BASE

Your two feet form the base for your actions. The ideal base is about shoulder width or a bit wider. Positioning your feet too far apart or too close together creates an unstable base. Next, align your feet according to what type of kick you are planning to perform. For front kick, for instance, turn your feet forward. For side kick, align your feet sideways and parallel to each other. For roundhouse kick, turn your feet about 45°, between the positions of front kick and side kick.

PIVOT POINT

Your standing leg becomes a pivot point when you kick. If you do a roundhouse kick with your rear leg, your front leg is the pivot point. If you throw a front leg roundhouse kick, your rear leg is the pivot point. The pivot point plays an important role in kicking. The smoother you pivot, the better. The quicker you pivot, the more powerful your kick will be. The more stable your pivot is, the more precise your kick will be.

IMPACT

Impact results from a high velocity strike, or a low velocity strike with suffi cient weight behind it. You can strike a target with your foot, knee, or shin. For effectiveness, your strike should be precise, fast, and penetrating. To further enhance the impact, strive for maximum range of motion of your kicks through stretching and greater focus of your physical and mental energy through proper breathing and yelling ( kihap, kiai). Impact is the ultimate goal of kicking.

The above article is copyrighted by the author. All rights reserved.