# Front Foot Side Kick



## fringe_dweller (Jan 19, 2003)

Hey guys,

Just after your opinion/advice on delivering a side kick with your leading leg. When you chamber do you bring your knee straight up or come across your body? I'm finding that at the moment it's easier if I drag my knee across my body but I can see that it takes a fair bit longer and sends more of a telegraph for someone who would be watching for it. How would you suggest this kick is to be used?

Respectfully,


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## Angus (Jan 20, 2003)

I use both because they both have different uses and applications. Simply put, the knee across is going to be a much stronger and more solid kick, because you have to chamber it back farther. However, because of the fact that you chamber back farther and turn your hips sooner, it's slow and telegraphed. So then there's the straight in front front kick style chambering, which is MUCH faster up and down, less telegraphed, if done correctly can be really sneaky, but doesn't have anywhere near the same amount of power. Properly trained, I'm sure either can be used for any purpose...but I'm not that good.


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## Zepp (Jan 20, 2003)

I'm sorry Angus, but I have to disagree.  I find that chambering with your leg across your body doesn't add any power as the power of of a sidekick is generated by the torque on your hip that comes from pivoting your back foot.  Also, though this may just be for me, chambering in front helps me keep my accuracy.

When the lower belts are are having trouble throwing a sidekick (a lot of people tend to accidentally turn it into a roundhouse motion) I tell them to try chambering in front and it seems to help them.


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## Zepp (Jan 20, 2003)

I didn't mean to sound so authoritative on there.  Come on, someone dispute me.  I'm still curious to see what others think about this.


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## mtabone (Jan 20, 2003)

Hey Zepp,


By chambering your kick on the side, it helps creat the straight line of power you get when you do pivot on your bottom foot. The bottom foots toes should be pointing in the opposite direction of the kick. The hips will be fully extended, and again, the straight line of power created. I find, that the more one practices the motion, the faster and faster it becomes. Practice, and Repetition will create the side kick faster and faster. If one frames the kick in front of you body, I tend to see people turn it into the Round house Kick. And if you are going for a round house kick, then just do one.  The knee across insures that one will have a straight line of power.


Michael Tabone


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## Angus (Jan 20, 2003)

Zepp, either way its thrown it generates it's power from the turning of the hips and back foot, because that doesn't change for either one since the final position will be the same regardless of initial chambering style. Hence why it's not addressed- its not a variable. The side chambering seems to generate much more force since he has a longer distance to travel (with which to generate that power) in a straight line, in line with the rear pivoted foot. The other does not have that, but is definitely faster because of it.


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## Matt Stone (Jan 20, 2003)

The execution of a kick (chamber, kick, re-chamber) should never be sacrificed to "sneak" one in...  shabby kick equals shabby results.  Better to train your timing so that a proper kick can be delivered...

In Yiliquan, front snap and thrust kicks, stopping foot and stomping kicks are "aimed" with the knee.  Side thrust kicks are "aimed" with the hip, as the kicking leg is chambered perpendicular to the line of strike.

Just my humble thoughts...

Gambarimasu.
:asian:


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## Zepp (Jan 20, 2003)

Maybe I'm doing it wrong, but I still don't see how chambering across your body adds power to a sidekick.
And I also find that chambering in front _prevents_ the roundhouse motion (unless you're deliberately trying for one).  And I have to disagee with you again Angus: chambering in front keeps the heel of your kicking foot in line with your back pivoting foot.

I'll keep trying it out and see if I can figure out what you guys are talking about.  As it is, my sidekick can go through 4 inches of wood (and I'm about to try for 5).  But if you guys are right, there's always room for more power.


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## fringe_dweller (Jan 20, 2003)

Great reading guys, thanks. I had initially been chambering straight up but was shown by a senior belt to rotate my hips around and chamber it across my body. The motion seemed a lot slower but I guess it just comes down to practice. If I do enough of them they'll get quicker.

Respectfully,


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