The ball of the foot is a lot stronger than I gave it credit for

[drop bear]

The piece I disagree with is that you should never use the ball of the foot for a hook kick. Even if you are on the side that the heel is stronger, the ball of the foot at least has some advantages in reach.

That is definitely a factor. Hitting with the ball is better than missing with the heel.

And you can throw it in sparring. So you can get better at hitting stuff with it.

Accuracy is super important when throwing head kicks. The leg is a huge mass you will probably hurt a guy regardless of what part of the foot you hit with.

Andy hug with the axe.

He seems to tweak his foot to hit. So heel if he can but does a bit of a toe slap if he needs to make that extra inch.

 

[skribs]

I will stand on my statement. Unless you are intentionally trying to soften the blow it is taking away effectiveness from the kicks impact. I believe I mentioned the reach advantage.

The post I quoted said you should NEVER do it. At least at one point.

 

[dvcochran]

The post I quoted said you should NEVER do it. At least at one point.

I went through the whole post and did not see "NEVER" anywhere. I did see a LOT of people trying to counsel you by saying "never" using the ball of the foot on a hook kick. I don't know what you are looking for unless it is a sliver of a sleazy way to say you are right and everyone else is wrong. Hey, that sounds just like a liberal!

 

[dvcochran]

I wouldn't want the top of my foot checked too often.

I happens in Olympic TKD sparring a lot. You can condition the instep to a degree like any other part of the body. A pseudo striking defense that is often used is to hold your arms tight to the body when a body kick is coming at you so you can dig your elbow into the instep. Absolutely sucks when you are on the receiving end.

 

[skribs]

I happens in Olympic TKD sparring a lot. You can condition the instep to a degree like any other part of the body. A pseudo striking defense that is often used is to hold your arms tight to the body when a body kick is coming at you so you can dig your elbow into the instep. Absolutely sucks when you are on the receiving end.

I also palm strike to the instep a lot.

 

[skribs]

I went through the whole post and did not see "NEVER" anywhere. I did see a LOT of people trying to counsel you by saying "never" using the ball of the foot on a hook kick. I don't know what you are looking for unless it is a sliver of a sleazy way to say you are right and everyone else is wrong. Hey, that sounds just like a liberal!

Sorry, you said "ALWAYS". Your last bullet point:
"A side or hook kick should Always use the heel, regardless of kick orientation."

But "always do X" means "never do Y"...

 

[dvcochran]

I also palm strike to the instep a lot.

For a soft block? It takes time and conditioning but a knife hand block is much more effective for a hand block. They will think before kicking if you do it correctly and enough.

 

[skribs]

For a soft block? It takes time and conditioning but a knife hand block is much more effective for a hand block. They will think before kicking if you do it correctly and enough.

What do you mean by "soft block"? I'm striking their foot.

 

[Jaeimseu]

For a soft block? It takes time and conditioning but a knife hand block is much more effective for a hand block. They will think before kicking if you do it correctly and enough.

This is a bit off topic, but I don’t like open hand blocks if kicks are coming in with force. It’s so easy to mess up your fingers if your timing is even a little off.


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[paitingman]

This is a bit off topic, but I don’t like open hand blocks if kicks are coming in with force. It’s so easy to mess up your fingers if your timing is even a little off.


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True. I've seen many jammed fingers and hurt wrists.

It might be something cool to train though.

 

[JR 137]

Agreed. I was taught a round kick using the instep, and I've been working to convert it to a MT-style shin kick. I have trouble delivering much power with the instep without risking stressing the ankle if I misjudge the distance (which would put me out near the toes).

I've never learned to do a roundhouse with the ball of the foot. I couldn't learn one now because of my toes. But that aside, the mechanics of it seem off to me - it seems like a distinctly different kick...maybe only because I don't have any experience with it.

I’ve done the ball of the foot roundhouse to a bag many times. It always felt awkward. Probably because I’m used to using the shin with toes pointed like an instep kick. The angle it comes in at is different, targets are different, etc.

I’m not a big roundhouse guy. I target the ribs and the outside of the legs with it. The shin at those targets just feels right and natural to me. Ball of the foot feels like I’m forcing something and where I throw it from (in relation to my opponent) isn’t the same.

Going from from instep to shin shouldn’t be a difficult transition at all. Just get a few inches closer when throwing the kick. I use the shin for everything but the head. Simply because my shin isn’t going to reach 99% of the time. But let’s be serious - my instep barely reaches either if it reaches at all.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

I don’t like open hand blocks if kicks are coming in with force. It’s so easy to mess up your fingers if your timing is even a little off.

Should you block a kick with open hand, or close fist?

To block a kick with close fist -

PRO: You won't hurt your fingers.
CON: Your block is just a block, no more and no less.

To block a kick with open hand (use your wrist as a hook) -

PRO: You can catch your opponent's kicking leg. You can also pull yourself into your opponent.
CON: Your my hurt your fingers.

The same logic also apply to block a punch. When you block a punch with

- close fist, a block is just a block.
- open hand, a block is a block followed by a pull.

 

[Jaeimseu]

Should you block a kick with open hand, or close fist?

To block a kick with close fist -

PRO: You won't hurt your fingers.
CON: Your block is just a block, no more and no less.

To block a kick with open hand (use your wrist as a hook) -

PRO: You can catch your opponent's kicking leg. You can also pull yourself into your opponent.
CON: Your my hurt your fingers.

The same logic also apply to block a punch. When you block a punch with

- close fist, a block is just a block.
- open hand, a block is a block followed by a pull.

I’d far rather close distance if I want to “grab” a kick. Moving inside of the power arc and either under hooking or wrapping a round kick. I might grab a front or side kick thrown from the wrong distance with my hand, but grabbing at kicks is a good way to hurt your hand or leave your face open for a kick if you miss or guess wrong.


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[skribs]

This is a bit off topic, but I don’t like open hand blocks if kicks are coming in with force. It’s so easy to mess up your fingers if your timing is even a little off.


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I do them reflexively. It's not something I ever trained or drilled, and honestly it's something I sometimes try not to do. I've never not hit the instep with my palm.

 

[Dirty Dog]

I do them reflexively. It's not something I ever trained or drilled, and honestly it's something I sometimes try not to do. I've never not hit the instep with my palm.

You can jam fingers doing this, but it's still a good block. Injuries happen. I broke my hand doing a block with a closed fist...
The palm heel block is specifically trained in both the Palgwae and Taegeuk forms, so it's obviously part of the system.
And as has been mentioned, open hand techniques are slightly easier to transition into grabs.
Personally, I do a lot of open hand blocks. I've jammed a finger occasionally over thew decades, but not badly enough to stop me from continuing. Train it, and use it, is my opinion.

 

[Martial D]

Well, I have an entirely different issue with the axe kick...namely, that I have no idea how to do one, so I'm not sure ball or heel matters much.

It's pretty much an inside to outside crescent with emphasis on the down force rather than the lateral swing. It's actually a landable kick because the timing is weird. The strike comes a beat late.

It definitely hurts more with the back of the heel, but it's also easier easier to get caught throwing it that way.

 

[JR 137]

Does anyone ever get the sense that we, as MAists, overthink a bit too much? Which part of the foot to hit with? Which way to block? Which knuckles during a punch? Et al.

I have a hard enough time just making contact and not getting hit. Maybe I should start getting simpler.

 

[skribs]

Does anyone ever get the sense that we, as MAists, overthink a bit too much? Which part of the foot to hit with? Which way to block? Which knuckles during a punch? Et al.

I have a hard enough time just making contact and not getting hit. Maybe I should start getting simpler.

Doctors go through lectures and have practical training. Some doctors go on to treat people, others go on to research medicine further and develop better practices, new procedures, and better ways of doing things.

When I'm playing video games, I will do research on what others thing the best build for my class is, I'll run my own spreadsheets, and I'll test things out, before applying them.

I think the same applies to martial arts. You listen to your master or instructor, you ask questions, you play around with things to see what works best. Other times you drill to hit stuff, or to keep from being hit by stuff.

 

[dvcochran]

I do them reflexively. It's not something I ever trained or drilled, and honestly it's something I sometimes try not to do. I've never not hit the instep with my palm.

Then you are not sparring often enough or hard enough. It will happen.

 

[dvcochran]

It's pretty much an inside to outside crescent with emphasis on the down force rather than the lateral swing. It's actually a landable kick because the timing is weird. The strike comes a beat late.

It definitely hurts more with the back of the heel, but it's also easier easier to get caught throwing it that way.

An Ax kick can have several entries. A classic Ax kick is on a straight line like a front kick with the same chamber. Instead of continuing with the power upward, it is changed to out and downward using the hips. If you need to change the angle, the same downward strike can be performed with an inside OR outside crescent entry. I see it occasionally performed as a spinning kick but I think you have to be lightening fast to pull it off effectively. Maybe if s setup is used and you get them back on their heels.