How do you perform the flying side kick?

Question

What drills do I need to perform in order to be able to do it? And what is the proper technique to perform it?

Answer 1

1. Begin in your basic fighting/guarding stance with your kicking leg back. One common stance is to have your right leg back and a few inches to your right, your body turned almost all of the way to the side and your hands up (right hand by your chin and left 12-16 inches in front of your left shoulder).

   2. Take a few steps forward. This will vary according to your application. If you are kicking a target, 1 or 2 steps will suffice. If you are jumping over an obsticle or breaking several boards more steps will get you more speed and power.

   3. Jump off of your non-kicking leg while thrusting your kicking leg up as high toward your chest as you can.

   4. You should turn your body to the side (kicking side forward) and bring your non-kicking leg as close your body as possible.

   5. At the last second, thrust your kicking leg out so that your heel makes contact with your target. Your foot should be parallel to the ground, or ideally, toes slightly pointing down.

   6. Be sure to land on your feet, for no demonstration looks good if you fall on your face (and if you choose to use it in a sparring match your opponent will not wait for you to get up).

TIPS:

Stronger leg muscles will facilitate higher longer jumps.

Bringing your non-kicking leg up will make you able to jump further, and it will also look better.

Answer 2

You usualy take two steps then jump, fold your unkicking leg under your other leg and then do a side kick with the other leg.

Answer 3

Jump up and tuck one of your legs in while kicking the other one out.

Answer 4

Start off by attempting this drill:

Lift your dominant leg up high like if you are chambering a side kick.  Then jump with your supporting foot and try to kick your backside before you land again, remembering to keep your dominant foot chambered.

Once you have mastered this progress onto this drill:

With your dominant leg at the rear, jump as high as you can chambering both legs.  As you jump twist your whole body in mid air so that you land with your dominant leg forwards  .Try to keep both legs chambered as long as you can before you land (this comes from when the Chinese used to kick warriors of horse back).

Finally once you have mastered that, repeat the second drill.  Except throw out your dominant leg as you twist into the kick, your dominant leg should be straight and the other leg should be chambered under your backside.  (Remember you should take off with both feet and land with both feet)

This is the defensive version, to do the attacking version take a couple of steps into it before you jump.

Hope this helps mate!