Higher Kicks

[Tetsujin]

Why kick high when you can shatter his kneecap. People are so concerned with kicking high to look cool. Who cares, a shin to the side of the knee will hurt a lot more than a foot to the face.

Believe it or not, high kicks can be tremendously effective. And it's not like high and low kicks are mutually exclusive. Learn to do both and then you have the choice - the knee or the face. More options, so it's not (just) about looking cool.

 

[Frostbite]

Good Point...some of us just arent blessed with the high kicks. Thank god I dont practice TKD anymore...lol

Same here. Flexibility was never my strong point.

 

[SA_BJJ]

Whats strange is that when it comes to BJJ, I can roll and have the flexibility to manuver my body, but when I stand and try to throw a round kick.....Garbage comes out!

 

[MasterWright]

How long have you been training?

 

[SA_BJJ]

Who me?

 

[MasterWright]

Who me?

Oh, I meant the original poster. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[seasoned]

Why kick high when you can shatter his kneecap. People are so concerned with kicking high to look cool. Who cares, a shin to the side of the knee will hurt alot more than a foot to the face.

I am not an advocate of high kicks, but in sparring it always was a rush to pop a nice round house kick off the top of someone’s head. Once you get their attention, and they are looking for that high kick, then switch lower. Add some fast hands and the game is your’s. But, I am also a believer in “what you use the most is what you will use in the heat of battle”. Stretching does more for you then just high kicks. It improves balance, speed, reduces injuries, and helps you to move more fluidly. I always felt that if I could reach your face, then your knee was a piece of cake. Anyways I digress, the only way to achieve the above effect is to stretch everyday. As was mentioned in early posts, never bounce, but once you are in a stretched position, and feel that you can’t go any farther, that is the time to take it to a new level. If you follow this strategy, and work through the discomfort, then you will realize your goals in 3-4 months. Think muscle, but it is tendon you need to reach. Good luck.

 

[seasoned]

I am not an advocate of high kicks, but in sparring it always was a rush to pop a nice round house kick off the top of someone’s head. Once you get their attention, and they are looking for that high kick, then switch lower. Add some fast hands and the game is your’s. But, I am also a believer in “what you use the most is what you will use in the heat of battle”. Stretching does more for you then just high kicks. It improves balance, speed, reduces injuries, and helps you to move more fluidly. I always felt that if I could reach your face, then your knee was a piece of cake. Anyways I digress, the only way to achieve the above effect is to stretch everyday. As was mentioned in early posts, never bounce, but once you are in a stretched position, and feel that you can’t go any farther, that is the time to take it to a new level. If you follow this strategy, and work through the discomfort, then you will realize your goals in 3-4 months. Think muscle, but it is tendon you need to reach. Good luck.

Sorry, what I mean in the above “what you use the most is what you will use in the heat of battle” is what you do most in the DoJo is what will come out automatically in a street confrontation. So have fun, but focus on the real deal Techniques most of the time. J

 

[SA_BJJ]

Sorry, what I mean in the above “what you use the most is what you will use in the heat of battle” is what you do most in the DoJo is what will come out automatically in a street confrontation. So have fun, but focus on the real deal Techniques most of the time. J

Very true...its muscle memory...

 

[AMP-RYU]

Bowser666,

I am going to (respectfully) partially disagree with you. I think the major limiting factor (assuming people are doing normal stretches) is leg strength. Stretching is passive, but if you don't have the leg strength to do a controlled kick at height, you shouldn't be throwing the kick at full speed. I partially agree that kicking = stretching. I've seen yoga increase my ability significantly. However, slow kicks and other such exercises are just as important.

ditto:asian: