Can't Kick!!

**BOXMAN** · Posted On: 5/14/2011 8:57am

Been having a tough time kicking between my usual lack of flexibility and some recent injuries. It's doubtful I'll ever be able to kick very high. My front and back kicks are adequate but sides and roundhouses are weak. Should I adjust my art to fit me or just take up Boxing lol ???

**Vorpal** · Posted On: 5/14/2011 9:05am

Roundhouses don't have to be high to be effective. One guy I sparred with in the past always caught me in below the knee with a hard snappy RH. It really sucked. I would just work on it though, you'd be surprised. I am as flexible as a piece of dry spaghetti but can still get some of my kicks up there. There's a vid of me at a TD knocking someone down with one.

**Sang** · Posted On: 5/14/2011 9:27am

Do 10 minutes of dynamic stretching every morning and you'll probably be throwing axe kicks to the head in 3 months.

**oplus** · Posted On: 5/14/2011 10:12am

Originally Posted by Sang

Do 10 minutes of dynamic stretching every morning and you'll probably be throwing axe kicks to the head in 3 months.

I do Judo, but all the same, link me please.

**Sang** · Posted On: 5/14/2011 10:50am

I started here: http://www.bullshido.net/forums/show...mic+stretching

**Smoke** · Posted On: 5/14/2011 12:59pm

My jodan roundhouse and side kicks are lightning fast, but like Vorpal said, you don't need high kicks.

Watch full clips of Kyokushin tournaments (not highlights). How many head kicks do you see? Not many. At least, not many that people can pull off.

I have been able to devastate people with my round kicks to the thigh more than pulling off my fancy schmancy head kicks.

Besides, the key for good quick kicks is stay loose. Staying loose means perfecting the technique. I remember the first time I learned how to kick. I was as fluid as ice.

**maofas** · Posted On: 5/14/2011 2:17pm

Unless you have metal pins in your hips, no excuses! Just stretch seriously on your own time and your flexibility will increase dramatically.

**BOXMAN** · Posted On: 5/14/2011 3:30pm

Thanks for the input all...its definitely helpful. I'm going to take my stretching more serious and train within my limitations until I can get better.

I think the point of staying loose is really a key. I can hear my brain tell my muscles to contract out of fear during a kick. Will work on that too. I do find myself much better when I kick a bag than just working on the technique in air

**Colin** · Posted On: 5/14/2011 4:47pm

Firstly: 100% easier to train kicks on a good bag or pad than into the air.
Kicking into the air is comprised of fail.

A really nice piece of advice given to my by my Muay Thai trainer - imagine my leg is a sock, and kick the bag as if there were no muscles in my leg at all, just aim the shin for the spot and swing heavy and loose.