The second kicking technique appearing in taekwondo patterns (Won-hyo) is the side kick or yoko geri (jap). If the front kick is a kick known for its ease/speed/subtlety, the taekwondo side kick should be known for its power. One of my instructors a long time ago said that the side kick is the most difficult to perform of all the non-gimmicky kicks. He was right.
Saying that there are two side kicks that appear in Won-hyo Hyung! (What is Colin on about?) Yes, it's true! One is a defensively applied side kick - in a backward move responding to an opponent's attack. The second one is an offensive penetrative side kick going forward. See? They're both different!
The kick from won-hyo we practiced last was a basic side-on side kick. We stood the students facing 135 degrees away from the target, raising their knees at about 90 degrees away from the target and then firing the blade of the foot at their targets. We started with the motion in the air, then progressed to working with an opponent (holding hands for stability), and then worked on the kick shield.
COG for the side kick has to be between the support foot and the target, and should tend towards the striking area. Not to do so is a mistake a lot of beginners or non-kickers make. Such kicks look great in the air but rarely do much of the damage that side kicks are capable of. Also to the the foot rotating in the right direction, there needs to be some vertical rotation in the hip (bearing about 135 degrees away from the target) - so that the kicker's gluteus maximus moves toward the target area.
Another critical success factor for the taekwondo side kick is to remain level whilst kicking or drop lower (allowing the knee to maintain some bend). Standing up or tensing the shoulder muscles whilst kicking AND straightening the support leg reduces maneuverability, and doesn't allow for proper support. The base leg has to be involved in the entire movement. The kicking leg goes forward, and thus the support leg has to move in the opposite direction based on vector forces.
Blade or heel of the foot? I didn't stress much on this last night. Typically I kick with the blade of the foot - but lately, with suspected joint inflammation/arthritis developing in one of my hip joints, I've opted to reduce as much torque on the hips as possible. So I've been experimenting with focusing power into the heel and adding a little more 'snap' in the leg extension - so the lower leg travels faster. This seems to increase power and keep my joints happy. 
We'll talk about this image in later posts.
Colin
related Links
Calibrating the Side Kick
Shotokan's YOKO GERI KEAGE
All Karate's Side kick (yoko geri)
Okinawan Sokuto Geri
Back to the Roots 3 - Bending Ready Stance, sidekick
Side Kick Variations
Side Kick Essay
Friday, August 24, 2007
Won-hyo Tul: Side Kick
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
Why is it that so many beginner students, (Including myself a few years ago), have a side kick that resembles a mutated roundhouse? Where is the movement going wrong?
Karate side kicks or 'side snap kicks' are linked directly to the philosophy of karate towards kicking - in that kicks support deadly hand techniques. Meaning I would rather do a shuto and knock this guy's head off first. If I get my hands entangled, I'll kick him. Or if someone comes at me at the same time I'll kick him.
Most TKD practitioners see the kicks first. I'll kick him here then gap close then maybe kick him some more. And oh yeah maybe I'll try not to forget I can punch him.
In line with Karate's mindset, deep stances mean you can't afford to vertically rotate the hip and launch a long range kick and then drop back down again to strike with the hands. COG recovery is key and therefore it is all waist high or below kicks.
With the side kick I described, the hip is rotated away from the target, and vertically rotated so that your butt sticks toward the opponent. It opens up the groin, gets your COG thrown at your opponent. Your side kicks (the ones like roundhouse kicks) have COG floating very near your original COG. The motion is like a roundhouse and you kick with the blade of the foot. It's very fast, good for knee strikes, but doesn't have much range. This is not wrong. It's just a variation. Check out the chinese side kick with toes above the heel ... how funky is that?!
Colin
Why is it that so many beginner students, (Including myself a few years ago), have a side kick that resembles a mutated roundhouse?
Another explanation is that it is far easier to use the abdominal obliques and quads to raise the leg. As opposed to the muscles on the side of the leg and their gluts to control the trajectory of the kick. Check out the following image...
http://www.eorthopod.com/images/ContentImages/hip/hip_anatomy/hip_anatomy_muscles02.jpg
Colin
Post a Comment