Best side kick I have seen on Youtube

[Acronym]

You have to consider the dynamics of the two kicks. First he is doing the kick very slow to show technique. Naturally balance is more difficult as the slower speed so he is finishing the kick with a Slightly bent knee to show form and aid in balance. When he does the kick at speed there is little to no bend in the standing leg.
It still has much to do with the intent of the kick.

Who are you talking about?

 

[Metal]

Are you saying that the knee in the support leg should be locked? Straight? If you don't like it bent... what is the proper position?

For current Kukkiwon Taekwondo: straight

pre-ITF: bent

70s ITF:slightly bent

However, in the past there wasn't as much attention to detail and not as much unity regarding details.

I'm not sure how the current technical standard is in the 3 ITFs, but the Teul DVD from 2006 that I have shows the sidekicks with a straight supporting leg.

 

[Acronym]

For current Kukkiwon Taekwondo: straight

pre-ITF: bent

70s ITF:slightly bent

However, in the past there wasn't as much attention to detail and not as much unity regarding details.

I'm not sure how the current technical standard is in the 3 ITFs, but the Teul DVD from 2006 that I have shows the sidekicks with a straight supporting leg.

ITF is straight just like KKW. But it's not mandatory in the gradings.

 

[Buka]

Can I see an example of a good side kick?

Here you go, Steve...

 

[Steve]

Here you go, Steve...

Well, to my untrained eye, that looks pretty good. Curious what others think.

 

[Acronym]

Well, to my untrained eye, that looks pretty good. Curious what others think.

He's an all-time great for sure.

 

[Acronym]

Joe didn't use it as much in full contact, he became more of a boxer. He also switched to boxing later in his life even though he instructed kickboxing classes

 

[dvcochran]

Who are you talking about?

Um, exactly what I said. Just go back and watch the video.

If you are asking about intent, I mean what do you want the kick to do? You cannot always throw or land the Joe Lewis side kick like shown in Buka's video, nor will you want to. Opportunities change and you have to change your strategy and kick to them.
Sometimes you have to play chess and use the kick as more of a setup tool. This is going to change the anatomy of the kick somewhat. Most likely something you would not even notice in live action but rather something you may see in video.

 

[wab25]

For current Kukkiwon Taekwondo: straight

pre-ITF: bent

70s ITF:slightly bent

Thanks for the clarification. All the Shotokan guys I train with are very specific in that they want to see the knee bent in the supporting leg. So, when looking at Shotokan guys, if they have their leg bent, its likely that they are doing it that way for a reason. Its not because they are lazy, or don't know what they are doing.

From a TKD perspective... what is the reason for the straight supporting leg?

 

[dvcochran]

For current Kukkiwon Taekwondo: straight

pre-ITF: bent

70s ITF:slightly bent

However, in the past there wasn't as much attention to detail and not as much unity regarding details.

I'm not sure how the current technical standard is in the 3 ITFs, but the Teul DVD from 2006 that I have shows the sidekicks with a straight supporting leg.

To be clear you are making the straight leg statement for Poomase only, correct? There is no way the standing leg can or should Always be straight during sparring and such.

 

[Acronym]

Thanks for the clarification. All the Shotokan guys I train with are very specific in that they want to see the knee bent in the supporting leg. So, when looking at Shotokan guys, if they have their leg bent, its likely that they are doing it that way for a reason. Its not because they are lazy, or don't know what they are doing.

From a TKD perspective... what is the reason for the straight supporting leg?

Straight supporting leg is purely aestethical. It is not straight in sparring

 

[Acronym]

This is excessive knee bent IMO

 

[Earl Weiss]

I've seen him call many people on here sir in the past just FYI, it seems just how he types if he's addressing someone specific..

Yes sir exactly. If it is directed to the specific person's post then "Sir" or "Mam" would apply. General comments / response - not so much. Hosted Joe Lewis for a seminar and said "Yes Sir" he said "Do you see any stripes on my arm? Don't call me "Sir" - great guy.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Here you go, Steve...

I have the VHS tape . NAPMA sold it before they were stopped for some copyright violation. I like the "Grabbing the sleeve tactic" so long as it' legal.

 

[Steve]

Yes sir exactly. If it is directed to the specific person's post then "Sir" or "Mam" would apply. General comments / response - not so much. Hosted Joe Lewis for a seminar and said "Yes Sir" he said "Do you see any stripes on my arm? Don't call me "Sir" - great guy.

I appreciate the clarification.

A little trivia, even if he did have stripes, you wouldn't call him sir. The only time you'd ever call a guy 'sir' who had stripes on his arm is in basic training. Sir and Ma'am are reserved for officers in the military. Generally, you'd refer to enlisted personnel (people with stripes on their arms) by their rank: Airman, Seaman, Private, Sergeant, etc.

 

[wab25]

This is excessive knee bent IMO

That may be excessive for TKD... but for Shotokan, he is doing it right. But, since, as you say, its "purely aestethical" then it shouldn't really matter.

 

[Acronym]

[

That may be excessive for TKD... but for Shotokan, he is doing it right. But, since, as you say, its "purely aestethical" then it shouldn't really matter.

No I said it's purely aestethical keeping it straight.

 

[wab25]

No I said it's purely aestethical keeping it straight.

So keeping it straight is purely aestethical, but bending the knee is not purely aestethical??? If bending the knee is not purely aestethical, that would imply that keeping it straight would also not be aestethical.

What do you see is the issue with the bent knee?

 

[Acronym]

So keeping it straight is purely aestethical, but bending the knee is not purely aestethical??? If bending the knee is not purely aestethical, that would imply that keeping it straight would also not be aestethical.

What do you see is the issue with the bent knee?

I said that very bent is bad.

 

[Metal]

To be clear you are making the straight leg statement for Poomase only, correct? There is no way the standing leg can or should Always be straight during sparring and such.

Yes, but I wouldn't call it "for Poomsae" but the 'basic performance' of a Sidekick.

Everything we learn in "Kibon Dongjak", in the 'basic techniques', can and must be adapted to a particular situation. Just as we wouldn't spar in traditional stances or punch from the hip in sparring, the supporting leg doesn't need to be straight in sparring.

From a TKD perspective... what is the reason for the straight supporting leg?

If you ask some they may point out that "That's what the Poomsae key points of World Taekwondo say", if you ask others they may say "It looks better".

While I agree with both I would add: The reason for the straight supporting leg is to make it look different from Karate.

There are many ways of executing techniques and a lot of times there's no right or wrong. There's only right or wrong when a certain ruleset or technical standards get applied. And while we work hard on the perfection of certain techniques, we need standards to go by. And especially when it comes to Poomsae competition you need to standardize techniques. Otherwise it would be even harder to judge than it already is.

Plus it's part of the never-ending process of learning. When someone learns the sidekick there are other things to focus on first. Balance, flexibility, correct chambering, kicking in a straight line, hitting with the right part of the foot, foot positioning, turn of supporting leg/foot, turning on the ball of the foot, controlling the arms, control of force and speed. There are a lot of aspects to consider and the straight supporting leg is one of the less important ones I would say. When I saw the video of the sidekick in the video in the original post, there were other things that I noticed first. I didn't really pay attention on the supporting leg first.