Front Kick Training - Alan asked for it

[JowGaWolf]

In another post Alan asked for advice about front kick training so I did a demo of some of the training that I do at actual training pace. I didn't add the faster paced training because this was the same night I hurt my arm during my speed training.

@Alan0354 . This video shows me doing a variety of front kicks. Some I strike with my heel and others with the ball of my foot. I also do Push Kicks and the Faster Kick that work like the Jab. I will let you and others point out when I'm doing these kicks.

0:00 - 2:20
I practice front kicks at 4 levels. The two lower levels I use to train pulling my toes back to strike with the ball of the foot. The two lower level front kicks are also warm-ups for the 2 upper level kicks. I usually do 10-15 minutes of this kick. I start off slow to focus on kick placement, balance and structural strength. Kick slow like this demands more from the stabilizing muscles. The mid level kick is the one I use. The top level kick I use to help maintain flexibility. The more flexible I am the more effective my kicks will be. I don't worry about delivering power at this stage. At this stage I just care about solid strikes. If the bag spins then it means it's off center. I normally don't adjust the bag, like this, but I had to make sure that the viewers can see the letters on the bag and where I'm kicking.

2:21 - 3:15
I then start to add power to my kicks. I will either use the ball of my foot or the heel of my foot. The most important thing is to relax. It's really easy to tense up when trying to hit something with power. It also take more energy to hit with power, so I try to build up my endurance for doing so.

I also do small footwork in this video. The small movement is weight adjustment movement for my lead front kick. Larger footwork movement takes longer to set up the kick. I also use hand movement and the short footwork movement to to hide my punches and my kicks.

 

[Flying Crane]

Video is not attached.

 

[JowGaWolf]

Video is not attached.

Man you are quick.. lol I got it up now

 

[JowGaWolf]

In another post Alan asked for advice about front kick training so I did a demo of some of the training that I do at actual training pace. I didn't add the faster paced training because this was the same night I hurt my arm during my speed training.

@Alan0354 . This video shows me doing a variety of front kicks. Some I strike with my heel and others with the ball of my foot. I also do Push Kicks and the Faster Kick that work like the Jab. I will let you and others point out when I'm doing these kicks.

0:00 - 2:20
I practice front kicks at 4 levels. The two lower levels I use to train pulling my toes back to strike with the ball of the foot. The two lower level front kicks are also warm-ups for the 2 upper level kicks. I usually do 10-15 minutes of this kick. I start off slow to focus on kick placement, balance and structural strength. Kick slow like this demands more from the stabilizing muscles. The mid level kick is the one I use. The top level kick I use to help maintain flexibility. The more flexible I am the more effective my kicks will be. I don't worry about delivering power at this stage. At this stage I just care about solid strikes. If the bag spins then it means it's off center. I normally don't adjust the bag, like this, but I had to make sure that the viewers can see the letters on the bag and where I'm kicking.

2:21 - 3:15
I then start to add power to my kicks. I will either use the ball of my foot or the heel of my foot. The most important thing is to relax. It's really easy to tense up when trying to hit something with power. It also take more energy to hit with power, so I try to build up my endurance for doing so.

I also do small footwork in this video. The small movement is weight adjustment movement for my lead front kick. Larger footwork movement takes longer to set up the kick. I also use hand movement and the short footwork movement to to hide my punches and my kicks.

The one thing I forgot to show in this video is kicking while moving backwards. I think it's the most missed training in terms of front kicks.

 

[MR. SERNA]

In another post Alan asked for advice about front kick training so I did a demo of some of the training that I do at actual training pace. I didn't add the faster paced training because this was the same night I hurt my arm during my speed training.

@Alan0354 . This video shows me doing a variety of front kicks. Some I strike with my heel and others with the ball of my foot. I also do Push Kicks and the Faster Kick that work like the Jab. I will let you and others point out when I'm doing these kicks.

0:00 - 2:20
I practice front kicks at 4 levels. The two lower levels I use to train pulling my toes back to strike with the ball of the foot. The two lower level front kicks are also warm-ups for the 2 upper level kicks. I usually do 10-15 minutes of this kick. I start off slow to focus on kick placement, balance and structural strength. Kick slow like this demands more from the stabilizing muscles. The mid level kick is the one I use. The top level kick I use to help maintain flexibility. The more flexible I am the more effective my kicks will be. I don't worry about delivering power at this stage. At this stage I just care about solid strikes. If the bag spins then it means it's off center. I normally don't adjust the bag, like this, but I had to make sure that the viewers can see the letters on the bag and where I'm kicking.

2:21 - 3:15
I then start to add power to my kicks. I will either use the ball of my foot or the heel of my foot. The most important thing is to relax. It's really easy to tense up when trying to hit something with power. It also take more energy to hit with power, so I try to build up my endurance for doing so.

I also do small footwork in this video. The small movement is weight adjustment movement for my lead front kick. Larger footwork movement takes longer to set up the kick. I also use hand movement and the short footwork movement to to hide my punches and my kicks.

Excellent training exercise.

For me I teach students to drive the knee forward clambering the kick. The whip the foot forward. ALWAYS retract your kick faster then you throw it.

In breaking down the physics of your kick you have better control and power transfer. Speed and timing come with training correct form.

Mr. Serna

 

[JowGaWolf]

In breaking down the physics of your kick you have better control and power transfer. Speed and timing come with training correct form.

I had lots of out of class practice with front kicks. If a teacher told me to only do front kicks for 2 years. I would still be happy lol. At least happier than those on the receiving end of the kicks.

Hopefully some of this will give Alan some insight on how others train their front kick.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Thanks for sharing your video.

Just trying to prove that I'm not only a keyboard warrior, here is one of mine to share. I think the front kick is better to train on a small tree.

- The target is small.
- The resistance is strong.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

If a teacher told me to only do front kicks for 2 years. I would still be happy lol. At least happier than those on the receiving end of the kicks.

One of my favor training on this is to ask my opponent to hold on a kicking shield. My opponent runs toward me with 100% commitment. I try to stop him by my front kick.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

Thanks for sharing your video.

Just trying to prove that I'm not only a keyboard warrior, here is one of mine to share. I think the front kick is better to train on a small tree.

- The target is small.
- The resistance is strong.

It looks as if you are intentionally not pushing through on that tree. Is there a reason?

 

[Alan0354]

In another post Alan asked for advice about front kick training so I did a demo of some of the training that I do at actual training pace. I didn't add the faster paced training because this was the same night I hurt my arm during my speed training.

@Alan0354 . This video shows me doing a variety of front kicks. Some I strike with my heel and others with the ball of my foot. I also do Push Kicks and the Faster Kick that work like the Jab. I will let you and others point out when I'm doing these kicks.

0:00 - 2:20
I practice front kicks at 4 levels. The two lower levels I use to train pulling my toes back to strike with the ball of the foot. The two lower level front kicks are also warm-ups for the 2 upper level kicks. I usually do 10-15 minutes of this kick. I start off slow to focus on kick placement, balance and structural strength. Kick slow like this demands more from the stabilizing muscles. The mid level kick is the one I use. The top level kick I use to help maintain flexibility. The more flexible I am the more effective my kicks will be. I don't worry about delivering power at this stage. At this stage I just care about solid strikes. If the bag spins then it means it's off center. I normally don't adjust the bag, like this, but I had to make sure that the viewers can see the letters on the bag and where I'm kicking.

2:21 - 3:15
I then start to add power to my kicks. I will either use the ball of my foot or the heel of my foot. The most important thing is to relax. It's really easy to tense up when trying to hit something with power. It also take more energy to hit with power, so I try to build up my endurance for doing so.

I also do small footwork in this video. The small movement is weight adjustment movement for my lead front kick. Larger footwork movement takes longer to set up the kick. I also use hand movement and the short footwork movement to to hide my punches and my kicks.

Thanks for the video, that gives me idea about trying to kick higher with the heel. I'll try it next week. Now I have to put more effort in stretching!!!

Are those the bags that you complained that you punch deep into them? Yeh, those are the ones that I was complaining about. They are soft, I can see when you kick harder, it actually bent. We had the same kind in the gym too. Maybe they are good for boxing with gloves.

I don't like that they hung the bags that the bottom touch the floor and not free swinging. In a way, it's a lot easier to hit because it's going nowhere. I like the bag swing so it's harder to time and aim the strike. I am very sure you can find stiffer bags that don't give if you want to hang one at home.

Thanks, I'll try all these next week after my little girl goes home. Ha ha, she's not exactly a little girl, she's 16!!! I still call her my little girl.

 

[Alan0354]

I had lots of out of class practice with front kicks. If a teacher told me to only do front kicks for 2 years. I would still be happy lol. At least happier than those on the receiving end of the kicks.

Hopefully some of this will give Alan some insight on how others train their front kick.

Even before my back injury at the time, I put in more effort in front kick than side and round kicks. I just feel unless a person is flexible, it's not very practical to rely on side kick and round kicks as you need warming up to kick good the first few kicks. You can kick a front kick even at the moment you get up from sleeping. Also when you get old, you loses flexibility, or if you stop training, you loses flexibility. You can keep the front kick in your arsenal long after you quit training and get older.

Looks like I am going to have to start going slow on the front kick like I did with punching now.

Thanks

 

[Alan0354]

Thanks for sharing your video.

Just trying to prove that I'm not only a keyboard warrior, here is one of mine to share. I think the front kick is better to train on a small tree.

- The target is small.
- The resistance is strong.

He kicked very light and slow!!!

This is very much a push kick or actually lift the leg and step onto the tree, not like how JawGaWolf kicks. He actually kick into the bag with snap, not just step into the bag. That's where it is hard to practice front kick, not step or push, but actually snap and stick into the bag.

Also, you hit suck a hard object like a tree, you are going to injure the hip joint or other joints in the long run. Believe me, you don't want to injure the hip. Looking at my wife, you can injure the knee of foot, you can do physical training to recover......NOT THE HIP. My wife do a lot of training like weights and all also. Her mistake was she did high impact aerobics 6 days a week for years, when pain started on the hip, there's NOTHING she could do to recover, she ended up with two hip replacement!!!

When you are young, you might be able to get away with this, do NOT do that if you are older. Kick on something that swing back or at least give. I am glad I learn from my wife, when any exercise bother my hip, I STOP. I work on all other injuries even back and neck with great success, I am not going to even try on the hip. The hip joint is so simple, when it goes, doesn't seems like anything can help. Unlike shoulder or knee that are so complex, you can always strength other part of the joint to compensate for the injuries.

It looks as if you are intentionally not pushing through on that tree. Is there a reason?

He kick very light, just going through the motion. If he really push through, either the tree gives or his leg!!! Hitting hard object that doesn't move is good to strengthen the knuckles or the bone, you hit lighter. Forcefully pushing through a hard object that doesn't give can only injure yourself. I do pole hitting regularly, I hit lighter. If I really dig into the pole, guess what is going to give? It's not going to be the pole!!!

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

He kicked very light and slow!!!

This is very much a push kick or actually lift the leg and step onto the tree, not like how JawGaWolf kicks. He actually kick into the bag with snap, not just step into the bag. That's where it is hard to practice front kick, not step or push, but actually snap and stick into the bag.

Also, you hit suck a hard object like a tree, you are going to injure the hip joint or other joints in the long run. Believe me, you don't want to injure the hip. Looking at my wife, you can injure the knee of foot, you can do physical training to recover......NOT THE HIP. My wife do a lot of training like weights and all also. Her mistake was she did high impact aerobics 6 days a week for years, when pain started on the hip, there's NOTHING she could do to recover, she ended up with two hip replacement!!!

When you are young, you might be able to get away with this, do NOT do that if you are older. Kick on something that swing back or at least give. I am glad I learn from my wife, when any exercise bother my hip, I STOP. I work on all other injuries even back and neck with great success, I am not going to even try on the hip. The hip joint is so simple, when it goes, doesn't seems like anything can help. Unlike shoulder or knee that are so complex, you can always strength other part of the joint to compensate for the injuries.

It is possible to get power pushing rather than snapping. That said, in this video it looks like he is not pushing with real forcing. Either practicing his angle, or practicing which part of his foot connect. Which is why I asked the purpose of the drill. A powerful, intentional push is different than what is seen in that video.

 

[MR. SERNA]

I had lots of out of class practice with front kicks. If a teacher told me to only do front kicks for 2 years. I would still be happy lol. At least happier than those on the receiving end of the kicks.

Hopefully some of this will give Alan some insight on how others train their front kick.

Clearly his kicks are power kicks when loaded.

I am impressed with his kicking routine.

Mr. Serna

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

It looks as if you are intentionally not pushing through on that tree. Is there a reason?

I have to deal with the bouncing force from the tree.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Also, you hit suck a hard object like a tree, you are going to injure the hip joint or other joints in the long run.

This is why I only suggest small and young tree. I agree that it make no sense to get injury in training.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

I have to deal with the bouncing force from the tree.

So you purposefully decrease the strength of your kick to avoid rebound from the tree hurting you?

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

So you purposefully decrease the strength of your kick to avoid rebound from the tree hurting you?

I have to adjust it into a level that I feel comfortable and make sure it won't give me any problem in the long run.

I'm lucky not to have any knee, hip, and back problems. This is why I try to change my 3 miles running into 3 miles walking + kicks/punches.

 

[Alan0354]

I have to adjust it into a level that I feel comfortable and make sure it won't give me any problem in the long run.

I'm lucky not to have any knee, hip, and back problems. This is why I try to change my 3 miles running into 3 miles walking + kicks/punches.

That was you kicking the tree? You look so young!!! I thought you are older than that from the way you talk. I thought that was a young man.

Yes, walking was what did my wife's hips in. After she got older, she walked over 2 miles a day. But her walk was so fast it's like slow jogging. I kept telling her don't do it 6 days a week, she didn't listen. That caused her first hip in 2012. She since doing stationary bike and walking on treadmill in the gym from 2013 to the pandemic shutdown. Then she started just normal walking on the street. That did her second hip in and had a replacement in 2020. Her second hip was wearing thin according to the CT scan before that already, it did not take much to ruin it. It must be from the days she did high impact aerobics for years. When doctor opened her up, it was bone on bone.

That's something people don't realize, what you did when you were young do catch up with you in the later years. Unless one is a professional athlete, don't push all the way, put effort in weight training for recovery. Weight training literally saved me from being disabled in the late 80s from back injuries from TKD. Even now a days, as much as I want to practice punching and kicking, I still spend half the time of exercise in weight training, not just for strength or muscle, but to heal the body from the stress of all the punching, kicking and swinging of the cane.

That's the problem of exercise, if you don't have any injury, you are NOT working hard enough. Sports and injuries are going hand in hand, it's all or nothing. You train seriously, you are going to have constant injuries on different parts of the body.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

That was you kicking the tree? You look so young!!! I thought you are older than that from the way you talk. I thought that was a young man.

That video was taken in 1981, over 41 years ago.

I didn't know walking can cause hip problem as your wife's case. Thanks for sharing this information. Since I walk 3 miles every day, I may have to reduce that.

I ran 3 miles and also walked 3 miles yesterday. Running make me to feel young. My running desire is still too strong. I need to control that.