High Kicking, your knee is what determines how high you kick

is this true? I have been training kicks and stretching for 2 years now and still to this day I cannot kick as high as I want to. kicking at head height is pretty difficult for me at the moment. Although when leaning on a wall and raising my leg as high as I can, I can go above my head, but for some reason when doing the actual kick, my knee always stops me from going as high as I want.

So, one question comes to mind, how does one practice the knee? all I know are front splits, side splits, chinese splits, frog stretch, and etc... but I have no idea how to get the knee up really high so I can extend it out for a kick.

anyone know how to get the knee up high in a chamber for a kick?

 

With this Brazilian kick you only have to bring the knee to your opponent's waist.

Check out Glaube Feitosa's highlights, he was a master of the Brazilian kick with both legs.

 

the guy looked like he didn't need to raise his knee up that high... that's interesting. looks like he's only leaning slightly back, and his balance looks good. maybe I just need to practice leaning back a slight bit more and train my balance, but for sure, I know my knee can't go up that high

 

If you like to chamber your kicks then these are good videos about building up leg strength and chamber strength, he also does some good stretching videos. I'm not a TKD guy but I find this guys videos useful to improve leg dexterity

 

If you have flexibility, not leaning back is optimal for power and balance. If you dont have flexibility or your opponent is tall you can lean back a little bit.

 

Well if its a muay thai kick. I dont have a clue about tkd kicks

 

Yeah, not leaning back when using kicks offensively is important because it makes it harder to follow up with hands if you lean back. If you are putting together a combo intending on throwing hands after your kick has landed then leaning back needs to be to a minimum.

If you are throwing a kick defensively or as a counter, then you might look to lean back to assist in avoiding the attack.

But because you are talking about head kicks I assume you are talking more from an offensive point of view.

Stretch, and kicking leg strength exercises are good, but also if you are doing 50 kicks, don't always do full power, it's important some nights to do your 50 kicks technical, looking to land accurately and technically, that helps build up the height of your kick too.

You said you can hold your leg up head height, so I suspect you have the leg strength and flexibility, it sounds more like a technique issue, (without seeing how you kick of corse, only speculation from your post), I would suggest work on the technical side of the kick and it will be at head height in no time.

 

I actually think my side splits are just shitty

 

Post a video of your kick. Do you have hip flexibility? Are you swinging your hands correctly to gain momentum?

 

I can do all stretches nearly complete, but my middle splits are really shitty, I mean, chinese splits are easy, but chinese splits don't open up the hip flexors wide.

After doing some more research I think that's my conclusion... it's just the side splits hurt like hell whenever I do it and I get sort of scared

 

Put your foot on something about shooulder height, then practise turning your hip as if youre kicking

 

funny I can front kick someone in the face but I can't roundhouse someone in the head. maybe when I lose some weight my balance will make it easier.

 

That's a great advice! I'll try that asap in training. I put my foot and lay it on this cabinet in my room about higher than shoulder height, and I keep it there in static position but I never "turn the hip" so I only practice that in a static full pivoted position.

probably because you don't stretch much wide just like me. front kicks are easy because it resonates vertical movement such as walking and running.

 

Yeah but start low to warm up though. Starting from hip level is fine. This exercise might stress your knee. You want the hip turn to be smooth and effortless.

Try to mantain good posture ie not leaning back, straight standing leg and get up on the balls of your feet. Practise swinging your hands correctly aswell as if you were kicking something.

 

Yeah I swing my arms slightly a little bit to get more momentum in my kick, but immediately after I try to recover back to hands up otherwise I could get clocked lol