Thats right kickers ! Chamber your kicks.

**Hannibal** · Posted On: 1/09/2006 4:17am

Okay, this one's for all of us who are fanatical strikers.

When kicking is it actually a good idea to 'chamber' the kick ?

That is should you kick with the knee slightly bent, never fully extended.

And also when kicking I find it hard to pull the kick back in order to get into fighting stance. For example when executing a mawashi-geri ( turning kick,roundhouse kick or thai kick) you know ? put your hips into it for maximum power, it feels un natural to want to pull the kick back.

Any thoughts ?

**Thaiboxerken** · Posted On: 1/09/2006 6:13am

Keep the leg bent, but when you actually hit the target, then straighten out your leg. That's how you can get yourself back to on-guard position. I don't agree with your definition of "chambering kick" either.

**CrazyCrowbarMan** · Posted On: 1/09/2006 10:43am

I'm actually agreeing with TBK.....wait about locking your leg out until your about to make contact, then snap it at the last sec to add a bit of 'oomph' and bounce off the target

And I think there are about 20 definitions of the word 'chamber' floating around this board

**Torakaka** · Posted On: 1/09/2006 11:50am

I've always been practicing the bent, loose leg round kick, straightening and stiffening it on impact and I figured that was "the way" to throw a strong thai kick. However, the other day, Josh (ex thai boxing instructor who's now supervising my fight training) has been telling me to practice a straight, stiff legged kick where you simply swing you stiff and only slightly bent leg with the power of your hips. I've noticed Buakaw por Pramuk and other thai fighters using this style of round kick and it seems like a really powerful ranged kick (although I'm having a hard time getting used to this style of kicking and generating power with it).

**Arbiter** · Posted On: 1/09/2006 12:38pm

Originally Posted by Thaiboxerken

Keep the leg bent, but when you actually hit the target, then straighten out your leg. That's how you can get yourself back to on-guard position. I don't agree with your definition of "chambering kick" either.

Thats how we do it too. And yeah 'chamber' isnt accurate description of that.

**Arbiter** · Posted On: 1/09/2006 12:48pm

Originally Posted by Hannibal

And also when kicking I find it hard to pull the kick back in order to get into fighting stance. For example when executing a mawashi-geri ( turning kick,roundhouse kick or thai kick) you know ? put your hips into it for maximum power, it feels un natural to want to pull the kick back.

Any thoughts ?

Round kicks generally kick through, and when they impact target you want to retract just enough to plant your kicking leg down without getting tangled up so you can follow up other combos with power or clinch. If you kick with rear leg, don't bother to retract taht leg back to the rear, change your guard until you finish the exchange and can reset.

Straight kicks (the turning kick in your example) you wnat to chamber, kick, and then rechamber as much as you can before planting the foot, especially if kick-catching is allowed, or you will get caught and swept or thrown. It will also help you keep your feet under you without getting to overextended in your stance.

**Arbiter** · Posted On: 1/09/2006 2:28pm

Note: straight kicks 'kick through' too, both obviously penetrate through the target, but in a different way; a linear punching/stabbing penetration versus a round slashing/cutting/whipping penetration, which makes the rechambering a bit different. At least thats the theory from the perspective of my style.

**AAAhmed46** · Posted On: 1/09/2006 6:49pm

I dont understad what you mean.

Can you please post some pictures?

**Torakaka** · Posted On: 1/09/2006 9:54pm

today I was doing more stiff/straight leg kicking and now I've really gotten a hang of the technique and I do find that the kick has a significantly greater amount of impact power than the bent leg kick. The bent leg kick is, of course, more useful for kicking while in a closer range.

**Upyu** · Posted On: 1/28/2006 10:31pm

Hannibal:
**** that chambering **** :)

If you use the snap in the hip you're only recruiting the "waist", which disconnects it from the supporting leg.
This might sound weird, but rather than focusing on the hip/kicking leg for power, I'd try focusing on the supporting leg, putting a slight tension in it on impact, and forget about the kicking leg.