Twist Kick

[ShaolinWolf]

Hey, does anybody here us twist kick in sparring?

I use it alot and it scores a nice amount of point, especially when followed up by a roundkick or side kick.

For those who don't know the kick, it's an inverted round kick, inside to out snap lateral kick...requires good flexibility, especially to kick to the head...

 

[the_kicking_fiend]

I've used it before, but I don't use it a lot. I have only ever scored with it to the head as well. I wouldn;t use it outright to start off a combo or anything or engage the opponent, but I think it is a useful counter attack for when they come in close to you, maybe using axe kick or hands since it comes round the opposite side to what they expect. Saying that, it is a pretty advanced technique and so I guess wouldn't be anticipated as much as say a sidekick.

d

 

[ShaolinWolf]

Yeah, well I use it enough. I think I said alot, but then that would mean it's my favorite technique. I take back having said alot, but I do use it to start off certain combos when I have the opportunity. Yeah, it catches people off guard, especially when in a tournament and people don't expect a guy at 17 to be that flexible. Lol, it's kind of funny the look they give you when you do flexible kicks like that, especially twist kick. Also as at school, doing flexible stuff, I've gotten comments like, you make me sick, and then they laugh. I get that every class when I stretch out...heheheh...and seriously, I don't try to show off in class. I'd prefer everyone not looking at me while I stretch, but oh well. LOL

 

[the_kicking_fiend]

people don't expect a guy at 17 to be that flexible. /QUOTE]

I don't think being 17 means you should be less flexible, if anything more flexible! The younger you are the more you'll find your muscles are naturally supple, as you get older you have to work a lot harder to stay as flexible as you were.

d

 

[elcajon555]

The twist kick is not used in my school at all. It is not even taught. Do you get power behind it?? The few times I have thrown it, it had little to no power, thought this might be because I saw it on tv and tried to copy it so perhaps I wasn;t doing it correctly.

 

[ShaolinWolf]

Well, you have to oepn up your hips do get power into the kick...I throw serious power into it sometimes, though I've never tried a board break with it...but it's more for speed for me...though our Grandmaster in ATA had to break through like 4 boards doing twist kick as one of his tests for becoming Grandmaster. When breaking, it's done with the instep of your foot. Maybe your not hitting with you instep???

 

[moving target]

In JKD we call it an inverted hook kick and we use it in sparring. It's fun to throw a power round kick as a feint, bring your foot in a bit as they shield it with their leg/knee and nail em in the inside of the thigh.

 

[Zepp]

Hey, does anybody here us twist kick in sparring?

I use it alot and it scores a nice amount of point, especially when followed up by a roundkick or side kick.

For those who don't know the kick, it's an inverted round kick, inside to out snap lateral kick...requires good flexibility, especially to kick to the head...

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by twist kick. From your description, it almost sounds like what my school and most TKDists I know call a hook kick.

Could you give a little more description?

 

[RCastillo]

Hey, does anybody here us twist kick in sparring?

I use it alot and it scores a nice amount of point, especially when followed up by a roundkick or side kick.

For those who don't know the kick, it's an inverted round kick, inside to out snap lateral kick...requires good flexibility, especially to kick to the head...

I use it also. Seems to work well to the body for me. I lost some flexibility at 48. :asian:

 

[ShaolinWolf]

Twist Kick is done with your instep, the top part of your foot, Zepp. Hook kick is done with your heal. Or at least that's what we call hook kick in TKD. Twist kick is an inverted round kick, instead of kicking in, you pivot your chamber inward then kick out instead of with round kick kicking inward. I don't see it happening in JKD because it's almost impractical, due to it's low power for people without alot of flexibility. It might be good in JKD if you wanted to surprise someone, but again, it might merely be a distraction.

 

[Gary Crawford]

I am confused.My sons TKD instructor demonstrated the twist kick in class one day and it looked to me like what we call in JKD an oblique kick,sort of a cross between a soccer inside kick and a inverted rear leg sidekick.

 

[moving target]

Yes I was taught to use it as a distraction, like with movement, nail the inside of the leg and set out, or go around a guarding leg to strike the groin, step and strike. It's not a fight ending weapon as I learned it, further a front kick can be used in a lot of the same situations for simular results. It's just a quick un expected painfull kick (remember in jkd we have our shoes on and with lower power kicks tend to land them with the toe).

 

[Marginal]

Twist Kick is done with your instep, the top part of your foot, Zepp. Hook kick is done with your heal. Or at least that's what we call hook kick in TKD. Twist kick is an inverted round kick, instead of kicking in, you pivot your chamber inward then kick out instead of with round kick kicking inward. I don't see it happening in JKD because it's almost impractical, due to it's low power for people without alot of flexibility. It might be good in JKD if you wanted to surprise someone, but again, it might merely be a distraction.

Hmm. It's close to the twist kick I know. (Only real difference is that we're taught to use the ball of the foot rather than the instep.) Generates pretty good penetration with the ball. Have to break with it next testing...

 

[Zepp]

Twist Kick is done with your instep, the top part of your foot, Zepp. Hook kick is done with your heal. Or at least that's what we call hook kick in TKD. Twist kick is an inverted round kick, instead of kicking in, you pivot your chamber inward then kick out instead of with round kick kicking inward. I don't see it happening in JKD because it's almost impractical, due to it's low power for people without alot of flexibility. It might be good in JKD if you wanted to surprise someone, but again, it might merely be a distraction.

Dude, I train in TKD. :rofl: My confusion was over your first description being vague, not because I train in JKD.

Anyways, I understand now, thanks. That's not a technique that we typically practice, but I can see how it could be useful. If we did practice it, it would probably be with the impact on the ball of the foot, like Marginal said.

 

[ShaolinWolf]

Sorry, Zepp.


Yeah, My instructor decides one day to just show me the technique. I was like, COOL!...I didn't see the point of the technique until I started using it because it's a harder kick to put your power into. I never heard of anybody shows those move in books, or at any other TKD schools outside of ATA and the WTF. Maybe they do. I thought it was in all TKD, though.

And a cross between a soccer kick and a side kick? eh, maybe a quick knee jerk reaction, LOL. I don't know. Maybe there are different ways of hitting(i.e. with the ball of your heel, like Marginal said). Just like you can hit with the instep, heel, or the front underside of your foot neer the toes with a Round Kick.

 

[Marginal]

ShaolinWolf,

Ball of the foot is the striking tool you typically use in something like a front snap kick, or a roundhouse (when you're not using the instep). It's not the heel. It's the surface exposed when you pull back your toes.

The heel's the heel.

I get the most use of the twist kick in sparring when my opponent's side facing so that their lead leg's out on the same side as mine, and I want to slip a quick shot into my opponent's gut with a lead leg kick. It's subtler than using a hook kick etc in that situation.

 

[ShaolinWolf]

Well, I couldn't think when I was typing. I meant the ball of the foot, not the front of the foot. Brain fart, heh. Yeah, anyways, you can hit with the ball or instep. I don't quite get hitting with the heel for twist kick, but somebody said they have. And I didn't call the ball of the foot heel...LOL

 

[Marginal]

Well, I couldn't think when I was typing. I meant the ball of the foot, not the front of the foot. Brain fart, heh. Yeah, anyways, you can hit with the ball or instep. I don't quite get hitting with the heel for twist kick, but somebody said they have. And I didn't call the ball of the foot heel...LOL

Well, you said that I said... "Maybe there are different ways of hitting(i.e. with the ball of your heel, like Marginal said)."

I was just talking about the ball of the foot, no heel involved, so I thought I'd best clarify. Hitting with the heel sounds like it'd look more like a sloppy hook kick...

 

[ShaolinWolf]

Ah, ok...Gotcha. Yeah, I'd have a hard time hitting with my heel on a twist kick. sorry about the misquote.

 

[Damian Mavis]

Instep doesn't sound like such a great tool for breaking 4 boards.... we primarily use the ball of the foot for twist kick. For those confused... when using the twist kick you should be able to stand side by side with a person and kick them in the gut with the ball of your foot. Shoulder to shoulder, side by side, both facing the same way with your closest foot attacking. Try to figure that out heh. Like a front snap to the side and twisting back.

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD