I should have included this in my first practicing kicks post, but just now thought of it. Besides, you guys seem to love talking Kung Fu so I’m sure you don’t mind reading yet another one of my deep and profound posts.
Okay…in class right now since I’ve only been to like two classes, we’re only doing straight kicks, front snap kicks and inside/outside crescent kicks. But, I want to move ahead on my own and begin working on roundhouse kicks and side kicks. I already know the mechanics of how to perform them, but due to lack of practice, flexibility, leg strength, and anything else you can think of…I can’t really perform them up to par. So, how should I proceed with practicing them. I don’t feel comfortable trying to practice them at full speed because my flexibility and proper form is not there. What’s the best way to practice them?
Should I do them real slow and support myself with my hands, or should I struggle through and avoid supporting myself with my hands just to get used to doing it without support?
or
Should I do them at medium speed?
or
Should I start with just trying to hold my leg out in the position I would end up at the end of the kick to build up my strength.
or
some combination of all of the above.
I’m sure I’ll get differing opinions on here, but that’s good because it gives me differing perspectives and more to think about.
We started doing kicks the very first day of class.
On that school, when I call the number I found on the internet I can’t get through, when I called directory assistance they didn’t have a listing for that school.
I’m not sure that I want to change schools, but I would like to find a school and check it out. Hung Fut is a pretty cool style…I’ve always been a fan of the Shaolin Temple styles, Hung Gar, Fut Gar, Crane, Praying Mantis, Snake, etc.
Have any of you Wing Chun folks seen the Bourne Identity yet? I wanted to ask if he was doing Wing Chun in that movie. He went off to a martial arts school for like 6 months of training. The moves he was doing looked like Wing Chun type moves.
One of my old teachers used to say “Technique, speed, power”, meaning you should develop your skills in that order.
It’s helpful to practise the kicks slowly at first and build up the speed as you get better. I think you end up with better kicks that way. Don’t worry about the height of your kicks, just concentrate on technique. Try to do it as much as possible without support in order to develop your balance. I’ll admit I use a chair or wall every now and then, but that’s usually to build up strength while holding my leg out.
As always, experiment with what works for you.
Mind you, if you haven’t been taught these kicks, you want to make sure you’re performing them correctly. You might find yourself having to unlearn some bad habits at a later stage - that’s not always easy once your muscle memory has got used to a movement.
Are you saying it’ll actually help me to practice barely above waist high roundhouse and side kicks? I would figure what’s that point, but as you said, I guess the technique for a waist high is the same as for a head high, and the heigth, speed and power will come with time.
As I’m sure dragontounge and a lot of the guys here are about to say, if you ever end up having to use them, you’re gonna want to keep your kicks that low anyway. A roundhouse or sidekick doesn’t always have to be high. There are plenty of good targets below waist and knee height.
Besides, if you’re not flexible enough yet, there’s not much else you can do but practise the technique low. Your technique will suffer if you’re trying to push your limits too far while learning.
thats right wooha. If you try to kick some one in the head its the same as punching some one on their feet. Kick in the head when thier down;).
Does your school practice over the navel kicks. if you do its not a practical style and would deffinetly not recommend you use that crap on the street unless you want to get kicked in the balls. have you done a form yet? what about stances? punches? whats up?
Well I have to admit, I’m constantly flinging my legs head hight and above, but what can I say, I’m a Capoeirista.
I personally enjoy kicking high, although I doubt I’d do it in a confrontation. Plus I like the idea of one day performing martial arts in an entertainment context.
Well…I like to consider myself a complete beginner because that way I have no expectations and no disappointments if I don’t progress as quickly, but as a teenager I did take Kung Fu for a little while (Praying Mantis and Hung Gar) and I had an old school type instructor who really believed in strong stances and performing your forms over and over and over and over, I actually took it long enough to enter a tournament doing forms and win a 3rd place trophy, so…the movements and stances of kung fu feel very familiar to me. However, I haven’t practiced in about 16-17 years, so my body is way out of shape for Kung Fu.
Right now, I’ve been in my new school for only 2 lessons, and what I’ve done/learned in class so far are the horse stance, bow and arrow stance and cat stance, about 3-4 basic punching/blocking techniques, and some basic kicks, front kick, snap kick, and inside/outside crescent kick.
Personally, I see no problem with learning kicks at this stage of the game, whether I was a complete newby or with my background. I mean by the time I get to the forms they will include kicks and it’ll be better to already have the kicks down instead of learning to kick when you get to that stage. Besides, in my opinion, basic kicks are not terribly difficult or taxing to perform where you need a whole lot of preparation and background to build up to.
I was taught to warm up by doing kicks to a four-count. 1. raise the knee to chamber 2. extend the leg 3. return to chamber 4. put the foot down. You can hold each position momentarily or for awhile.
If you’ve done this stuff before and got out of it, it’s especially important to do moves slowly at first. Your nervous system might remember where everything goes, but your muscles aren’t loose enough to get there without tearing something. I’ve done that, and it’s not fun.
In class the pace is part of the training. Use a support for now. This way you get the kicks better…the mechanics. Do it right and the power will be there. So will the speed. It comes. With concious effort–sweat.
I personally like the techniques you mentioned over the side kick. They all have niceness to me though.
Do the kicks. It will come to you, how to do the kicks at that moment. Each way is an aspect and each aspect goes into each kick~.
Plus, when you do the kicks like the System trains, it conditions your hands and there are likely other benefits. Try for a perfect circle when doing the crescent (lotus) kicks. Go-Go-Go.
My most painful stretching experience was in a capoeria class. You guys are crazy man, that stuff hurts. I went to a couple classes in Houston and loved it. Couldn’t continue though due to the driving distance. About an hour drive, in a very unreliable car. Want to pick it up again sometime though…
Yeah I hope one pops up too. The guy says he’ll drive out here if I can get some students together, but I’m having trouble doing that… I still ginga occassionally and do the stretches also.
How long did it take you to get used to doing it? Were you flexible to begin with?
I’d already practised several other martial arts before I started Capoeira, so I had no real problem with flexibility. What took a long time was learning how to make the movements flow together and how to move to the rythm.
Definitely try to get some students together and get that class started. There must be some people around your way that would be up for it.
