Total Kicks
Side Kick, Side Kick, Side Kick
15
90
Front Kick, Roundhouse Kick,
15
90
Roundhouse Kick
Side Kick, Back Kick, Back Kick
15
90
Finishing Kicks (Total Reps: 50)
Still got energy left? Whether you said yes or no, you still got 50 more reps to do. Choose any kick that needs extra work and whip out 25 with each leg.
I strongly suggest that you do this drill no more than once every two weeks, especially when you are doing additional training in your school and other exercises in your personal regimen. If you are careful not to overtrain, and it’s easy to do with this, you will notice a big difference in your kicks after about four workouts of the 1000-Rep Drill.
Let’s conclude this section by taking a look at each of the four basic kicks - round, side, back and front - to see how you can increase your speed, power and overall effectiveness.
7. ROUNDHOUSE KICK - MUAY THAI STYLE
Instead of going over the standard roundhouse kick, let’s examine the features of the Muay Thai roundhouse, an extremely devastating version of the kick.
I’m going to do something here that I rarely do, which is to recommend a technique before I have thoroughly tested it. I’m breaking my little rule because in the year I have practiced the Muay Thai method of roundhouse kicking, I’ve found it to be powerful and fast, more so than the traditional method of roundhouse kicking. No doubt this is why Muay Thai fighters have used this version for eons with great success in the street and in the ring. In fact, they refer to it as “The King of Kicks.” Here is how they do it.
Breaking the Rules
One of the primary differences in the Muay Thai roundhouse is that they stand on their tiptoes of their support leg when kicking, especially when kicking to the head. This is considered a sin in the traditional systems and frowned on in many of the modern ones. The argument against it is based on the perceived precariousness of balance and stability, especially when making impact against a bag or an opponent. I tried it and was surprised to discover that it works pretty darn good. More on this in a moment.
Using the Rear Leg
Another difference in Muay Thai’s delivery is that they mostly kick with the rear leg, using basically two ways to fire it off. One is to kick with whichever leg happens to be in the rear at the moment a target presents itself, and the other is to do a quick foot shuffle, moving the front leg to the rear and then launching it into the target. This is a deceptive move and a good way to increase the kick’s power.
The Mechanics of the Kick
Your kicking foot is launched directly from the floor; you don’t lift it into a chambered position before it’s launched as many other styles do, but rather send it from the floor directly to the target. As the kick speeds toward its objective, your support leg straightens until it’s fully stretched and you are on the ball of your foot. Muay Thai fighters believe that straightening the support leg in this fashion helps the kick move faster and more powerfully, and that standing on the ball of the foot, reduces friction and drag on the floor as it rotates up to 180 degrees.
Your same-side arm is used to help accelerate the kick. When kicking with the left leg, for example, whip your left arm down to your left side and slightly behind you. Your right fist is held on-guard near your right ear.
Okay, here is the four-step process at a glance.
1. Assume a high, right leg forward stance.
2. Launch your rear foot off the floor.
3. As the stationary leg straightens and your foot comes up on the ball and rotates, the hip of your kicking leg begins rotating in the same direction, followed by your thigh, and then the whip-like action of your lower leg toward the target.
4. Contact with the target is made with your lower shin as opposed to the top of your foot.
I like this method of roundhouse kicking, though I will never train to rotate my body 360 degrees as Muay Thai kickers do when they practice in the air. This is because it really hurts when a street thug sticks a blade in your exposed back. But I do like the four-step process, and I find that whipping my arm downward as I kick adds to its power. While it’s still hard for me to come up on the ball of my support foot after so many years of being convinced that it’s weak form, so far I haven’t found anything wrong with it, and it does seem to make my kick a little faster.
Maybe an old dog can learn new tricks.
Free Advice:
Since we are on the subject of legs, let me offer you a little advice that may save you from future health problems.
I’m a strong advocate of kicking an opponent’s legs, relating it to chopping down a tree: You hack at the trunk, not at the leaves. The legs are an outstanding target and when specific points are struck, or when any one point is struck several times in a row, the leg will cave in and the attacker will crash to the ground. But, and this a big but, it’s not a good idea to pummel your partner’s legs in practice.
Yes, I know that Muay Thai fighters do it when they train, and there are stories of some who shin-kick steel pipes and trees in an effort to toughen their legs to make them even deadlier weapons, as well as to toughen them to absorb their opponent’s hard kicks. Does this conditioning work? Yes, it does. Is it good for you? No way. It’s potentially crippling in the long run as it damages nerves.
Technique: Roundhouse Kick
Assume an on-guard stance. Step up with your rear leg and whip a lead-leg kick into the target.
Note that the support foot is off the ground and the arm has whipped down to add power to the kick, while the other arm is held high to protect the head.
8. SIDEKICK
Here are three ways that Canadian Instructor Michael Holmes gave me to help develop a fast and powerful sidekick. While your particular method of sidekicking may be different from mine or his, you can still incorporate these universal ideas to improve yours even more.
Slow Motion Kicking
“With the sidekick, technical proficiency is vital,” Holmes says. “A full-length mirror and a way to support yourself, such as a handrail or a wall, is essential. Strength can be acquired by doing slow motion kicking as you support yourself, and the mirror allows evaluation to ensure proper form. If you cannot kick high, kick low with good form, and with practice and strength development, your kick will get higher. Of course stretching will help, too.
“Practice
