Leg Work

[FearlessFreep]

A couple of months back, I realized that having explosive drive off the legs would be crucial to Tae Kwon Do. First off, for movement from a fighting stance with 'soft knees' it would be important to be able to slide quickly or step quickly, meaning a surge from one leg or the other. Kicks are obvious, the more power and thrust you get from the ground, the higher and more powerful your kick is...and quicker. A powerful kick is not effective if you don't deliver it faster that the opponent can block.

Anyway, getting that toe spring/drive from the calve seemed something worth working on.

So I started jumping rope. It seems to work the calves/feet/quads in much the same way as a kick (at least the initial drive of a kick) I do 7.5 minuts in the morning for general conditioning. I do 3.5 minutes skipping forward with the right foot, 3.5 with the left foot, and then 3.5 with the both feet together. At night, I've started doing just one minute of both feet together, but I move the rope much faster and don't do the 'half skip' between jumps.

I started trying to do kicks with a weight on my ankle, but was advised that this was dangerous for my knees

Today I bought a resistance band...a rubber tube with two handles. I looped this around the foot of some furniture and around my ankles and basically do roundhouse kicks, sidekicks, and frontkicks. I try to do them with a combination of speed, power, and proper form. After doing this a few times this afternoon, I think this is really going to help tshe speed and 'explosiveness'' of my kicks and also the smoothness and quickness of my footwork

Anybody else have good (lowbudget/home...I don't wanna go to the gym or buy a bunch of gear) exercises that work well for increasing leg strength in a way that is good for TKD?

 

[Shu2jack]

I like to climb stairs. By skipping every other step and allowing only the balls of my feet to touch the ground it works my legs and the sudden spring that jump kicks use.

Just make sure you don't miss a step. It hurts.

 

[FearlessFreep]

Good one, but I only have one story to work with here

 

[Adept]

Do some reseach on plyometric exercises. They sound like the sort of thing you are after.

 

[Zepp]

I like to climb stairs. By skipping every other step and allowing only the balls of my feet to touch the ground it works my legs and the sudden spring that jump kicks use.

Just make sure you don't miss a step. It hurts.

That's a good one, but make sure you also stretch out your calves before and after.

 

[bignick]

Yes to plyo's...

Also, when I get really bored at work I'll do calf raisers using the small little step in by the counter (gas station, good times.......). If nobody is around at all I'll set up some cups or paper funnels and kick them...passes the time...

 

[TigerWoman]

I started doing calf raises too. And squats...although everything I've read, is that those with dubious knees should not go below 90° nor knee beyond toes. We used to just do bouncing for five minutes- that builds up calves too but is harder on knees. Resistance bungee cords are what we used in a class last week with partners. Really tires you out with fewer kicks. TW

 

[Raewyn]

A couple of months back, I realized that having explosive drive off the legs would be crucial to Tae Kwon Do. First off, for movement from a fighting stance with 'soft knees' it would be important to be able to slide quickly or step quickly, meaning a surge from one leg or the other.

What do you mean by "soft knees"??

 

[Indomitable Spirit]

What do you mean by "soft knees"??

he means not locking out the knees and not having the legs completely straightend out.
(i think)

 

[FearlessFreep]

Correct, by 'soft knees' I just meant that in fighting stance there should be a bend to your knee so you have greater mobility and quicker reaction

 

[FearlessFreep]

The plyometrics look good..I was wondering if you had any that work well for you particularly? (Partially for learning, partially for community sharing of good ideas)

 

[Teh Tot]

Try doing Jump changes. And use the upward motion of the knee you bring up first to aid the jump. I hope that makes sence

 

[Spookey]

Fearless,


Two exercises come to mind...squat jumps and retractions...

Squat Jumps-Feet shoulder width appart, squat, blast straight up as high as possible. Upon landing, simply squat and repeat. This strengthens the calfs, quads, and glutes!

Retractions- Stand two feet on the floor, retract one knee to your chest rapidly and with repetition, switch legs...later, move to a tree or doorway and assume the posture of a side stance with one leg elevated into the kicking position. From here you retract the kick into the "chambered" position. The main focus of this is on the speed of the retraction! Strengthens the hips, glutes, quads.

Both exercises train the muscles for dynamic, explosive, speed and strength!

TAEKWON!
Spookey

 

[Spookey]

One more thing,


STRETCHING...just as in your "soft knees" theory, soft muscles allow for more free and rapid motion. Speed X Mass = Force

 

[FearlessFreep]

Squat Jumps - Good idea, I've done those in class sometimes...hadn't thought of incorporating into my normal exercises

Retractions - Where does the drive come from? I work hard on driving the toe down with the calf for the initial burst so it's not all just the quad lifting. Do you do this exercise solely from the quad (flat-footed, if you will) or do you drive from the calf as well?

Try doing Jump changes...I hope that makes sence Not sure...what's a jump change? Is that like a switch-stance but with a jump?

Agree on the stretching!

 

[Teh Tot]

yes jump changes are like swich stances with a jump. just bring both knees up to your chest when you do it. this will greatly increase your height when doing flying and mid-air kicks

 

[FearlessFreep]

Thanks for the clarification on jump change !

 

[Miles]

Here's a cheap one-have a partner approximately your same size wrap his/her belt around your waist and hold it while you run through your kicks or footwork-it is like you are the horse and he/she is the carriage-resistance training on the fly.

Miles

 

[TKD USA]

Jump squats are a god-send believe me. I did them for about two months and my kicking strength and speed dramatically increased. Try starting off with 10 reps of 2 sets with 45sec rest inbetween each set then every week add 2 reps untill you get to 20. Then start at 15 reps and add 1 each week untill u get to 20 again. Next go back to 15 reps and just add one more set and increase the reps by 1 every 1 1 to 2 weeks.

 

[ArtlessArt]

Not having a car I tend to ride my bike around a lot. It's pretty good for endurance or explosiveness depending on where and how you ride. For a good endurance workout I would say just ride on flat land for a good 10 miles. Explosiveness is pretty simple too, find a really hilly area and get up those hills as quickly as possible. Its realatively cheap as compared to a gym membership or buying home equipment, plus it lets you commune with nature and who doesn't love that?

Does it work? When I watch a partner that is twice my size get knocked back from one of my kicks I'm usually pretty convinced.