Fu Wang (Jun 23, 2019)

pdg said:


> the full return should be as quick as the full delivery.


The full return won't be needed if you use your kick to move in. A kick can be just like a step forward.


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## pdg (Jun 23, 2019)

Kung Fu Wang said:


> The full return won't be needed if you use your kick to move in. A kick can be just like a step forward.



That's not the described technique.


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## jobo (Jun 23, 2019)

pdg said:


> That's not the described technique.


maybe not, but then the technique is iffy, you shouldn't be throwing two front kicks in a row, that the surest way to get your leg grabbed,or at least make sure he is out of range therefore the correct place to land! the leg is were ever is right for what comes next, which may be a step forward if your attacking or a step back, if he is countering, in fact anywhere but where it started from


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## JP3 (Jun 23, 2019)

drop bear said:


> You don't really need heaps of power. You just need to aim it.
> 
> This is the number one move I drop people in sparring with.


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## JP3 (Jun 23, 2019)

drop bear said:


> You don't really need heaps of power. You just need to aim it.
> 
> This is the number one move I drop people in sparring with.


OK... I've got to say... that brings a certain image to mind... and certainly, if you did aim a front kick correctly you would drop people with it... if it were aimed at a certain target zone!

Bam!  Ooooooo….

Um. Sorry.


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## Kung Fu Wang (Jun 23, 2019)

pdg said:


> That's not the described technique.


All kicks serve for the following purposes.

- Hurt your opponent.
- Cover the distance.
- Set up for your next kick.
- Set up for your next punch.

If you don't kick your opponent, your opponent may kick you. It's better to kick your opponent and put him in defense instead of the other way around. When you do that, your goal is not to hurt your opponent, but to control the fight.


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## pdg (Jun 23, 2019)

jobo said:


> maybe not, but then the technique is iffy, you shouldn't be throwing two front kicks in a row, that the surest way to get your leg grabbed,or at least make sure he is out of range therefore the correct place to land! the leg is were ever is right for what comes next, which may be a step forward if your attacking or a step back, if he is countering, in fact anywhere but where it started from



Who said anything about two front kicks in a row?

I said a second kick, not a second front kick.

So, you could check their advance with a front kick, then get in a side piercing kick, or a turning kick, or a hook kick - all from the same chamber.


But that's discounting the fact that during practice, return to chamber before returning to stance is just how it is.


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## pdg (Jun 23, 2019)

I thought this was supposed to be about a tkd version of a front kick - hence the op making the point of stating his tkd grade?

If however it's really "modify your kick to suit xyz system or my different methodology" then there's really no point in my ongoing participation...


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## Kung Fu Wang (Jun 23, 2019)

Even in TKD sparring, your opponent is a moving target. You kick. your opponent steps back. Do you pull your kick back, or do you step in?


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## jobo (Jun 23, 2019)

pdg said:


> Who said anything about two front kicks in a row?
> 
> I said a second kick, not a second front kick.
> 
> ...


but that's the point I'm making the practise is wrong, the place you don't want to be is where you just were, he is either out   range and your not going to hit anything or coming in at you as with draw the leg, therefore practising return to the same position is counter productive, why practise something that is border line useless ?


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## pdg (Jun 23, 2019)

Kung Fu Wang said:


> Even in TKD sparring, your opponent is a moving target. You kick. your opponent steps back. Do you pull your kick back, or do you step in?



Pull back.

If they're still moving backwards, I can then step in. If they change and come toward me, I can then step back to maintain range. If they go to the side, I can match them. If they just stop, I can get another kick of some sort.

In the video you showed, he's off balance at the point of presumed impact, the only way he's going is forward. If his opponent dodged back from his kick and then came back at him, he's effectively falling directly into their counter attack. I've had that happen to me when I started with sparring, and I've taken advantage of that myself plenty of times too.

Some things are worth that level of commitment such that you only have one possible trajectory, but imo a front kick is far too low value to reduce my options to that extent.

That really should address what @jobo said too, but I'd be surprised if further argument didn't follow


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## jobo (Jun 23, 2019)

pdg said:


> Pull back.
> 
> If they're still moving backwards, I can then step in. If they change and come toward me, I can then step back to maintain range. If they go to the side, I can match them. If they just stop, I can get another kick of some sort.
> 
> ...


but why pull your leg back and then step forward, when you can just drop the leg in a forward step, people general have trouble getting their leg back on the floor before I knock them over, the sooner it hits the ground the more stable they are


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## pdg (Jun 23, 2019)

jobo said:


> but why pull your leg back and then step forward, when you can just drop the leg in a forward step, people general have trouble getting their leg back on the floor before I knock them over, the sooner it hits the ground the more stable they are



I had someone in our club say that to me about 2 years ago.

He's yet to knock me over...


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## jobo (Jun 23, 2019)

pdg said:


> I had someone in our club say that to me about 2 years ago.
> 
> He's yet to knock me over...


well may be he is poor or maybe your exceptional good? but I've  had quite a few of. visiting blckbelts from associated clubs sat on their bums, I just need to be 6" out of range and they are over.  just take the standing leg or just shoulder charge them. they never do it again, they make sure there retreating


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## Kung Fu Wang (Jun 23, 2019)

jobo said:


> but why pull your leg back and then step forward, when you can just drop the leg in a forward step,


Thanks for helping me to make my point clear. IMO, to pull back and then step in is  a wasting step especially when your opponent steps back in fast speed.

After you have landed your front kick, another jumping kick can be a nice combination.


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## Jaeimseu (Jun 23, 2019)

I would suggest pivoting your base foot a bit and extending your hips a bit. That will keep your butt from dropping and losing power. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Monkey Turned Wolf (Jun 23, 2019)

Still not sure if youre looking for specific feedback, and to be honest i havent read all the replies so i might just repeating someone with this.

Two biggest things for me were your weight and your guard (either or both may be stylistic, i dont do tkd so if it goes against what youre taught in a way that makes sense, ignore this). 

Particularly when you throw your rear-legged kick, your weight doesn't shift at all. You want to shift it so that your front leg takes more weight, while your center of mass moves allowing you to 'thrust' a bit with your kick. It can be seen mainly with your hips and shoulder if you do it right. The other thing that i would focus on is with your guard: make sure you keep your hands up and in the right placements throughout. And when you shift bringing your rear foot in front, while your rear foot is in front, your guard should switch so that your typically rear hand is in front, and switch back if you land the kick backwards.


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## thanson02 (Jun 23, 2019)

Dirty Dog said:


> Overall, it looks very good for a green belt.
> If you were my student, the things I'd be pushing are:
> Hands. They need to be guarding. They're not. At all.
> As @Buka mentioned, you're withdrawing the kick farther than needed.
> ...



I am on the same page as Dirty Dog on this one.  The hands are the biggest thing I noticed.  When you flag your elbows out like that, you are creating a BIG opening to be attacked.  My suggestion is to keep the elbows in and keep it tight together when you kick.  Otherwise the mechanics of the kick itself looks good.  Just keep practicing your extension and power.


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