Preferred Kicking Leg

[Touch Of Death]

But what if you do a spin side or spin back kick? The foot in back is now the front. Should the person go back to the orginal stance or continue on in the new stance.

I would get back to my stronger stance.
Sean

 

[Tony Dismukes]

I'm right-handed, but my left leg is overall significantly better at kicking. It varies by kick though.

 

[ATC]

But what if you do a spin side or spin back kick? The foot in back is now the front. Should the person go back to the orginal stance or continue on in the new stance.

Well if you spin hook the kicking leg returns to its' original position. The simple back kick would land in front after connection or missing but you would simply return to your original stance.

But I never said that after executing a kick that you could not stay on that side. You may even need to step before kicking as well. My statement is you don't need to switch sides for the sake of just switching. If you and opponent are in a closed stance (both have right foot back), but you don't like being in a closed stance, and think you need to switch to an open stances (one with left foot back and the other person with right foot back), that is what is not needed. You can make any technique work from either position, open or closed. No need to switch feet. Feel comfortable either way, you have options. If you think you need to switch feet then you don't know your option or don't feel you are good enough with those options.

 

[TKDTony2179]

Well if you spin hook the kicking leg returns to its' original position. The simple back kick would land in front after connection or missing but you would simply return to your original stance.

But I never said that after executing a kick that you could not stay on that side. You may even need to step before kicking as well. My statement is you don't need to switch sides for the sake of just switching. If you and opponent are in a closed stance (both have right foot back), but you don't like being in a closed stance, and think you need to switch to an open stances (one with left foot back and the other person with right foot back), that is what is not needed. You can make any technique work from either position, open or closed. No need to switch feet. Feel comfortable either way, you have options. If you think you need to switch feet then you don't know your option or don't feel you are good enough with those options.

I hear what you saying. Dont change for while standing there but if you are in a different stance find something that works in that stance.

 

[Rumy73]

Well if you spin hook the kicking leg returns to its' original position. The simple back kick would land in front after connection or missing but you would simply return to your original stance.

But I never said that after executing a kick that you could not stay on that side. You may even need to step before kicking as well. My statement is you don't need to switch sides for the sake of just switching. If you and opponent are in a closed stance (both have right foot back), but you don't like being in a closed stance, and think you need to switch to an open stances (one with left foot back and the other person with right foot back), that is what is not needed. You can make any technique work from either position, open or closed. No need to switch feet. Feel comfortable either way, you have options. If you think you need to switch feet then you don't know your option or don't feel you are good enough with those options.

This suggestion is the basis of tactical awareness. For the keeping the initiative, one should let the situation (given stance) present options. Changing stances because one cannot execute in a given situation means that tkd player needs more practice.

 

[Thousand Kicks]

Another way to structure the question would be using front vs rear leg. Most ppl kick from the back leg. Learning to effectively apply a front leg attack or defense kick will help overcome situations where an opponent has longer reach.

Would you expand on this statement? I'm not trying to be a smarta**, but longer reach is longer reach. If I have longer legs than my opponent, ideally I want to fight at a range where I can hit them with minimal effort or movement. I would want my opponent to have to motion, use footwork etc. which gives me time to read and react and most importantly keep the distance. How does using the front leg as the primary attacking or defending leg change that scenario?

 

[Thousand Kicks]

This suggestion is the basis of tactical awareness. For the keeping the initiative, one should let the situation (given stance) present options. Changing stances because one cannot execute in a given situation means that tkd player needs more practice.

I agree that a fighter should not switch feet to execute a technique with the dominant leg. But, sometimes you might want to switch for position advantage or to take away one of your opponents stronger techniques. If my opponent has a good right leg back kick or spin hook kick, I would not want to stand in a open stance. Switching to closed stance lets me throw my rear leg kick without having to worry too much about spin counters. And, in my opinion, countering skipping techniques with spin kicks is harder than countering rear leg techniques. So, by switching, I can limit the effectiveness of one of their best assets. Now, I will freely admit that you don't just switch, you have to find the right time.

 

[zDom]

It varies by kick though.

I find this to be true for me

 

[Rumy73]

I agree that a fighter should not switch feet to execute a technique with the dominant leg. But, sometimes you might want to switch for position advantage or to take away one of your opponents stronger techniques. If my opponent has a good right leg back kick or spin hook kick, I would not want to stand in a open stance. Switching to closed stance lets me throw my rear leg kick without having to worry too much about spin counters. And, in my opinion, countering skipping techniques with spin kicks is harder than countering rear leg techniques. So, by switching, I can limit the effectiveness of one of their best assets. Now, I will freely admit that you don't just switch, you have to find the right time.

Right, you switch for tactical reasons. In your example, you take away one of his main assets.

 

[chrispillertkd]

Most ppl kick from the back leg.

I don't know about that. Might be true for WTF sparring, though (although with electronic hogu people have said that's changing).

Pax,

Chris

 

[ATC]

I agree that a fighter should not switch feet to execute a technique with the dominant leg. But, sometimes you might want to switch for position advantage or to take away one of your opponents stronger techniques. If my opponent has a good right leg back kick or spin hook kick, I would not want to stand in a open stance. Switching to closed stance lets me throw my rear leg kick without having to worry too much about spin counters. And, in my opinion, countering skipping techniques with spin kicks is harder than countering rear leg techniques. So, by switching, I can limit the effectiveness of one of their best assets. Now, I will freely admit that you don't just switch, you have to find the right time.

I would agree to some extent. I would not worry to much about the opponents best kick in terms of staying away from it. I would attack it. Once I know you like or are good at something then I would give that to you having a count in mind ready to nullify that strength. I had a fighter at qualifiers go up against a person that was much faster than he was. That person had a great switch count kick, and a fast attaching running double kick. How we got around that was to attack and give him the switch counter kick, but then follow up with a rear leg axe kick. We gave up one but took 3. This person adjusted by side stepping off the attack and we expected that and counter again but this time with a spin hook to the side we knew he would move to. We almost got a KO but the guy got up. We still won and many were in shock around the ring as this guy was expected to win.

We simply attacked his strength with the understanding that there was no way we were going to beat it. We accepted that we were going to get hit by the kick, but know that we had a setup behind our attack.

As for the switching vs. not switching. It is ok to switch if you are moving and your movement switches you. But you don't need to switch just because your opponent does or is on a side you don't want him on. You may need to step forward to reach or close the gap on your opponent, and in stepping forward you naturally switch sides. That is okay. During the course of a match you may be on different sides many times because of movement, kicking and landing and other reason. Those are OK. All I was saying is don't switch because you opponent forces you to. If you want to step into an open stance to draw a counter round kick for you to back kick then great. That is not switching stance, that is movement to setup or draw an attack for you to counter.

 

[Thousand Kicks]

Excellent reply ATC. I am always amazed at how complex fighting strategies can get even when looking at a relatively small base of techniques.

The strategy you guys employed highlights a different philoshphy. Some people will say that you want to nullify or shut down your oppoents best weapon forcing them to an alternative strategy. Some people will do what you guys did and "set them up" knowing they want to use their bread and butter techniques and then making them pay.

We could go round and round all day...but I'm pretty sure we're off topic right now. Good discussion though

 

[Gwai Lo Dan]

That person had a great switch count kick, and a fast attaching running double kick. How we got around that was to attack and give him the switch counter kick, but then follow up with a rear leg axe kick. We gave up one but took 3. This person adjusted by side stepping off the attack and we expected that and counter again but this time with a spin hook to the side we knew he would move to.

That's some intelligent sparring!

 

[ATC]

That's some intelligent sparring!

Took all 3 rounds to figure it out and then set it up. We were down for the entire match until the end. Scored with 2 axe kicks then the spin hook. Sometimes you figure it out in time. Sometimes you figure it out after watching the video. Lucky we were able to figure it out that day. The guy was good and even he was shocked at the end. It was our day that day.

 

[scottC]

I think it can go either way, especially with kids. I would say first of all that you shouldn't have a dominant leg, but that most people prefer there right leg. In my experience this is not because they are left or right handed but because fighting stance starts with your right foot back. So, because of this people tend to practice with that leg more.
Now as time goes on dominance can be determined by which way you feel more comfortable spinning. For example, I can do 540s and bally kicks only with my left and right foot respectively(spinning to the left) because that is way more comfortable for me. When I try to go to the right things get very awkward and slow. This is similar to which direction a gymnast turns when spinning during flips.

 

[Rumy73]

Took all 3 rounds to figure it out and then set it up. We were down for the entire match until the end. Scored with 2 axe kicks then the spin hook. Sometimes you figure it out in time. Sometimes you figure it out after watching the video. Lucky we were able to figure it out that day. The guy was good and even he was shocked at the end. It was our day that day.

I like hearing atc's sparring analysis. It shows the balance of thinking/reacting about/to the tactical situation and having the right training and discipline to execute. Tkd wtf sparring is a simultaneous mental and physical chess match/combat.

 

[skribs]

I actually was thinking "lead foot vs. rear foot" when I saw the title of this thread, because I like to throw strikes with my lead foot. I know most people are expecting a rear foot strike, and so if I skip up and kick with my lead foot, it throws them off.