Taekwondo14
White Belt
I have a hard time getting them above like waist level..
how to increase the heigh of your back kicks
- Thread starter Taekwondo14
- Start date
terrylamar
Blue Belt
Which shoulder do you look over while doing your back kick, same as your kicking leg or opposite? Are you bending forward at the waist at all? Are you sure you are doing a back kick, knees together or a side kick, knees apart?
OP
Taekwondo14
White Belt
- Thread Starter
- #3
when i do my back kick i look over the sholder that is on the side of the leg im goinna kick with. yes im bending fowards at my waist. im not sure what u mean about the knees apart thing
terrylamar
Blue Belt
Forgetting about the mechanics of the kick for a moment, imagine you are standing straight with your feet together, does your kick go straight to the rear or will it go to the side. Many kickers do not know the difference between a back kick or a turning side kick.
What I am trying to get to is, if you are doing a turning side kick, but bending forward, isn't really helping you get height on your side kick, you would have to bend to the side away from the kick.
Are you attending formal classes. If so, why not ask a senior belt or your instructor for help. It is really hard to get an accurate description of what you are doing.
OP
Taekwondo14
White Belt
- Thread Starter
- #5
yes i am taking classes 2 nights a week infact today i got my advanced white belt. i am leaning fowards when i kick and my leg is going backwards not to the side, maybe it could be a flexibility problem?
OP
Taekwondo14
White Belt
- Thread Starter
- #6
Also what i do is from my stance i turn my front foot so that the ankle is pointing towards my oponent then my foot comes straight back , is the kick supposed to go straight backwards or is it supposed to be lifted as it hits them?
terrylamar
Blue Belt
It is much more complicated that this simple answer, but you should stomp your heel into your target. Try to return to your starting position by reversing your direction. Follow the same exact path back to your fighting stance. This will help you to not over rotate into a turning side kick.
Yes, it could be a flexibility issue, but I doubt it. If you are able to take long strides you can do a reasonably high back kick. More than likely, you have not done enough back kicks to have it down yet. Keep practicing and get feedback from your instructor.
ralphmcpherson
Senior Master
You are very right about people confusing turning side kick and back kick. I come accross this all the time.
OP
Taekwondo14
White Belt
- Thread Starter
- #9
i do it just like this
kwonkicker is awesome by the wya!
Last edited by a moderator:
ralphmcpherson
Senior Master
we would call that a turning side kick. Note the position of his foot when it connects with the target.
Last edited by a moderator:
terrylamar
Blue Belt
That is what I wanted to say. The video stops around the two minute mark, before he gets into the kick in slow motion. It certainly seemed to be a turning side kick at full speed.
OP
Taekwondo14
White Belt
- Thread Starter
- #12
does anyone know a video that displays the rihgt way?
ralphmcpherson
Senior Master
I will try and find one, but bear in mind it could just be different clubs giving things different names. I have a friend who trains at a club where they refer to turning side kicks as back kicks and its just a "terminology" thing. Basically when we do a back kick our toes would be pointing to the floor, as opposed to a sidekick where the foot is parrallel with the floor. Im am also only a first dan, there would be others here who could give you far better advice than I can.
OP
Taekwondo14
White Belt
- Thread Starter
- #14
omg that helped sooooo mcu htanks i just tried this out on my bag and the bag fell over :O So strong thanks
An easy way to practice is to start with both heels pointing towards your target. Have the kicking leg's foot in front of you and your supporting leg's foot closer to the target. Your feet should not be too far apart or too close together (front to back). If you are off balance before you start you will not kick well. Look over shoulder(corrosponding to the kicking foot) until you see the target but don't over rotate your shoulders. Pick up your kicking foot to the rear and extend your leg straight back in a thrusting motion (imagine a donkey or horse kicking) while leaning the opposite direction. Your knee should point down while kicking. Land without further rotation with your foot either in front of you or behind you. If you hit hard you will not be able to rotate after the kick until after your foot hits the floor.
The main muscle group that needs to be warmed up and streched is your hamstring. Some people have a poor static stretch but kick high (dynamic flexibility). Practice makes perfect.
The main muscle group that needs to be warmed up and streched is your hamstring. Some people have a poor static stretch but kick high (dynamic flexibility). Practice makes perfect.
rlobrecht
Brown Belt
The kick in the video is what we call a back kick. We don't do what Ralph and Terry are describing (at least not yet.)
Rick
Rick
We call the kick in the vid a back side kick. The back kick is more of a stright back donkey type kick. But in either case dynamic leg swings will help you.
Also you are only a white belt and should strive for the perfect kick but you also need to progress over time. Do not expect to kick like your senior or instructors for some time now. At each level you advance you will see (or your instructors will see) small amounts of progress. Just go to class, do what the instructor tells you and then practice some more at home.
Be more worried about form than height right now but do what is needed to ensure you can kick high, this means stretch and strengthen the legs, hips, and core. At about green belt you should see a vast difference in what you are kicking like today. At red belt you will see even greater improvement in what you kicked like at green belt. An at black you should see even more improvement than what you kicked like as a red belt.
Take your time and progress properly and don't rush it. I see many that can kick high but lack the technique to make that high kick effective. They swing the leg or don't bend the knees and never put any hip into the kick. Slow and correct is the best way.
Also you are only a white belt and should strive for the perfect kick but you also need to progress over time. Do not expect to kick like your senior or instructors for some time now. At each level you advance you will see (or your instructors will see) small amounts of progress. Just go to class, do what the instructor tells you and then practice some more at home.
Be more worried about form than height right now but do what is needed to ensure you can kick high, this means stretch and strengthen the legs, hips, and core. At about green belt you should see a vast difference in what you are kicking like today. At red belt you will see even greater improvement in what you kicked like at green belt. An at black you should see even more improvement than what you kicked like as a red belt.
Take your time and progress properly and don't rush it. I see many that can kick high but lack the technique to make that high kick effective. They swing the leg or don't bend the knees and never put any hip into the kick. Slow and correct is the best way.
Why are you learning this kick as a white belt? You need to be working on kicks that build up to this kick first anyway. In my opinion you should not even be doing a back kick yet. You should be working on front kicks, turn (round house) kicks. You should also be doing stretch or ax kicks to help with flexibility. Back kick should not be taught until even after side kick. Maybe at the 7th or 6th Gup.
I think this is why I see so many sloppy kickers out there. Everyone wants to progress faster than they should.
Work on your basic kicks first, then once you are proficient (not expert) then move to the next kick up until proficient with that and so on and so on.
OP
Taekwondo14
White Belt
- Thread Starter
- #19
i have already learned back leg front kick, step behind side kick, roundhouse kick and somewhatback kick but it isnt that good
StudentCarl
3rd Black Belt
Two additions:
1. One way to work the leg motion in isolation is to get on the floor on all fours--knees and elbows. Then shift your hip to take the weight off one knee and kick that heel toward the ceiling, aiming as far up behind you, in the direction of your head as you can. Your kicking knee should begin beside the other knee, come toward your chest as you chamber, then extend high. Practicing this motion will also help you discover what is limiting your motion as the position limits your spine movement. Muscle strength is related to flexibility, and you are still developing many muscles along with your coordination.
2. Reaching high with a back kick also requires flexibility on the front of you leg--your quads and hip flexors. Work on quad stretches and front splits
1. One way to work the leg motion in isolation is to get on the floor on all fours--knees and elbows. Then shift your hip to take the weight off one knee and kick that heel toward the ceiling, aiming as far up behind you, in the direction of your head as you can. Your kicking knee should begin beside the other knee, come toward your chest as you chamber, then extend high. Practicing this motion will also help you discover what is limiting your motion as the position limits your spine movement. Muscle strength is related to flexibility, and you are still developing many muscles along with your coordination.
2. Reaching high with a back kick also requires flexibility on the front of you leg--your quads and hip flexors. Work on quad stretches and front splits
