Side kicks in martial arts?

Question

difficult to do> can do low kick but not at at waist level .. very tight in body how can i do it thanks .. Age over 24

Answer 1

First, stretch.  Flexibility is the foundation.  It only comes with much repetition.

Once that is accomplished, practice the side kick with perfect form at a snail pace.  When your side kick gets higher, set up a folding chair and set your goal to kick over the back of the chair.  Gradually increase speed and power.  Eventually you will have a great side kick.

One last tip:  The best advice I have ever received for higher kicks is pointing your hip at your target.

Answer 2

streach before ur exerize

Answer 3

The answer that I would give you is directly refelective upon what your training purposes are. If you are trianing for competition, either sparring or forms, or whether you are training for realistic self-defense (on those sometimes mean streets). If the former then I would agree with the other two responants. Follow their advice. If you just want to cultivate an effective side kick to help get your butt out of a tight situation in a street self-defense sceanrio then go WITH a low, below the waist side kick.

A swift, well placed, side kick , delivered with power to an attacking bad guy's knee, particularly while he has his weight upon that leg can be an effective deterent to further aggression on his part. At the very least, you can probably get away, if need be, while he contemplates whether he'll ever walk right again. Delievered in that way, this technique can be a  most enlightening experience for your would-be attacker. Under stand, there are NO sure things, and in the midst of a heated self-defense exchange things can get messy and go wrong. So train, train, train, and then train some more. For competiton aim higher and don't go to injure. For full contact competition don't kick into joints. The above is strictly for real world situations where it is clearly a case of self-defense. Hope this helped. By the way, some of us are WWWAAAYYY over 24 and still kicking, so take the time to get it right, then it's just maintanence ongoing thereafter.

ChinaFist

Answer 4

Wow!  You are over 24 and you cant do it!?  I am 9 and I can easily do it!

Answer 5

you will learn dont worry im now able to kick head level and i have delivered a few k.0's in the tkd ring

Answer 6

more flexibility and strength in legs is what u need  

Answer 7

Side kicks with the heel of the foot are only effective either very low, at knee level, or very hight, at head level.  You do not want them at waist level for a very good reason; the fact that some men are fat, or thickly muscled in their middle, and therefore protected, was not lost on the Karateka of Okinawa.  That is why Okinawan Karate aims all blade of the foot snap side kicks to the shin or knees, and all heel side kicks to the knees or head, where they will actually work.  Doing a side kick to the waist, if the person has a large pot belly or abdominal conditioning, will either result in your foot being absorbed by a cushion and the fat t**d laughing at you, or, a boxer or MMA fighter with a cast iron abdomen smiling at you and they just keep on comin'.

Unless you are prepared to take your flexibility to where  you can kick someone taller you in the head with a side kick, don't bother.

good luck.

P.S.

The other poster is right; you will need to stretch A LOT.

Answer 8

have you been pivoting your grounded foot? most people overlook the complication.

say you're kicking with the right foot. start in a square stance at ready. pivot your left foot about 45 degrees out. chamber your foot with your knee nice and high and snap out that kick higher than you ever could.

the turning of the grounded foot allows the joint mechanics of your lower body to move more freely. it opens up your body for smooth hip rotation which is essential to a good side kick.

with this and yes, a little stretching, you can effectively use this strong kick to strike at the shins, thighs, waist line, head, and especially the chest and shoulders. i say this because the concussive force on the chest is well above the center of balance and has a rebound that will easily take your opponent out without necessarily killing them. the shoulders act, like the hips and waistline target, as a major pivoting point on the sidelines of the center of balance. a well placed kick can be devastating when you follow up with another strong kick or pinch to say, the kidneys or the tailbone or any other conveniently painful striking points on the back of your opponent.

hope it helps.

~Jake

Answer 9

It is not always a matter of stretch and flexibility .Sideward movement is unnatural for the hip joint and some people while very flexibal to the front cant stretch to the side because their hip joints have limited range of motion.

Your age has nothing to do with it if you have good hip joint range of motion only time and practice is all that is needed .Dont force it but practice everyday warming up the legs with front kicks and leg swings 1st.

From a purely self defense aspect leg flexibility is way down on the priority list.