I made a few clips of me throwing a jab & cross and a left and right round house to see what bad habits I might have. There are plenty, of course, so I decided to post them here for you to critique them.

I've been out of the game for a good half a year and have just returned to kung fu to get in shape for a mma and muay thai gym I have my eyes on for when I move this september.

Round house kicking, left and right:
http://dustin.quickfry.com/bagwork/DSCF0594.AVI
http://dustin.quickfry.com/bagwork/DSCF0592.AVI
I generally just let my hands go however they please when I throw a kick. It seems to help me throw the kick in some very odd sort of way, probably a psychological thing. I see a lot of kickboxers doing this but it does seem to be a form of telegraphing. Does anyone kick with their hands stationary, or perhaps cover up their head? I've tried both but I always seem to end up doing what's in the videos and the kicks still have a decent probability of contact.

Also when you're throwing a round house with your lead leg do you usually step in the direction of your kick before you throw it? I find it helps with power.

Jab and cross combo:
http://dustin.quickfry.com/bagwork/DSCF0595.AVI
Ugh, this is horrible! I never knew I dropped my lead so much when I went for a cross. The retraction of my cross seems all right, though.

Edit: fixed the links.

links don't work

Heh, you visited during the first MINUTE of the post! They're fixed, now you can make fun of me. :)

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Also in the punching video I seem to have defied the laws of physics: Behold, sound is faster than light!

ok, watched the first video. You're throwing your kick with your leg instead of your hip, bad. You want to turn your hip out past your target and swing your leg into the target with your hip turning BEFORE the kick. You should also try stepping out before kicking since it gives you room to turn your hips into the kick.

oh yeah, I noticed you're using a water filled bag. Get a regular heavy bag plz.

Yeah, it's all I have to work with right now. I bought it when I didn't know any better.

And the hip thing seems logical.

pro advise, beat me to it both times.

oh yeah, on the lead round kick thing, I tend to try to keep my feet moving at all times so any steps I do that lead into a kick are just part of the normal footwork.

Yeah, I am kind of rooting myself after my kicks now aren't I?

When you pivot your hips, twist your upper body the opposite direction (your arms should follow). This will give you a little more power. If you don't like leaving your head open that much, then only allow the same side arm as your kicking leg to pivot with your body and keep the other hand up by your face where it usually should be. So for example, on a left roundhouse: your going to pivot your upper body (upperbody goes left/lower body goes right) so that your right arm hits your left shoulder/pec (if your keeping a guard up then raise the arm so it covers your face as you pivot it or don't let your right arm pivot, the left arm should still be pivoting however).

Just like all my advice, if it confused you: ignore it.

Edit: Btw, you seem to be doing atleast a half decent job of this already.

Nothing wrong here. Send me 29.99 for your black belt.

Nothing wrong here. Send me 29.99 for your black belt.
Psssh, unless you throw in a few stripes it's a no deal.

When you pivot your hips, twist your upper body the opposite direction (your arms should follow).


say wha?

OK, I watched both videos and besides the obvious things that have already been pointed out, what really concerned me was that it didn't look like that water heater was equipped with earthquake straps.

I try to copy Buakaw here when I kick

http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/899/pict052ii.jpg

I try to copy Buakaw here when I kick

http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/899/pict052ii.jpg

You start like the pick above me and end like your avatar kid. Its not hard. Hips precede the keep. Upper body moves the opposite direction when you impact.

Edit: Actually now that I stop and think about it. Its just your arms not your upper body. I didn't edit my other posts to remove this oversight to make sure everyone see's my stupidity.