10 Kicking Tips:
principles for Better Kicking
I’ve always been noted as being very flexible and supple. I would like to tell you that this is due to years of hard work and dedication, but it’s not. I’m just lucky that my body is made that way.
Is being flexible very important when it comes to kicking?
Well obviously it gives some advantages, but the answer is an emphatic “NO”.
I’ve known people who are not very flexible, yet they can still deliver a very devastating kick all be it a bit lower. In fact being flexible can lead to joint problems as a flexible person often takes “short-cuts” with their techniques, yet still kicks high without effort. Despite my above average flexibility, I’ve still worked hard on getting my technique right as I do have an analytical mind for breaking things down.
However, I’ve still ended up with joint problems with my knees. This is not due to bad technique, but rather it is due to:
- Mis-timing a kick on a kick bag resulting in a torn cartilage.
- Due to a lot of domestic problems I was unable to train for a number of years. During that time the arches of my feet fell, causing my legs and knees to “re-align” themselves.
When I was able to get back into training, I was not sure at first whether I would be able to keep it up or not due to the pain in my knees. Medical treatment (to long to explain here) has helped overcome most of the problems.
However, being an analytical person, during this time I was forced to look very closely at how I performed my techniques (especially kicks). I focused on making the movements as natural as possible so as not to strain my joints. This required correct alignment of the body and maximising the use of the muscles. The more natural the movements became, not only did it relieve strain on the joints but the techniques improved too.
This is really only common sense. The more natural the movement the less tension is created in joints (reducing pain) and the movement becomes much more fluid due to less joint tension (better technique).
This in depth analysis is largely what led me to producing 10 Kicking Tips. It is very important to understand that this DVD looks at the principles of body movement and body mechanics behind the kicks rather than focusing on the techniques themselves. Once the principles are better understood, they can be integrated to improve your kicking ability and performance (regardless of style), even if you lack flexibility or have a few joint problems. Some of these principles can be applied to hand techniques too.
When you learn to apply these principles, you will
- Improve your existing kicks dramatically.
- Learn new kicks much faster/reduce learning time.
- Kick with much more power and speed with less physical effort.
At 49 years young, I can still kick higher and faster than most of the young black belts in my club.
Geoff Thompson: 6th Dan, co-founder of the British Combat Association, author of 34 books & 5 multi-award-winning films
Rob Jones: 5th Dan Shotokai Karate.
- Matt Apsokardu: 4th Dan Okinawan Kenpo Karate.
- Arthur Wallace: 6th Dan Shotokan Karate.
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Guarantee:
If your DVD does not reach you in perfect working order, simply return it and I will give you a no-quibble refund straight away.
Price:
10 Kicking Tip: £15.00
(+ £1.50 package and post)
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PS: Being able to use the principles of natural movement really is the most efficient way to kick. You get better results for less effort and in less time. And you protect your joints from damage.
