Coach's Corner

I'M BAAACK!!! Hi again HurtsBad Members! Sorry it took so long to get back to you but my family and I moved to a new house. As I promised, this blog is for coaches, trainers, fighters, and anyone who wants to learn how to kick more efficiently and effectively. As always, the opinions and observations I express have evolved from 40 years of martial arts training, practice, and observation, and are my own.

To achieve maximum results in kicking (as well as striking and throwing, which we'll discuss in the future), certain biomechanical principles and physics must be followed. Foremost among these are the principles of Base and Balance, Without them, your kicks (and strikes and throws) will be inefficient and lack power. To understand how to achieve both, you need to understand how the body is put together and how it works. Not easy to explain in simple terms, but I'm going to try.

First of all, you must understand that your body is not supported by the skeletal system (the bones), but by the muscular system. The skeleton gives you shape, but it is the muscles that provide support and movement. If you want proof, I'll give you two examples that may seem strange: a soldier in the army and someone in a wedding. For punishment in the military, they will stand you at Attention in full pack at a flagpole, and after a while you'll pass out. The same thing happens at weddings. You will occassionally see a bridesmaid or one of the groomsmen pass out. Why? What do these two scenarios have in common? The answer is Posture. In both cases each individual was standing still and stiff with their knees locked. This forces the skeleton to support the body which it is not meant to do. Now, unlock the knees, let the muscles support the body, and you can stand there until you fall asleep.

Now, look down at your feet. Notice that your lower leg (tibia, fibia, calf muscle, achilles tendon, etc.) go down to your heel, right? That means all your body mass and weight is joined to the ground at your heels, right? So why am I pointing out something so obvious? Because the two most common mistakes I see people making while throwing kicks are that they are up on the toes and ball of the foot of the supporting leg with the knee locked straight. In this position, they have neither Base nor Balance, and so their technique lacks Power. Keep the knee of your support leg unlocked and slightly flexed. This lets your muscles support you, and you don't feel like you're balancing on a stick. Keep the heel of your support leg on the floor. If you're up on the ball of your foot and toes, you're trying to support your mass and weight in mid-air, and you have no base to throw from. When throwing roundhouse kicks, pivot from the heel. Also, keep your guard up when throwing kicks. I see people throw kicks and their arms are going every which way and leaving their head exposed. Your arms have weight and mass and if they are flopping around while you kick they are pulling you off balance. Stand in a left lead fighting posture. Now, quickly switch feet to a right lead fighting posture. I'd be willing to bet your arms stayed tight and kept you covered, right? That's how it should be when you throw a kick. When you are standing in left lead and throw a right leg roundhouse kick, you are going from left lead to right lead and your hands should stay tight and keep you protected.

That's enough for now. Give it a try. If you follow these rules, you'll notice an improvement in the power and delivery of your kicks. In the next blog I'll discuss some of my favorite kicks and start talking about footwork. See ya soon!