The correct angle for the roundhouse kick

[Kung Fu Wang]

For roundhouse kick, many online clips show that if your opponent is at the N direction, your roundhouse kick will kick at the N direction and then pull back.

Do you suppose to kick at the NW direction instead? Whether you pull your roundhouse kick back or not depend on whether you want to borrow the body rotation and set up for something else.

IMO, if you

- pull your roundhouse kick back, you treat a kick is just a kick,
- don't pull back your roundhouse kick, you treat a kick can be more than a kick. It can be a set up.

Your thought?

In the following clip, his kick is aiming at the NW direction, and he uses it to set up his next kick.

 

[Deleted member 39746]

It can be both, no reason to treat it as one or the other. The whole premise for a superman punch is you hurt them with a kick which makes them block it when you telgraph for a kick then you use the opening to punch them. As if they dont block it, they have all ready found it hurts.

 

[dvcochran]

I think if you break the kick down into commiserate parts your comment is correct. When you throw a roundhouse kick at the North direction you knee should be in a NW trajectory. This is true for a follow through kick (which I think you are referring to) or a returning kick. So the opportunity for power is there regardless of where the kicking leg ends up.
Does this make sense?

 

[lklawson]

Your thought?

Either you're over-thinking it or you're bored and looking to start an interesting conversation.

There's about a hundred variations on the roundhouse kick. Do whichever one is appropriate to the fight at the moment and fits within your skills and physical capabilities.

But if you're asking for a favorite, I kinda like the fouette.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

I think if you break the kick down into commiserate parts your comment is correct. When you throw a roundhouse kick at the North direction you knee should be in a NW trajectory. This is true for a follow through kick (which I think you are referring to) or a returning kick. So the opportunity for power is there regardless of where the kicking leg ends up.
Does this make sense?

Here is another example.

The roundhouse kick is very similar to the foot sweep. When you do a foot sweep, your sweeping foot will need to "pass through" your opponent's leg to generate power.

 

[dvcochran]

I can see similar mechanics on a low/very low kick but things do change as you kick higher. We really emphasize the knee being the 'sight' for the kick. Initially it leads everything.