Spinning after roundhouse kick

[Tony Dismukes]

Surely it's possible to kick through a target with correct form and not compromise position post-kick. No? I guess it depends on what you understand to be correct form.

It depends on the style of kick. Muay Thai style round kicks have a degree of follow through that will spin the kicker around if they miss once the kick is fully committed*. (Think of swinging a baseball bat.) Karate and TKD style roundhouse kicks have a more controlled focus and allow the kicker to retract back to the starting stance if they don't make contact.

This isn't such a dangerous flaw in the Thai style kick as you might think. The area of impact of the Thai round kick is nearer and wider than that of the karate/TKD style kick. (The entire shin or even the shin + foot vs just the foot) That means in order to completely avoid a properly thrown Thai round kick, you have to shift your entire body backwards at least a couple of feet very quickly. It's hard to make that fast retreat, change direction, and close the distance before the kicker completes his spin.

*(If the opponent moves out of range before the kick is fully committed, there are ways to abort the kick without the full spin.)

 

[Gnarlie]

It depends on the style of kick. Muay Thai style round kicks have a degree of follow through that will spin the kicker around if they miss once the kick is fully committed*. (Think of swinging a baseball bat.) Karate and TKD style roundhouse kicks have a more controlled focus and allow the kicker to retract back to the starting stance if they don't make contact.

This isn't such a dangerous flaw in the Thai style kick as you might think. The area of impact of the Thai round kick is nearer and wider than that of the karate/TKD style kick. (The entire shin or even the shin + foot vs just the foot) That means in order to completely avoid a properly thrown Thai round kick, you have to shift your entire body backwards at least a couple of feet very quickly. It's hard to make that fast retreat, change direction, and close the distance before the kicker completes his spin.

*(If the opponent moves out of range before the kick is fully committed, there are ways to abort the kick without the full spin.)

Thanks. That's sorta what I meant. How one understands form depends on one's background. I suspect a good kicker in any style can commit to (or bail out of) a kick without leaving themselves any more vulnerable than necessary afterwards. There are different ways to do so depending on one's background and the circumstances.

One thing I have been able to exploit when facing low kicks that spin right through is evading then breaking the angle to what will be the opponent's open side after that spin, then launching them with a heavy back kick. This requires less of a strenuous direction change and exploits the oppo's 'blind spot' while the head is turning. It's also pretty easy to sit back and wait for the opportunity if you tease a side stance with a vulnerable front leg.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

One thing I have been able to exploit when facing low kicks that spin right through is evading then breaking the angle to what will be the opponent's open side after that spin, then launching them with a heavy back kick. This requires less of a strenuous direction change and exploits the oppo's 'blind spot' while the head is turning. It's also pretty easy to sit back and wait for the opportunity if you tease a side stance with a vulnerable front leg.

I'm not sure I'm visualizing your move correctly. Suppose your opponent is at 12:00 (let's say directly to your north) and you're both in a left lead to start with as he throws a right kick to your lead leg. Can you break down the angles you move at and where you end up?

 

[Tez3]

Karate and TKD style roundhouse kicks have a more controlled focus and allow the kicker to retract back to the starting stance if they don't make contact

Or to kick again if they did make contact, changing the kick if necessary.

 

[RTKDCMB]

Non contact style kicks?

I wasn't aware that non-contact was a style of kick.

 

[RTKDCMB]

Non contact style kicks?

Yes, as well as kicks that are blocked, kicks on a bag, kicks on a focus mitt, kicks on a kicking shield, kicks on a person (attacker), kicks on boards etc.

 

[MAfreak]

they do it because of the big power of the kick. basically one ends up at 180 degrees then and makes the spin full to face the opponent again. if you do that for example with a backfist or hammerfist strike then the opponent might run into it. works good but anyway its dangerous. but having a weaker kick so you don't turn around but end in a side position to your opponent can also be dangerous when he cames in then. doing for example a side (stop) kick can save you here. there's always a counter to a counter.

 

[Gnarlie]

I'm not sure I'm visualizing your move correctly. Suppose your opponent is at 12:00 (let's say directly to your north) and you're both in a left lead to start with as he throws a right kick to your lead leg. Can you break down the angles you move at and where you end up?

30-45 degrees and about 1.5 feet back and left with a fast stance switch retreating (takes my front leg out of range), followed by an immediate back kick as the opponent's head and torso comes back around after their full spin. It's a pretty standard Olympic TKD evasion angle, but normally applied to a body kick from open stance. In the case of this spin through low kick, it works better from closed stance. It works most of the time for me if I'm looking out for the opportunity at the time.

 

[Touch Of Death]

I'm not sure I'm visualizing your move correctly. Suppose your opponent is at 12:00 (let's say directly to your north) and you're both in a left lead to start with as he throws a right kick to your lead leg. Can you break down the angles you move at and where you end up?

I think I see it. I guess you bring you feet together and spin to the left. I don't like it....

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

I throw a roundhouse at your head with my right foot (now, that's not a threat, it's purely a hypothetical example. ) and you step back, causing me to miss. I allow my momentum to turn me around a bit further, drop that foot to the floor, and (still allowing my momentum to turn me) throw a spinning back kick with my left foot, which you're in range of.
Unless you're on the receiving end of the kick, how is that bad?

The question is whether you should allow your kick to affect your own balance or not if you kick miss your target. Should you always kick out 100% and allow your kick to affect your balance, or should you always kick out 75% and allow 25% to maintain your balance?

A 100% committed kick is like a sacrifice throw. It has it's place but you will lose your own balance by doing so.

 

[Touch Of Death]

The question is whether you should allow your kick to affect your own balance or not if you kick miss your target. Should you always kick out 100% and allow your kick to affect your balance, or should you always kick out 75% and allow 25% to maintain your balance?

A 100% committed kick is like a sacrifice throw. It has it's place but you will lose your own balance by doing so.

That is your choice, but consider walking is a commitment to being out of balance, and so is running. Take one exaggerated step forward and everyone loses their mind.

 

[drop bear]

I wasn't aware that non-contact was a style of kick.

Yes non contact is a significantly different set of mechanics.

Eg.
Non contact kicking.

Full contact kicking.

 

[Gnarlie]

I think I see it. I guess you bring you feet together and spin to the left. I don't like it....

I never bring my feet together, and there is no spin, just a retreating sidestep with a stance switch, followed by a short pause before the back kick / axe kick.

I think it's a trade off. The spin through low kick does have vulnerabilities as a sole attack from range, but it can also be devastating and hard to deal with in the middle of an exchange.

 

[Dirty Dog]

The question is whether you should allow your kick to affect your own balance or not if you kick miss your target. Should you always kick out 100% and allow your kick to affect your balance, or should you always kick out 75% and allow 25% to maintain your balance?

A 100% committed kick is like a sacrifice throw. It has it's place but you will lose your own balance by doing so.

Being an imperfect human, things don't always go 100% exactly as I planned. Therefore, I find it helpful to be prepared to deal with those eventualities.

 

[RTKDCMB]

Yes non contact is a significantly different set of mechanics.

Eg.
Non contact kicking.

Full contact kicking.

Since Muay Thai and TKD have an even more different set of mechanics this is hardly much of a comparison.