For a measure of the power of a round kick with the instep, for example hitting three boards worth of power, might compare to hitting someone big in the chest with no pad. While I love hitting hard with a round kick on the bag or on a chest guard, it definitely is not the same as three boards. Not too many do that for the pain factor. And it does take a snap to generate the power unless you do those wheel kicks which telegraph. I've only done two boards with a round kick as the bones in a female foot are smaller. A guy I knew did three at a tournament and broke his foot, but that kick he loved and he had broken it before doing round, same break. We also have another bb who's mass is big and can do round kick to concrete, no problem.
The back kick, or as we call it, the spin sidekick, definitely has the spin to add more power, a jump back is even more powerful, but a flying sidekick tops that. Anything with a jump adds more power, run and a jump more power. A flying side kick with two boards held with two fingers requiring a speed break-very fast snap-is more powerful. How about a jumpback kick through two then an immediate jump spin heel at head level on the other leg to a board held with just two fingers? That requires a great deal of power to generate that second jump and snap for the second speed break. So, was tested on all of these, but for which kick has more power, it depends on the kicker, mass, technique, and whether a jump is involved. TW
