Question for the boys

[Faye]

Do you all feel that you don't like to parter with a girl/woman when practicing kicking drills into the bag because if you do full force, we'll fly away?

I feel really bad because when I'm holding the kicking bag for the boys, they definately have to hold back, because I literally will fly to the back. I tried very hard to hold still, i breath in when they kick, but I still fly...., any tips by the way.?

 

[Zepp]

To answer your first question, nah, I enjoy sending the pad/bag-holder flying, male or female. :EG:

Although, there is this one girl in our class who is especially small. If one of the bigger guys in our class is up to kick next, and she's holding the bag, I usually offer to hold it in her place, or at least suggest that someone else hold it. But not because I'm worried about her flying, rather because I'm worried about her ribs getting cracked from the sidekick of a brown or black belt who's three times her size.

My advice for you Faye: 1.) Breathe out, not in. That goes for anytime you have to absorb an impact of any kind. 2.) Widen your stance when holding the bag, and bend your knees a bit if you aren't already. 3.) The lesson you should be learning when you go flying isn't how to fly, but how to regain your balance quickly.

And 4.) (if you're like me and sometimes get those evil urges) once in while, it's fun to psyche out the kicker and jump back or to the side before they hit the bag. :EG:

Hope that's helpful.

 

[Disco]

There's really nothing you can do, so don't feel bad about it. Even some of the guys get pushed back by some of the bigger kickers. Upper body strength and just physical size are the biggest assets in holding. You can try to brace yourself in a strong position, but lack of the above could / would result in possible injury. It's not worth the risk.

 

[Shu2jack]

I do have to say that I PREFER not to hit bags held by women or younger/smaller people. If I am knocking people my own size off balance with my kicks, what would I do to a much smaller person holding the target?

Zepp had some good advice for target holding. Also, turn you body side ways and brace the target against your shoulder, NOT stomach/ribs. Your arm will take the force of the kick much better.

And 4.) (if you're like me and sometimes get those evil urges) once in while, it's fun to psyche out the kicker and jump back or to the side before they hit the bag. :EG:

Just becare that someone doesn't pop their knee out!

 

[Adept]

I definately feel awkward using a bag braced by someone smaller than myself. A powerful kick will rock a similar sized person on their feet, and a smaller person could go flying. It means the smaller person holding the bag is in a situation where they could get hurt, and the person kicking is not getting an effective workout since they have to hold back.

 

[cashwo]

I don't mind at all who holds the pad or target as long as they "HOLD" the pad or target.

 

[TigerWoman]

While I realize this was for the "boys", I do hold the bag for guys. But not for the real big ones with a lot of mass. Zepp had good pointers on holding the bag. I hold it close, on my hip side, a wide stance, bent knees and breathe out like he said...tense your midsection with an outward uhhh breath at the time of impact. This stance position helps but pound for pound its not a match. The 200+ lb. guys still can push me back, usually a hop back when I can't hold the line. It would be the same for a guy though with equal mass as you. We usually get paired about the same though. TW

 

[Adept]

It would be the same for a guy though with equal mass as you.

Yeah, its not girls that have a problem with it. Just small people in general.

 

[Hwoarang_tkd26]

I definately feel awkward using a bag braced by someone smaller than myself. A powerful kick will rock a similar sized person on their feet, and a smaller person could go flying. It means the smaller person holding the bag is in a situation where they could get hurt, and the person kicking is not getting an effective workout since they have to hold back.

That is precisely how I feel about it, I couldnt have said it any better than what Adept said it.

 

[Faye]

Zepp, I wrote it wrong, I meant to say breath "out"! But still,, i don't usually fly away because usually people control how hard they kick, i've held the bag once for flying kick practice, and I wanted to cry!!

Usually, I get "rocked", other people always stays in place, where I always rocks a few inches but i never lose my balance, and i think ppl feel bad, and sort of have to hold back...
I have to admit i have very weak upper body strength...

 

[Marginal]

Do you all feel that you don't like to parter with a girl/woman when practicing kicking drills into the bag because if you do full force, we'll fly away?

Like a few others said, it's more a question of weight for me. I don't like being paired off with anyone signifigantly lighter than me in kicking drills. I have a hard time seeing what the holder gets out of that exercise outside of bruised ribs in that case. (Or worse, they start jumping away in anticipation of the hit...)

 

[MichiganTKD]

Roundhouse is not usually bad. I've never seen anybody have trouble holding a bag for that kick. Anything else, particularly side kicks, we let the bag hang freely and just count for them. I've seen black belts literally fold a bag in half with side kicks. No sense holding for that.

 

[Miles]

I personally have no problem with anyone holding the target for me.

If it is a paddle, mitt, shield, etc. the holder is learning and the kicker is learning.

Miles

 

[karatekid1975]

I don't have a problem with smaller people holding for me. I have pretty good control. I can get out a good technique without making them fly. But if one of my big guy friends hold for me .... that's another story :EG:

What I don't like is the lazy ones that don't hold that pad/target right. I rather have a smaller person hold that knows what they are doing than one of the lazy people.

 

[Zepp]

Y'know, if you're brave, there's something you can do as a pad-holder. Instead of bracing the pad against your shoulder (the safe way), you can deliberately put it against your ribs. It's a great exercise in conditioning, provided that the kicker(s) don't have enough power to hurt you through the pad with the particular kick they're doing. Granted, it is a tad risky...

 

[Adept]

Granted, it is a tad risky...

:xtrmshock:

To say the least...

 

[TigerWoman]

I just wanted to add that we use Century's Blastmasters too and then we can sidekick alot harder. It has a tube of air in the center which takes most of the impact but certainly not all, so it still can rock you. TW

 

[kenpo tiger]

Faye,

Don't feel badly because of your size. A good martial artist will be in control of his or her kicks and should be mindful of the fact that not everyone is the same size. It's a learning experience for the kicker and the holder. I tell my training partners that, since kenpo doesn't use kicks in the same manner as tkd (which I have trained in as well). And if you get knocked back by the bag once or twice -- and hold your ground the rest of the time? Watch the big guys when they hold and kick with each other. They've got the same problem. Hang in there! KT

 

[Faye]

Thanks for all the tips and encouragement. I'll try my best!! Aside of being a woman, i'm also very tiny, i'm 5 "4 , only 100 pounds..so almost everyone in class is alot bigger than me... we do rotate partners, so, it's good learning experience for everyone... control IS the point. Thanks!

 

[Miles]

Y'know, if you're brave, there's something you can do as a pad-holder. Instead of bracing the pad against your shoulder (the safe way), you can deliberately put it against your ribs. It's a great exercise in conditioning, provided that the kicker(s) don't have enough power to hurt you through the pad with the particular kick they're doing. Granted, it is a tad risky...

It doesn't have to be risky if you're using really good equipment.

My friend John S. has these hogu-type shields which are super at dissipating the force. I'll put a link in the Advertising section/thread. If you are interested, take a look at them. I have had 2 of these things for the last 4-5 yrs and they take a huge beating. And no broken ribs/shoulders.

Miles