The Offensive Sidekick

[mastercole]

If my memory serves, wasn't one of Arlene Limas' major weapons at the 1988 Olympics a lead leg &/or sliding side kick that worked well for her? Coming from her Open Tournament background, her kicks were a bit surprising to the Olympic fighters from other countries. It wasn't what they were used to seeing.

If that were the case, all any fighter would have to do today is to develop a great side kick, and side kick there way to an Olympic Gold Medal. It would turn into a side kick game if side kick held that kind of superiority over other techniques. I know Arlene and I know her fighting style. That fact is that she is naturally athletic and she bring a tremendous level of power to bear on her opponents, over powering most of them. I have held shields and mitts for her during change of location training just days before a WTF world level tournament. She could hit as hard, or even harder than some elite males I trained with. I have never meet a lady who could hit that hard, and I have met some hard hitting ladies.

 

[ralphmcpherson]

If that were the case, all any fighter would have to do today is to develop a great side kick, and side kick there way to an Olympic Gold Medal. It would turn into a side kick game if side kick held that kind of superiority over other techniques. I know Arlene and I know her fighting style. That fact is that she is naturally athletic and she bring a tremendous level of power to bear on her opponents, over powering most of them. I have held shields and mitts for her during change of location training just days before a WTF world level tournament. She could hit as hard, or even harder than some elite males I trained with. I have never meet a lady who could hit that hard, and I have met some hard hitting ladies.

I believe he said the side kick was "one" of her major weapons that "worked well for her". I dont think he was implying that it was a sidekick alone that won her gold.

 

[mastercole]

I believe he said the side kick was "one" of her major weapons that "worked well for her". I dont think he was implying that it was a sidekick alone that won her gold.

He did not say anything, he stated it, and I know what he stated. People who have developed an excellent round kick, have round kicked all the way to an Olympic Gold Medal, using it as their main attack and counter attack skill.

If side kick was as useful against elite fighters as round kick, we would see it often used in the same way, and see World Champions and Olympians today who were known for their side kick, like Arlene was back then, but that is not the case. Side kick can work, when time right, and used as a surprise, but over and over again in elite competition, it will fail many more times than not.

 

[Buka]

Arlene rocked. Great kid, great team mate, could kick like the dickens.

 

[Gorilla]

No kick can be used 100 percent of the time. The side kick/cut that used to be discouraged and hardly ever scored is a pretty effective kick now with the EBP's. The game is changing Arlene would have dominated even more under today's conditions.

 

[Manny]

Last night at dojang I ask my two students to wear hogus, we practiced basic kicks to the midsection (hogu) and found something. We did the roundhouse kick (rear leg) and the skiping roundhose (front leg) and we did two kind of side kicks (offensively): 1.-The regular side kick using the rear leag and 2.-Something like the skiping sidekick or dwi chagui (with the front leg/foot).

Of the 3 kicks that my students performed aimed to the hogu the best was the dwi chagui, this kick deliverivered the major momentum and impact, we were not using all the force, just the techk and even this one of my students was caught with a very nice and solid (mid range/not to powerful) dwi chagui in the uper rib cage and he felt pain and disconfort, he must to recover for some seconds that in a real self defense scenario can be something good to finish the oponent.

At the end of the clase the more experienced of my students using the hogu and resting the kicking shield on his chest got a very nice dwi chagui from me as an example, my student went backwards two meters afther my kick landed in the air kicking.

The sidekick works great, but yes, the timing and distance is crucial to deliver a nasty blow.

manny

 

[TKDinAK]

...one of my students was caught with a very nice and solid (mid range/not to powerful) dwi chagui in the uper rib cage and he felt pain and disconfort, he must to recover for some seconds that in a real self defense scenario can be something good to finish the oponent.

The only time I've been injured in sparring was from a side kick. I was testing for my Yellow/Green Stripe and was sparring a Blue belt who was testing for his Red. We utilize punches quite a bit in our dojang, and I charged him, aiming punches at his head. My arms were up, and he caught me with the side kick in the ribs as I was coming in. He's a big guy, and he wasn't putting a lot on the kick, but because I was charging, it kinda doubled the velocity/power. Didn't feel much pain when it happened, but for three weeks, I couldn't sit up from laying on my back without feeling intense pain. Took me six weeks to get back to normal. Probably just badly bruised or maybe a separated a rib.

The sidekick works great, but yes, the timing and distance is crucial to deliver a nasty blow.

Again, because we use punches, we practice the side kick a lot with timing when someone moves in with their hands/arms raised for a punch. This can be a devastating blow to the midsection.

 

[puunui]

The side kick/cut that used to be discouraged and hardly ever scored is a pretty effective kick now with the EBP's.

That's one of the biggest complaints against electronic hogu, that cut kick scores.

 

[puunui]

If my memory serves, wasn't one of Arlene Limas' major weapons at the 1988 Olympics a lead leg &/or sliding side kick that worked well for her? Coming from her Open Tournament background, her kicks were a bit surprising to the Olympic fighters from other countries. It wasn't what they were used to seeing.

I thought it was front leg hook kick that worked really well for her. No one had any defense for that at the 88 Games, not against her anyway.

 

[miguksaram]

If that were the case, all any fighter would have to do today is to develop a great side kick, and side kick there way to an Olympic Gold Medal. It would turn into a side kick game if side kick held that kind of superiority over other techniques. I know Arlene and I know her fighting style. That fact is that she is naturally athletic and she bring a tremendous level of power to bear on her opponents, over powering most of them. I have held shields and mitts for her during change of location training just days before a WTF world level tournament. She could hit as hard, or even harder than some elite males I trained with. I have never meet a lady who could hit that hard, and I have met some hard hitting ladies.

You should meet Linda Denley, Arlene's major rival in the sport martial art circuit. Another tough lady with powerful kicks. Watching those two fight each other, was more intense than most of the rival male competitors.

In terms of the lead leg sidekick it is widely used on the sport martial art circuit. Speed is more key than the power of it as you are trying to score points more than knock someone out with it.

 

[RobinTKD]

Can't comment on WTF sparring rules, but I've landed some nice sliding side kicks to the throat once or twice.

 

[TKDinAK]

What is a cut kick?

Thanks.

 

[TaekwonPRO]

I scored the hit that allowed me and my opponent to go into sudden death (we were competing for 3rd place, which was "eh"). It was in Florida, where I don't live anymore. I also don't compete in WTF anymore and am working my way into kickboxing (with a taekwondo base, of course)

 

[TaekwonPRO]

A low sidekick.

 

[puunui]

What is a cut kick?

For all intents and purposes, a side kick. It was named cut kick because that is the intent of the kick, to cut your opponent's movement or motion.

 

[Gorilla]

That's one of the biggest complaints against electronic hogu, that cut kick scores.

The game has changed the cut kick and the punch are big part of the game. Until they change hogu it will continue this way.

 

[puunui]

The game has changed the cut kick and the punch are big part of the game. Until they change hogu it will continue this way.

In my opinion, matches look ugly now. People are doing all sorts of crazy stuff, which to me, looks bad and takes away from the beauty of taekwondo competition.

 

[Gorilla]

In my opinion, matches look ugly now. People are doing all sorts of crazy stuff, which to me, looks bad and takes away from the beauty of taekwondo competition.

Agreed but if you are going to win you had better change. You can't fight like 2008.

 

[IcemanSK]

I thought it was front leg hook kick that worked really well for her. No one had any defense for that at the 88 Games, not against her anyway.

Perhaps it was a hook kick. It's been years since I've seen those fights & I've been kicked in the head a few times since then. Your point here was really the point I was trying to make, rather than that a side kick being "the" technique that everyone needs to change to. Arlene had a unique technique that no one had defense for back then.

I'd really like to see someone come up with a unique technique that surprises folks. Who knows, maybe this Olympics.

 

[IcemanSK]

In my opinion, matches look ugly now. People are doing all sorts of crazy stuff, which to me, looks bad and takes away from the beauty of taekwondo competition.

Maybe it's because I came of age in my TKD career around the time of the '88 Olympics, but I liked the way they fought back then better than today. Techniques seemed...cleaner. I suppose.

My .02 cents.