| This ten article series will deal with the various | | | | 3. The longer your kicking leg is "hanging" in the air, |
| components that need to be addressed when | | | | the longer it takes before you can execute another |
| considering the utilization of a particular kick in a | | | | kick. |
| combat or self-defense situation. These ten | | | | Try this experiment: |
| components can also be used by the tournament | | | | Take one leg and hold it up in the air at about waist |
| competitor although certain segments would have to | | | | height, now leaving it up in the air, execute an |
| be modified slightly for the tournament aspects of | | | | effective and practical kick. Now try throwing a |
| kicking, rather than the more intensive nature of | | | | couple of punches while standing on one leg. Does it |
| using a kick or kicks in combat. Although all of these | | | | work very well? |
| individual components are important, they are most | | | | A kick coming up from a balanced position on the |
| effective when combined together and utilized | | | | ground is far more effective and powerful than one |
| correctly when executing a kick. | | | | that starts off already in the air. What I mean by this |
| Although I will only be discussing one of the | | | | is that the first Roundhouse Kick that you throw |
| components in this article, here is the complete list of | | | | from a standing position is far more powerful than |
| all ten of them. | | | | the second one that you throw with the same leg |
| 1. Your Kicking Ability | | | | before setting your foot back down on the ground. |
| 2. Your Intended Application | | | | If you are executing a kick that relies on the foot |
| 3. The Environment | | | | being returned along the exact same path of |
| 4. Telegraphing | | | | trajectory that it traveled to get to its target, this |
| 5. Striking Implement | | | | would be called a "retraction" of the kicking foot. The |
| 6. Striking the Correct Target | | | | following kicks would be ones that would require you |
| 7. Initial Impact | | | | to "retract" your kicking foot after making contact |
| 8. Impact | | | | with your target. |
| 9. Retraction or Follow Through | | | | 1. Front Kick |
| 10. Return to Fighting Position | | | | 2. Back Kick |
| Component Nine; Retraction or Follow Through: | | | | 3. Side Kick |
| Now I was always told from the first day that I | | | | 4. Roundhouse Kick (with the notable exception of |
| started taking Karate that no matter what kick you | | | | the Thai Roundhouse Kick) |
| did, that you never wanted to leave your foot | | | | If you are executing a kick that relies on the foot |
| "hanging" out in the air. There were three primary | | | | continuing through the target along the same path of |
| reasons for this and they are as follows. | | | | trajectory that it traveled to get to its target, this |
| 1. The longer your kicking leg is "hanging" in the air, | | | | would be called a "follow through" of the kicking foot. |
| the longer you have to balance on one leg. | | | | The following kicks would be ones that would require |
| As hard as some of you may find this to believe, we | | | | you to "follow through" with your kicking foot after |
| humans were born with two legs for a reason, and | | | | making contact with your target. |
| that is to stand on both of them. We were not | | | | 1. Wheel Kick |
| designed to be standing around all day like a pink | | | | 2. Axe Kick |
| flamingo with one leg "hanging" out in the air. | | | | 3. Crescent Kick |
| Now I am all for extensive training on balancing on | | | | 4. Reverse Crescent Kick |
| one leg while kicking and I even have several | | | | 5. Hook Kick |
| different training exercises that I do in order to | | | | 6. Hatchet Kick |
| improve my balance. However, the keyword here is | | | | Training Advice to Improve your Retraction and/or |
| "training." When in an actual situation where you have | | | | Follow Through: |
| to defend yourself, you want to get your foot up | | | | Under normal standard training practices, the student |
| and out to make contact with its intended target as | | | | attempts to execute a kick as fast as he can from a |
| fast as possible, and then immediately get it back | | | | standing position to the target. In this case, I am |
| down on the ground. | | | | going to have you do the exact opposite. |
| 2. The longer your kicking leg is "hanging" in the air, | | | | This is a rather simple, yet very effective, technique |
| the easier it is for your opponent to grab. | | | | that you can practice in order to improve your |
| Ever watch a boxing match where one of the | | | | retraction or follow up skills. Simply put, what you do |
| boxers has a tendency to leave his punch in his | | | | is take your kicking foot and slowly place it in the |
| opponent's face, or is just a bit too slow in bringing it | | | | position where it would have made contact with your |
| back into position? What usually happens to that | | | | intended target. As soon as you leg and foot are in |
| boxer? | | | | position, as fast as you possibly can, complete the |
| Well, generally if the other boxer is any good, he will | | | | kick by completing the retraction or follow through. |
| land at least a punch or two on his opponent. Why? | | | | Always be sure and utilize the correct technique at all |
| Because by leaving his punch "hanging" out in the air, | | | | times. |
| he leaves himself wide open for a counterattack. | | | | Final Thoughts: |
| Now as bad as this is, it is many times worse when | | | | As fast as your foot traveled to strike its target, it |
| you are kicking. Not only do you leave yourself | | | | should be just as fast if not faster returning back |
| balancing on one leg, but you also leave yourself wide | | | | down to the ground. Other than improper technique |
| open for a variety of counterattacks. These can | | | | and improper application of the aforementioned |
| range anywhere from a punch, kick, or even tackling | | | | technique, leaving your foot "hanging" or "posing" in |
| or throwing you to the ground, and these aren't | | | | the air after kicking is perhaps the single biggest |
| even the worst. | | | | mistake you could possibly make when kicking. |
| The worst of all possible counterattacks is to have | | | | This "hanging" or "posing" seems to be prevalent in a |
| your kicking leg grabbed by your opponent. Why is | | | | lot of the tournament oriented schools more so than |
| this the worst? Simply put, because you then no | | | | the traditional schools. Although I have seen students |
| longer have control of your body, your opponent | | | | "posing" kicks in both types of schools. |
| does. | | | | |