round house kick

[Manny]

I think there is two way of do the roundhouse kick: a) not turning too much the body (pivot foot turns not much than 90º) and b) just turning the body (the pivot foot turns more than 90º).

For me doing the roundhouse kick in a) is good for reach the stoach area, however if I want to kick higer I need to do kick in b).

Also it seems to me I kick harder using the full turn of the body but it's not as quick as doing the a) form of kicking.

What do you think? How do you do the round house kick?

Manny

 

[jthomas1600]

Manny, being a relative beginner I can't comment on which is correct, but here are my thoughts/observations on this subject. Option b) as you described it seems to have the most benefits. You can kick higher and harder as you pointed out and I also find that I have more reach (I can make contact from farther away) when I kick like that. The only advantage I see to option a) as you described it is it doesn't take me out of my preferred fighting stance as much and I'm able to retract my foot quicker so I'm not as vulnerable to counter attacks. My goal is to be able to throw the round house kick with a full pivot and hip rotation and be able to bring it back quickly and smoothly but right now I'm not quite there.

 

[Touch Of Death]

I think there is two way of do the roundhouse kick: a) not turning too much the body (pivot foot turns not much than 90º) and b) just turning the body (the pivot foot turns more than 90º).

For me doing the roundhouse kick in a) is good for reach the stoach area, however if I want to kick higer I need to do kick in b).

Also it seems to me I kick harder using the full turn of the body but it's not as quick as doing the a) form of kicking.

What do you think? How do you do the round house kick?

Manny

I like the thrusting version. One way has you turn the lead foot first, which cause energy to disapate; however, there is still enough power to knock a guy down. The other way is to allow the momentum of the kick to cause the pivot. This directs all your momentum and body weight directly into the target, and is faster. I think they both have their place; however, I like the thrusting version the best.
Sean

 

[dancingalone]

The way I was taught TKD, option B is the ideal way to perform the kick. Sometimes we end up with A in practical usage for a host of reasons (opponent has closed in and ruined your optimum target range, etc.), but it's never regarded as something you would intentionally do if you could control it.

<shrugs> I suppose there might be some sporting application to a quick kick of the A variety.

 

[Sukerkin]

I know that what I know about TKD can be written on the back of a postage stamp, so I hesitate to speak from a position of ignorance.

However, in Lau, the 'roundhouse' is a kick that can be performed from almost any distance from face-to-face to a number of steps away. It is essentially any kick that is not a front-kick, back-kick or a side-kick.

Is it the same in TKD?

 

[Manny]

Manny, being a relative beginner I can't comment on which is correct, but here are my thoughts/observations on this subject. Option b) as you described it seems to have the most benefits. You can kick higher and harder as you pointed out and I also find that I have more reach (I can make contact from farther away) when I kick like that. The only advantage I see to option a) as you described it is it doesn't take me out of my preferred fighting stance as much and I'm able to retract my foot quicker so I'm not as vulnerable to counter attacks. My goal is to be able to throw the round house kick with a full pivot and hip rotation and be able to bring it back quickly and smoothly but right now I'm not quite there.

The my kick a) is quicker than my kick b) too.

Manny

 

[ralphmcpherson]

most of the time my support foot turns 180 degrees to do a roundhouse, but it can vary depending on distance etc

 

[Gwai Lo Dan]

The my kick a) is quicker than my kick b) too.

Manny

When I was a white belt, I had the same question. The traditional instructor from HK taught b), but the white tournament fighting instructor taught a). I asked the HK instructor (3rd dan) which it should be. His answer was a) is faster, more at a 45 degree angle up, to hit the body for the point. But b) is the traditional way with a little more power but slower. I agree with you that the higher the kick goes, the more I tend towards b).

 

[bluewaveschool]

I do B.

 

[granfire]

hmm, I was taught to pivot so toes point opposite of the target. It seems to open up the hip to reach where ever (I have to admit I always had trouble aiming low).

It seems to me if you practice the pivot enough you do it automatically.

(is there a turning round?)

 

[Cirdan]

I like the thrusting version. One way has you turn the lead foot first, which cause energy to disapate; however, there is still enough power to knock a guy down. The other way is to allow the momentum of the kick to cause the pivot. This directs all your momentum and body weight directly into the target, and is faster. I think they both have their place; however, I like the thrusting version the best.
Sean

Good points. I avoid doing the second version, in a real situation with shoes and on a rough surface it can be pretty hard for the knee.

Our textbook version is a 90 degree turn on the supporting leg, we actually lift the foot rather than just turning it again because of friction. Applied this turn often becomes closer to 45 degrees because of positioning and you are striking the opponent`s side rather than his center line.

 

[Dirty Dog]

I've been taught both A & B.
From your description, A sounds like what I've been taught as a half-moon kick. It's faster than a roundhouse but less powerful. It's still possible to generate significant impact, but less than the power of a roundhouse. It's also unlikely to be useful as a high kick. Because of the angle, it's not likely to get past the shoulder to reach the head.
I tend to use A as a quick sparring kick, aimed at the abdomen or ribs. The roundhouse is used for head shots and breaking.

 

[terryl965]

I believe any good teacher will teach both version, one is great for the sport and the other is the most practical on the street.

 

[ralphmcpherson]

I've been taught both A & B.
From your description, A sounds like what I've been taught as a half-moon kick. It's faster than a roundhouse but less powerful. It's still possible to generate significant impact, but less than the power of a roundhouse. It's also unlikely to be useful as a high kick. Because of the angle, it's not likely to get past the shoulder to reach the head.
I tend to use A as a quick sparring kick, aimed at the abdomen or ribs. The roundhouse is used for head shots and breaking.

Thats pretty much exactly how we are taught it. We are not taught them as two separate kicks but after a few years of trianing they evolve into two separate kicks for the purposes you described.