Dropping the hand when throwing a high kick

Is that why astronauts can fly through space by waving their arms?

Haha By any chance have you recently rented Gravity on DVD?

You can't convert angular momentum (rotation) into linear momentum(forward momentum) so no, astronauts cant fly through space by waving their arms because arm waving is a rotational force. Now a roundhouse kick to the face is also a rotational force, so you would need an equal and opposite rotational force on the other side of your body's center of gravity. Waving your arms would be your only option in space.

I would just forget about kicking in space. The "2 leg superman punch" would be a far better way of transfering maximum linear momentum into the fist.
 
Haha By any chance have you recently rented Gravity on DVD?

You can't convert angular momentum (rotation) into linear momentum(forward momentum) so no, astronauts cant fly through space by waving their arms because arm waving is a rotational force. Now a roundhouse kick to the face is also a rotational force, so you would need an equal and opposite rotational force on the other side of your body's center of gravity. Waving your arms would be your only option in space.

I would just forget about kicking in space. The "2 leg superman punch" would be a far better way of transfering maximum linear momentum into the fist.

this guy knows whats up...his location is detailed enough to include "Milky Way" in it.
 
Haha By any chance have you recently rented Gravity on DVD?

You can't convert angular momentum (rotation) into linear momentum(forward momentum) so no, astronauts cant fly through space by waving their arms because arm waving is a rotational force. Now a roundhouse kick to the face is also a rotational force, so you would need an equal and opposite rotational force on the other side of your body's center of gravity. Waving your arms would be your only option in space.

I would just forget about kicking in space. The "2 leg superman punch" would be a far better way of transfering maximum linear momentum into the fist.

Tim-and-Eric-Space-Explosions.gif
 
The arm swing (or non swing) is more about twisting the upper body into the kick. If you just snap your arm back as you kick, your twisting you upper body away from the kick and losing power. If you reach across yourself then pull yourself forward, your twisting your body into the kick.

Shoulders twist forwards first, then hips follow.
 
Oh goodness, what a bump.

FWIW, I always swing my arm down as a counterbalance when I kick.
 
Legs mahony is talking absolute bollocks and therefore I hope he one day gets knocked out by a high kick thrown with a swinging arm. that is all.
 
Wow, great logic. Do things the easy way because you think it'll help you not get punched in the face, and still end up retiring because you've hurt yourself over time.

So your logic is that allowing yourself to be "punched in the face" is the "easy way" to avoid injury and retire healthy? WTF!............ I bet you believe the "pull out" method is the easy way to avoid pregnancy too!

Personally, if the "easy way" = not getting punched in the face or getting punched in the face less, I'll go ahead and opt for the "easy way"........ :rolleyes:
 
I had an old Thai in the US harp on me about keeping both hands glued to my face while kicking. One of his assistants explained that if you throw your arm back you are losing momentum you could be throwing in to the kick.... this stuff ALMOST makes sense, but I won't do it just bc I've tried and it feels straight up GOOFY no matter how much I do it. Your balance gets compromised.

He is the only instructor I've ever met that advocated hands up on the kick. He is VERY old though and I think some of his stuff he didn't actually do when he was in the ring.
 
I had an old Thai in the US harp on me about keeping both hands glued to my face while kicking. One of his assistants explained that if you throw your arm back you are losing momentum you could be throwing in to the kick.... this stuff ALMOST makes sense, but I won't do it just bc I've tried and it feels straight up GOOFY no matter how much I do it. Your balance gets compromised.

He is the only instructor I've ever met that advocated hands up on the kick. He is VERY old though and I think some of his stuff he didn't actually do when he was in the ring.

Just because someone is Thai, doesn't make them correct.
 
I had an old Thai in the US harp on me about keeping both hands glued to my face while kicking. One of his assistants explained that if you throw your arm back you are losing momentum you could be throwing in to the kick.... this stuff ALMOST makes sense, but I won't do it just bc I've tried and it feels straight up GOOFY no matter how much I do it. Your balance gets compromised.

He is the only instructor I've ever met that advocated hands up on the kick. He is VERY old though and I think some of his stuff he didn't actually do when he was in the ring.

not a good example of it but ive seen Tyrone Spong do it (in WSOF, at least)...was on low kicks though:

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It seems as though there's many variations on the Thai kick, much more than what gets taught over here. That being said, it's possible to kick with both hands "up", in a manner of speaking.

Had the chance to train briefly for like two days in Thailand out of what was otherwise a recreational trip, but one of the things that was taught was something much like what was/is being argued about here.

Assuming an orthodox stance, and using the right (rear) leg to kick, the right hand can, instead of moving downwards, move outwards towards the opponent instead. This can help stifle counters in appropriate instances. As for the mechanics of the kick, it is in fact thrown slightly differently, keeping in mind that my roundhouse will not be necessarily *your* roundhouse.

As for whether or not the absence of the downward swinging arm would impact momentum and counterbalancing thus making the kick less powerful, as long as the right arm is moving away from the pivot point or axis of the kick, it would serve to keep the kicker more balanced throughout the movement than without.

Some people might also be imagining a different movement in their heads (the 2010 discussion, at least). Keeping both hands up does not mean that the shoulders are static. Just like how throwing alternating hooks doesn't whip the puncher's head left and right violently, the shoulders can still move with the kick, while the right arm remains pretty much in the same place.


Kicking in this manner almost forces you to delay the rotation of your shoulders until later into the movement, which can help coordinate your weight more efficiently as one, thus resulting in a penetrating kick.
 
As for whether or not the absence of the downward swinging arm would impact momentum and counterbalancing thus making the kick less powerful, as long as the right arm is moving away from the pivot point or axis of the kick, it would serve to keep the kicker more balanced throughout the movement than without.

Bingo! Out or down doesn't matter, so long as the movement is natural and serves its purpose!
 
It seems as though there's many variations on the Thai kick, much more than what gets taught over here. That being said, it's possible to kick with both hands "up", in a manner of speaking.

Had the chance to train briefly for like two days in Thailand out of what was otherwise a recreational trip, but one of the things that was taught was something much like what was/is being argued about here.

Assuming an orthodox stance, and using the right (rear) leg to kick, the right hand can, instead of moving downwards, move outwards towards the opponent instead. This can help stifle counters in appropriate instances. As for the mechanics of the kick, it is in fact thrown slightly differently, keeping in mind that my roundhouse will not be necessarily *your* roundhouse.

As for whether or not the absence of the downward swinging arm would impact momentum and counterbalancing thus making the kick less powerful, as long as the right arm is moving away from the pivot point or axis of the kick, it would serve to keep the kicker more balanced throughout the movement than without.

Some people might also be imagining a different movement in their heads (the 2010 discussion, at least). Keeping both hands up does not mean that the shoulders are static. Just like how throwing alternating hooks doesn't whip the puncher's head left and right violently, the shoulders can still move with the kick, while the right arm remains pretty much in the same place.


Kicking in this manner almost forces you to delay the rotation of your shoulders until later into the movement, which can help coordinate your weight more efficiently as one, thus resulting in a penetrating kick.

Sam-A's technique comes to mind when you mention throwing the arm outwards instead of down. im trying to learn that way to see if it is better for my body mechanics. kinda pissed i never made it to his gym, as my hotel room was staring directly at it out the window.



but some guys in the 2010 discussion were arguing no swing at all...can you show any videos of nakmuays throwing it this way?
 
It would seem to me that the hand swinging is indicative of proper counter shoulder rotation.

One can achieve the shoulder rotation without flinging your forearm down.

People don't because high kick range is usually out of counter range: legs be long and kicker be probably leaning back.

Spong like Hoost keeps hands up with leg kicks because he is close enough for a counter.

You still would not enjoy being hit with it.
 
Sam-A's technique comes to mind when you mention throwing the arm outwards instead of down. im trying to learn that way to see if it is better for my body mechanics. kinda pissed i never made it to his gym, as my hotel room was staring directly at it out the window.



but some guys in the 2010 discussion were arguing no swing at all...can you show any videos of nakmuays throwing it this way?


ha ha that's ridiculous! First time I've seen that video. Love the end 'Kongsak!'

For people confused over the counter rotation in terms of adding or subtracting power think of it as a see-saw with the pivot point at the hips. One side goes up the other side goes down. The shoulder and arms rotating the opposite way around that pivot and actually add power to the kick which rotates the opposite way.
 
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