Lookin in a mirror

[FearlessFreep]

I practiced some roundhouse kicks while facing a mirror today, concentrating on proper form. I had two intersting observations:

1) I noticed my left side and right side were not symmetrical. I've noticed that I don't always feel the same on left side and right side kicks, but it surprised me to see so much in something we do so much. The difference I noted is in the chest. On my left side, my chest/shoulders come fully square with my hips; on my right side, my hips come around, but my torso is twisted a bit so my shoulders are not quite fully around. I think that's a flaw, that I should be turned fully around at the shoulder and be sighting over my shoulder down my hip/leg/knee/foot line. I started working on that a bit tonight. I do often notice differences between left and right, *especially* in spinning kicks. Ironically, I think many of my left side kicks have better form because since they are less innate, I tend to subconciously think about the mechanics a bit more. I do notice that I'm more comfortable sometimes with left-side spinning kicks and I think it's partially because my right leg is stronger and provides a more comfortable/stable platform to work from. I *do* know that my right side spinning back is not as good as my left side and in particular that's due to some tightness of the muscles in my left hip/thigh/butt that keep my right leg from coming up as high on that kick

2) I started slowly and sped up, trying to keep good form. Suddenly, when I tried to move as fast as I could, I noticed something. My shoulders jerked. Rather suprising to see it. This filled me with a dozen questions. (Well, my first observation was that the little extra sub-concious 'load up' in my upper body actually slowed down how fast my foot got moving; in trying to 'muscle' the kick I was actually cutting speed and to me that means los of power. Just as I believe "F=MA" (force = mass * acceleration) I also believe that acceleration(or speed) is a combination of how fast you can move the weapon (muscle drive) and how well you can move the weapon (proper technique). It seems to me that 'muscling' an attack really costs you speed in terms of how the muscles work and your ability to execute the technique properly..I think in TKD, being able to bench press 500 doesn't matter nearly as much as being able to bench press 200 very quickly, and preferably do it a hundred times Anyway, the questions: Is this a 'tell'? A telegraph giving away what I'm about to do? Is it something an opponent could see in me that would clue them that I was about to strike? *Especially* since it also seems slows down my strike. Or is this a natural consequence of trying to move as fast as I can? It can't be avoided? Do I need to work for 'maximum speed, regardless' or 'maximum speed without side-effects'? Can I ever get the two to be the same ('maximum speed I can move at but without any giveaways') And finally, is this something I can be watching for in others? Is this why we have our eyes torward the solar plexus, because the motion will start there? Is this something an inexperienced opponent would do? Is this something even an expert opponent would do? In guess, in general, how much should I, or can I be watching for this and how much can I rely on it, and how much should I or can I work to eliminate in myself?

 

[Zepp]

1.) Not much to say. You seem to understand everything here that I think needs to be understood.

2.) You're making me want to get up and watch my roundhouse kicks in the mirror just to see if I'm doing it now.

It's too hard to say if the shoulder jerk is a tell. I'd ask your sparring partners about that. Ideally, I believe in training for "maximum speed without side-effects." I would suggest the next time you try this mirror exercise, you start slow and speed up (like the last time), but stop speeding up when you reach the point where you notice the weird stuff happening, and focus on technique at about that particular speed.

In my experience, good technique eventually leads to good speed and power.

And try not to overthink things Jay.

 

[FearlessFreep]

1.) Not much to say. You seem to understand everything here that I think needs to be understood.

Yeah, mostly I was just being introspective and thinking about left side/right side

2.) You're making me want to get up and watch my roundhouse kicks in the mirror just to see if I'm doing it now.

Sometimes I hope that sharing my observations, as a relative beginner, it may help people remember things that they may have forgotten in their years

I would suggest the next time you try this mirror exercise, you start slow and speed up (like the last time), but stop speeding up when you reach the point where you notice the weird stuff happening, and focus on technique at about that particular speed.

Good idea...thanks.

In my experience, good technique eventually leads to good speed and power.

I tend to think along the lines that power comes from speed but speed comes from good technique

And try not to overthink things Jay.

You've noticed, huh?

 

[TX_BB]

For a bettter look in the mirror, try video tape. Video tape yourself in class and at practice.

Class situations will show you your current characteristics and how you handle class. You do this for many reasons but here are few I like to watch myself for:
1) Attitude and energy check
2) Form and technique
3) Inter-action with fellow students
4) Relative speed

To improve my technique and look for telegraphs I do as many techniques I can in five minutes repeating my go to moves at least 3 times during the taping (Begin,Mid,End):
1) Watch for areas of improvement in technique
2) Watch for telegraphs
3) Watch how I tire
4) Watch when I tire

Keep working on it.

 

[Adept]

I think that's a flaw, that I should be turned fully around at the shoulder and be sighting over my shoulder down my hip/leg/knee/foot line.

It depends (well, theres a shocker!). Less turn in the torso likely means less effective utilisation of mass (and since F=MxA, that means less power). But, it does mean a quicker kick which should have less 'tells'. It will also mean a quicker recovery time and quicker follow up time.

2)It seems to me that 'muscling' an attack really costs you speed in terms of how the muscles work and your ability to execute the technique properly..I think in TKD, being able to bench press 500 doesn't matter nearly as much as being able to bench press 200 very quickly

Yes and no. Muscling a technique means to do it using muscle mass as opposed to good technique. The two arent mutually exclusive. Like with the bench pressing. It is better to bench 500 very quickly than it is to bench 200 very quickly. When all other things are equal, the big guy wins.

Anyway, the questions: Is this a 'tell'? A telegraph giving away what I'm about to do? Is it something an opponent could see in me that would clue them that I was about to strike?

Without any other info, yes. Anything you do before the strike connects is a tell. Preferably, you should know they've been hit before they do.

And finally, is this something I can be watching for in others? Is this why we have our eyes torward the solar plexus, because the motion will start there? Is this something an inexperienced opponent would do? Is this something even an expert opponent would do? In guess, in general, how much should I, or can I be watching for this and how much can I rely on it, and how much should I or can I work to eliminate in myself?

Everyone has a certain number of tells, from dropping the shoulder before a punch, to shifting weight before a lunge, to slapping their thigh before a kick. You should look for an opponents tells when sparring. We look at the solar plexus becuase it is kind of central, not because movement starts there. If we watch the hands, we might miss a kick. If we watch the hips, we might miss a punch.

A good book on the theories of fighting and sparring is 'Tao of Jeet Kune Do' by Bruce Lee.

 

[Miles]

A good book on the theories of fighting and sparring is 'Tao of Jeet Kune Do' by Bruce Lee.

I agree-this is a very good book from a guy who thought outside the box.

Another excellent book is Lovret's The Way And the Power"-it is about strategy, principally for the sword but adaptable to empty hand arts.

After reading these resources, the "mirror" you may be looking in may not be one which hangs on the wall...

Miles