| This ten article series will deal with the various | | | | many as two dozen ninja villains before your feet |
| components that need to be addressed when | | | | ever touch back down on the ground. Way to go |
| considering the utilization of a particular kick in a | | | | Hollywood! |
| combat or self-defense situation. These ten | | | | The first person you should consult with is your |
| components can also be used by the tournament | | | | instructor. If he is qualified and competent (you |
| competitor although certain segments would have to | | | | shouldn’t be with him or her if they aren’t) |
| be modified slightly for the tournament aspects of | | | | he will be able to fully assess your ability and give |
| kicking, rather than the more intensive nature of | | | | you his honest and forthright opinion. The next group |
| using a kick or kicks in combat. Although all of these | | | | of people you should speak with is your senior |
| individual components are important, they are most | | | | classmates. They too should be able to give you their |
| effective when combined together and utilized | | | | assessment of your kicking abilities. Now after you |
| correctly when executing a kick. | | | | have spoken with your instructor and your senior |
| Although I will only be discussing one of the | | | | classmates, you can then talk to yourself. Now I |
| components in this article, here is the complete list of | | | | don’t recommend doing this in a public place or |
| all ten of them. | | | | your liable to end up getting a visit from the large |
| 1. Your Kicking Ability | | | | men dressed in white carrying the butterfly net and |
| 2. Your Intended Application | | | | the canvas jacket with extra long sleeves. What I do |
| 3. The Environment | | | | recommend is a private time of self-reflection where |
| 4. Telegraphing | | | | you can honestly evaluate your own abilities. |
| 5. Striking Implement | | | | Here is a list of the important items that I feel you |
| 6. Striking the Correct Target | | | | need to look at when considering what level your |
| 7. Initial Impact | | | | kicking ability is at. |
| 8. Impact | | | | 1. Length of time spent learning those kicking skills. |
| 9. Retraction or Follow Through | | | | 2. The degree of flexibility that you have in your legs. |
| 10. Return to Fighting Position | | | | 3. The amount of power that you are able to |
| Component One; Your Kicking Ability: | | | | generate with your kicks. |
| Your kicking ability is just that, your kicking ability. Not | | | | 4. Your ability to execute every aspect of those |
| your perceived kicking ability, but your actual reality | | | | kicks correctly from start to finish. |
| based kicking ability. This may be a hard pill to | | | | 5. Your own past experiences in actual fights, not |
| swallow, but you may not have the ability to utilize all | | | | sparring in the dojo or at a tournament. |
| of those flashy spinning and flying kicks effectively in | | | | 6. Your ability to effectively and consistently land a |
| an actual self-defense situation. Now the good news, | | | | kick on a training partner anywhere from the waist |
| if you can realize this and accept it, then you are off | | | | down without them seeing it even after it hits them. |
| to a lot better start than most people who like to | | | | 7. Your ability to execute that very same kick |
| kick. Awareness is the key to survival, and nothing is | | | | without telegraphing it. |
| more important than self-awareness. | | | | 8. Your attitude towards being confronted with a |
| Now there are a lot of “self-defense” | | | | violent situation. |
| experts out there than don’t advocate kicking at | | | | 9. Your overall physical condition. |
| all in a self-defense situation. However, when you do | | | | 10. Your ability to use your brain intelligently. |
| a little research into why they believe this, most of | | | | One of the best training aids that I have ever used |
| the time you will find out that they had a bad | | | | and still do is a large full length mirror. I have used a |
| experience and/or witnessed a bad experience with | | | | mirror to train with ever since I first started taking |
| someone who tried kicking and ended up getting the | | | | lessons over 25 years ago. It is without a doubt the |
| worst end of the beating. This is almost certainly due | | | | most important piece of training equipment that you |
| to a lack of proper knowledge not only of how to | | | | can use, if it is used correctly. What you want to do |
| kick, but also the who, what, where, when, and why | | | | is to stand in front of the mirror in a fighting position. |
| of correctly applying a kick. Which unfortunately | | | | Then without thinking about it, execute a kick at |
| seems to be fairly common with a lot of the | | | | your reflection in the mirror. Now a word of caution, |
| McDojo’s that are so prevalent in today’s | | | | make sure you are back far enough from the mirror |
| society. These articles will help clear up some if not all | | | | that you aren’t going to actually hit it. This can |
| of those problems. | | | | not only be dangerous to yourself and be very |
| For as many of the “self-defense” experts | | | | expensive, but you could also end up with seven |
| that are out there that don’t advocate kicking, | | | | years of bad luck. If you believe in that sort of thing. |
| there are many more that do, although they | | | | When you can stand in front of the mirror and |
| recommend that you should never kick above waist | | | | execute a kick, or any technique for that matter, |
| high. For the most part this is very sound and | | | | without telegraphing it then you’re starting to |
| intelligent advice, and should be adhered to for the | | | | make some real progress. This is not an easy thing |
| most part by everyone. However, like every known | | | | to do, but you can do it. It just takes a lot of time, |
| rule or law, there are exceptions. For those few | | | | hard work, and proper instruction. |
| individuals out there who are truly gifted in the art of | | | | The next article in this series will deal with the second |
| kicking you can, with careful planning and intelligence, | | | | of ten components needed to kick effectively in a |
| execute kicks to a standing opponents head with | | | | combat or self-defense situation. That component is, |
| amazing results. I know I’ve done just that on | | | | “Your Intended Kicking Application.” Shawn |
| numerous occasions. | | | | Kovacich is a high ranking black belt in both Karate |
| Now how do you know just how good you are at | | | | and Tae Kwon Do. Shawn is also a two time world |
| kicking? Well, first and foremost unless you are a | | | | record holder for endurance high kicking as certified |
| truly perceptive and honest person with yourself, | | | | by the Guinness Book of World Records. Shawn is |
| you can forget about asking yourself. If you do, | | | | the author of Back Kick, volume one in the highly |
| you’ll probably be able to execute any one of a | | | | acclaimed Achieving Kicking Excellence™ series and |
| dozen or more jump spinning kicks taking out as | | | | can be reached via his web site at: Chikara Kan, Inc. |