100-100 percent martial artist

[Deaf Smith]

A short while ago, a TKDist like myself, told his class that in TKD we use 75 percent feet, 25 percent hands.

The more I think about it, one should be a 100-100 percent. That is, be so well trained you can use either your feet or your hands, or both, to defend yourself.

Yes this will call for much training, very much training, but one can, in everyday life, injure a knee or foot, and can dammage a hand or elbow.

And thus, one needs to be a 100-100 percent martial artist.

Deaf

 

[Logan]

Well duh....only j/k

This is why you have to keep training.....100% is unreachable but you need to close that gap as best you can.

I prefer to think of your 100% as 100% mind, 100% body.

 

[tshadowchaser]

I’ll disagree. Some folks will never be able to block a punch to the head with their foot so the hands are of necessity. If someone closes the gap and you are now body to body or even at elbow distance the hands can be more important as defense than the feet and what happens when you have been grabbed or are in a head lock, etc.
The feet are deadly, I will not dispute that but some use and knowledge of what to do with your hands is also necessary. Ok, just my thoughts on this

 

[kidswarrior]

I’ll disagree. Some folks will never be able to block a punch to the head with their foot so the hands are of necessity. If someone closes the gap and you are now body to body or even at elbow distance the hands can be more important as defense than the feet and what happens when you have been grabbed or are in a head lock, etc.
The feet are deadly, I will not dispute that but some use and knowledge of what to do with your hands is also necessary. Ok, just my thoughts on this

I agree with you, thsadowchaser, but in emphasizing the hands, I think you also agree with the OP maybe more than you think:

That is, be so well trained you can use either your feet or your hands, or both, to defend yourself.

What I get from this, is that we should be so rounded in our training that we can end the fight with either our hands, or our feet.

 

[MJS]

IMO, if you want to be as well rounded as possible, then doing your best to be equal in punching and kicking is going to be required. I don't do TKD, but I think it is safe to say that the first thing that many think is that its primarily a kicking art with little hand work. Is there much punching if any at all during sparring? Another thing to keep in mind is if you're unable to execute a kick, you may have to rely on punching or close quarter strikes. In that case, I dont want to be limited.

Mike

 

[jks9199]

A short while ago, a TKDist like myself, told his class that in TKD we use 75 percent feet, 25 percent hands.

The more I think about it, one should be a 100-100 percent. That is, be so well trained you can use either your feet or your hands, or both, to defend yourself.

Yes this will call for much training, very much training, but one can, in everyday life, injure a knee or foot, and can dammage a hand or elbow.

And thus, one needs to be a 100-100 percent martial artist.

Deaf

The idea is not that you can "only" use your hands 25% of the time... it's that the basic strategies that underlie your style are going to tend to use the feet 75% of the time. It's like the English language; it's predominantly Germanic in a lot of ways, but has lots of Latin influences (and even more influences from other languages) as it grows. So, you might say that English wants to use a German word or structure when it can -- but has Latin words (or others) when they'll work better.

So... a TKD stylist is going to want to use a kick much of the time - but should have punches for when kicks aren't right, by range or other specific circumstances. A BJJ stylist wants to grapple -- but should have some striking for when they can't go to the ground. Outside of sports with strict rules (like boxing), any fighting system is going to have it's preferred strategies and tactics but also have ways to deal with situations where they can't use the preferred tactics.

So, the instructor wasn't saying that your hands should only be 1/4 as good as your feet or that you should only be able to use them 1/4 as well... just that the principles of the style say that the feet are often better weapons than the hands, about 3 times out of 4.

 

[Logan]

What is often overlooked when discussing taekwondo is that there are many more hand techniques than kicking techniques. What an individual instructor wants to cover is their prerogative...

What about running away or chasing someone? Feet are pretty important then. What about climbing a wall to escape attackers or chase them? Hands are pretty important then.

What about the mind to realise what is going on? If someone closes a gap how did that happen? Is that the fault of your feet?

 

[VoidKnowledge]

I agree with tshadowchaser and jks9199.

Different styles emphasize different techniques. Yes, martial artists should be as well-rounded as possible, but practicing everything there is would take many, many lifetimes. One would be a jack of all trades and master of none.

I believe that being well-rounded is good, but one should focus on mastering one's own art, within their physical ability ("physical" meaning, that which cannot be improved by conditioning, such as height, build, age, arthritis, etc.) and becoming proficient at utilizing, and striving to master all that is taught in that art.

Even though I don't train TKD, I know too many people that criticize TKD, and say that "it's only a bunch of fancy kicks, there's no practicality, there's no power, etc." True, some kicks are fancy, and yes, I had a friend I grew up with that took TKD, and all he did was fancy kicks, and there was no power.

BUT- go up against a TRUE TKD master, who has taken years of practicing his/her techniques, the body dynamics behind them, force, speed, penetration, etc., and you should find one tough martial artist, who has focused on mastering what their discipline has taught them.

 

[jkembry]

Interesting thoughts. I know I am fairly new at martial arts...but at my age, I know that my kicks aren't that high...and on top of that my hands, whether blocking or punching aren't the most coordinated so I am of the opinion that balance between hands and feet are important and one shouldn't be put above the other...at least for training. Now if it comes down to sparring (so far very limited) or the real thing, I will use the pieces that are most efficient to get the job done...even if it requires running. I prefer the idea of 'not losing' over the idea of 'winning.'

 

[Em MacIntosh]

Fighting is about two things, psychology and physics. You may complicate this as much as you like to get more precise answers to more precise questions. What your hands and feet are capable of are dependant on too many "what ifs". There are advantages and disadvantages to both and it comes down to what you prefer, whether through experience or affinity. Will what you choose work for you? Only if you choose right. That includes the choice of your instructor, your level of dedication/persistance, your willingness to avoid a physical altercation and even what choices you make in the tussle if you get a chance to make any independant of your reactions. The physics of the matter are usually straigtforward as long as they don't get interfered with by the psychology of the matter, which I find far more important. It's the psychology that makes feints and leads effective, for example.

 

[Phadrus00]

A short while ago, a TKDist like myself, told his class that in TKD we use 75 percent feet, 25 percent hands.

The more I think about it, one should be a 100-100 percent. That is, be so well trained you can use either your feet or your hands, or both, to defend yourself.

Yes this will call for much training, very much training, but one can, in everyday life, injure a knee or foot, and can dammage a hand or elbow.

And thus, one needs to be a 100-100 percent martial artist.

Deaf

Deaf Smith,

Looking at your inventory of techniques in terms of Hands vs. Feet is an interesting perspective. My challenge with it is that there is a very broad range of tools that should be included including knees, elbows, head buts, shoulders, hips, etc. Even with hands and feet there are different ranges that these can be used effectively.

I have also looked at Ranges rather than individual tools to evaluate and guide my training. We have traditional kicking Range, TRaditional Punching Range, Trapping range and Grappling Range. Within these range we have techniques that work best (Hook Kicks for example are almost exclusively used in Kicking Range, which Stomp kicks can be used in Trapping Range. My Goal as a Martial Artist is to be at least competent in all ranges and excellent in at least a couple. Additionally this approach also allows me to view other ranges such as Weapons range (which is beyond kicking range) and Projectile range which covers all firearms and throwing weapons.

Within a range you can bring to bear many different tools depending on your background and training and physical capabilities. You are not limited to specific arts or tools, you view combat as a ciontinuim of ranges and different tools are better suited to certain ranges than others.

Regards,
Rob

 

[Kacey]

Taekwon-do is intended to emphasize kicks more - but as has been said, that doesn't mean that your hands should be weaker, just that you should make full use of your legs - after all, legs are longer and stronger than arms, and thus can be used at a different range than arms.

You should be able use the appropriate tool for the particular situation with appropriate balance, focus, and control to achieve the desired result - but which tools you use will depend on what you have trained with the most. That will vary by style, by association, by school, and by student, as each style has its own emphasis, and on down the line to the skills that are most easily picked up and used by students. It is an instructor's job to teach students the full range of available techniques and how to apply them; it is a student's job to train those techniques so they have the largest possible toolbox for the widest range of possible events.

 

[Deaf Smith]

I’ll disagree. Some folks will never be able to block a punch to the head with their foot so the hands are of necessity.

That's ok Shadow, one can dodge, bob, or weave, duck, slide,slip the punch, etc.. to take care of that. I've never been good enough to use my feet to stop a fast jab!

What I get from this, is that we should be so rounded in our training that we can end the fight with either our hands, or our feet.

YES!

I don't do TKD, but I think it is safe to say that the first thing that many think is that its primarily a kicking art with little hand work. Is there much punching if any at all during sparring?

For alot of TKD styles, there is rudimentry punching and blocking. Nothing sophisticated.

What is often overlooked when discussing taekwondo is that there are many more hand techniques than kicking techniques. What an individual instructor wants to cover is their prerogative...

Actually, Logan, with proper footwork there is a huge amount of kicking techinques. Any one kick, say a snap kick (or front kick) can be done several ways, and with side steppiing you can add other variations. I sometimes do a spinning heal kick, stop it in mid swing, fold the leg in, and do a roundhouse in the opposite direction. Or spin around like you were going to do a spinning heal, but go on around and end up with a roundhouse from the other direction!

But guys, the idea is you should be able do defend yourself with either hands or feet (hopefully you will have both!) Now years ago I broke my right hand on a punching bag. Since I was in IPSC, I tried shooting left handed. Man was I a rotton shot with a Colt .45 LW Commander. Then and there I decided to be able to shoot with either hand.

And thus, the same idea with hands .vs. feet. Using a 75-25, 50-50, or whatever should be more like 100 percent, either way. As a martial artist, especialy a high ranking one, one should be able to use either set in my view.

Deaf

 

[Logan]

Actually, Logan, with proper footwork there is a huge amount of kicking techinques. Any one kick, say a snap kick (or front kick) can be done several ways, and with side steppiing you can add other variations. I sometimes do a spinning heal kick, stop it in mid swing, fold the leg in, and do a roundhouse in the opposite direction. Or spin around like you were going to do a spinning heal, but go on around and end up with a roundhouse from the other direction!



Deaf

Well that depends if you count a 360 bitchagi as different from a bitchagi....I would count it as the same kick only with a step beforehand....or a variation as opposed a different kick. Can't you do stepping with hand techniques as well though? There are more hand techniques because of the increased mobility and positions available e.g. finger strikes, back fist, knife hand strike, palm strike etc.

 

[Deaf Smith]

Why Logan, haven't you ever seen a spinning toe jab for the eye?

Sorry about that. Couldn't resist. There are alot of 'trick' kicks like the twist kick, turn kick, mule kick, chicken kick, spinning axe kick (yes it can be done spinning around backwards), even the front kick can be a whipping snap kick or a thrusting one (and they are different.)

Yes I'd say there are more hand techniques, but there are alot of ways to kick.

And yes you can dodge when using the hands (I do!)

But, one can become very proficient with their feet, while manuvering, and become very proficient with their hands. And this is what I'm aiming at. Capable of useing either one or both as needed.

Deaf

 

[Touch Of Death]

A short while ago, a TKDist like myself, told his class that in TKD we use 75 percent feet, 25 percent hands.

The more I think about it, one should be a 100-100 percent. That is, be so well trained you can use either your feet or your hands, or both, to defend yourself.

Yes this will call for much training, very much training, but one can, in everyday life, injure a knee or foot, and can dammage a hand or elbow.

And thus, one needs to be a 100-100 percent martial artist.

Deaf

I agree, these percentages are misleading. In Kenpo we use are legs 100 percent of the time for what we use them for, it just doesnt happen to be kicking, unless we are. Even if you are kicking, attention to the ballance and pulling of the base leg is an art into itself.
sean