Complete Kicking (15 page)

Immediately after the opponent finishes a backfist strike, throw an inside crescent kick to the face.

common mistakes

MISTAKE 1: The most serious mistake is incorrect distribution of weight.

SOLUTION: If you throw your foot forward too heavily, you expose your face to the opponent. If you lean back while kicking to move away from the incoming opponent, you fall backward. To avoid these errors, make sure that you use short agile footwork before lifting your foot and stay centered over your kicking leg.

• remember

1. Center yourself for balance before kicking.

2. Move your feet first to create optimal distance from the opponent and then kick.

• avoid

1. Tilting the torso

2. Over-rotation of the body

3. Wide arc of the kick

4. Throwing your weight forward

AXE KICK

purpose

Axe kick is primarily used to strike the head and a successful kick often results in a knockout. It is also effective as a counterattack against a roundhouse kick or in stopping a reckless opponent from rushing in on you.

key points

Have a firm base (standing leg) for stability and shift your weight completely onto your standing leg to fully relax the muscles in your kicking leg. Raise your leg as quickly as possible to gain maximum height.

striking area

Bottom of the foot, heel

targets

1. face

2. clavicle

3. sternum

how to

1. From fighting stance, shift your weight fully to your front leg.

2. Bring your leg straight up on the target line with the knee slightly bent. Bring your knee to your chest and, when your foot reaches maximum height, snap it downward.

* You may raise your leg with the knee straight and chop downward the foot, keeping the knee straight. Axe kick may be executed with a snapping force or a chopping force, depending on the application.

As the leg raises vertically, the arms spread horizontally for balance. The entire body should move in unison to generate maximum force in the foot at impact. Tuck your chin down to direct the force of your body forward and prevent leaning back during kicking.

The higher the foot goes, the more power your kick produces. The power of axe kick originates in a large range of motion.

applications

The ultimate goal of axe kick is to strike a stationary or moving target at a perpendicular angle, utilizing the advantage of the length of the leg. Although it requires greater distance to be effective, it is especially useful against a shorter weapon. Thus it is popular in martial art competition to stop punchers and to create distance between you and the opponent.

SPORT APPLICATIONS

Use axe kick to the head as a close quarters counterattack against punching.

Axe kick is a good way to make the opponent move away from you, to create distance or stop an aggressive opponent.

SELF-DEFENSE APPLICATION

An axe kick is a safe and powerful technique against a crouching opponent.

axe kick combinations:

• Axe kick + roundhouse kick

• Axe kick + side kick

• Axe kick + punch + roundhouse kick

• Axe kick + hopping front kick

ACTIVE MUSCLE RELAXATION

When you first begin practicing kicks like axe kick and raising kick, you might find it quite hard to relax your leg muscles, which will cause your kicking height to suffer. Because the leg is so heavy, it can seem nearly impossible to lift it with the lightness necessary to kick above your head while maintaining your posture and balance. To help you relax your muscles while practicing, try using a support, like a stretching bar, to assist with your balance. The stretching bar will help you anchor your upper body position and take some of the stress off your standing leg, allowing you to relax your kicking leg fully.

1. Hold the bar with your rear side hand and anchor your posture with your rear hand and front leg.