Big bruise from roundhouse kick drills?!

[Faye]

Yesterday, we were practicing roundhouse kicks with the tear drop mitts (we usually use the kicking bag for power), the goal was to be quick and accurate, maybe I'm not so use to kicking the mitt, the mitt holder wasn't exactly doing it right, I ended up with a BIG bruise on my instep. I was wondering if this happened to anyone, I bruise fairly easily, but I started to wonder if I'm not kicking correctly. My bruise is located close to my middle toes....

 

[Gary Crawford]

That can happen very easily if you make contact with the handle part of the pad.I've done it quite a few times myself.That's where the acuracy part comes in,but having a good holder makes a difference tonce you get used to it,you'll be much better at your kicking distance.

 

[Tae Kwon Doughboy]

Welcome to the club. Thankfully our Dojang replaced their pads recently. My big toes don't fold under when my leg is straight so I was constantly bruising my toes or instep (from trying to kick so my toe would go past it) and even lost my toe nail.

Some people hold pads well and there are others that just can't hold them right for me. They are the ones that say my technique is wrong. Funny how my technique improves with a good pad holder!

When I have a pad holder that won't hold them right I just stop the kick at the pad and barely tap it. I know I am not getting everything I can out of the drill but their inability to hold a pad is no reason for me to intentionally hurt myself.

Take care of yourself.

 

[Tae Kwon Doughboy]

By the way I have a big bruise on my instep right now from last Thursday night!

 

[TigerWoman]

Faye, I would tell the holder to point the paddle (focus paddle) straight at you at belt level, the straight side on top, then tip the top line of the paddle toward the side you are kicking about 15-20°. If he/she doesn't hold it right, educate him or her, it just takes a couple of times.

Focus on your instep hitting the paddle. If the knee comes up first, in a tuck position first-knee pointing the same way as your target, your aim, I think, will improve and also your hitting power. That should help not hitting the wood part. Not fun, especially when you hit your toes on the wood part. TW

 

[Faye]

No kidding. I think i've been kicking the handle part. It's difficult because this partner that I have, I' m sure she's a very nice lady, but she is either extremely shy, or she has some sort of social phobia, she does not talk to anybody except the instructor at our school, she will not say a word to you. I corrected the way she hold the mats, but it won't last more than a couple of kicks. I felt really embarassed but my roundhouse kicks ain't that bad!!

I'm just praying that when it comes to testing time, she's not my partner.

 

[bignick]

that's the hazard of working with different types of people...

on the upside...people like that usually start opening up after awhile and they are great to get to know once they start talking...

and the handle hurts...but few things are worse than catching and elbow with your instep....ow.........

 

[Tae Kwon Doughboy]

My freind and I worked on this tonight. We found a way to reduce the pain! Maybe it will be of help to you too.

First I showed him how my big toes will not go down far enough to continue in a straight line with my instep. The left one is close but the right one sticks up almost an inch.

He held the pad like TW described and I kicked with the right foot in slow motion. We found that when my foot touches the pad may leg is already extended making the toe hit first. By pivoting a little more I was able to point my kicking knee a little past the target and hit the pad with the instep first, before full extension. He said I was more accurate too.

If I continue to do this I think the pad holder will make less of a difference now.

 

[Ryan]

im wondering, does the instep get used to this punishment eventually and become conditioned? ive seen and heard of many fighters using their instep for high impact kicks (head, neck, etc .) and youd think hitting a skull with your instep would hurt alot more than a kick paddle handle. any thoughts on this?

 

[bignick]

there is a certain amount of conditioning...but for any hard target i'd use the ball of my foot as my striking surface...

 

[Marginal]

im wondering, does the instep get used to this punishment eventually and become conditioned? ive seen and heard of many fighters using their instep for high impact kicks (head, neck, etc .) and youd think hitting a skull with your instep would hurt alot more than a kick paddle handle. any thoughts on this?

There's always ball of the foot. On top of that, you can sacrifice a little distance and use the shin as well.

 

[Ryan]

i understand that the ball of foot and shin are more desirable to strike with than the instep, but have seen fighters hit with the instep multiple times and so far havent found an explanation for this, any thoughts?