how do you get speed in your kick?

[miniaq]

Thank you for taking the time and putting together this material. Like yourself I ve been around the martial arts game for over two decades now. I started in TKD at the late age of 20, took up karate while living in France where I got my black belt in 1988, trained with the likes of Dominique Valera and lots of top French guys that dominated the sport for a few years, Panda, Sarfati.......I'm 42 years old now and despite the responsibilities of 50-60 hour weeks and family I still work out at least three times a week, not the mcdojo stuff you referred to I'm old school so a bloody nose a bruised rib etc...has always been a part of the game and in a stupid (according to my wife) and unexplainable way I enjoy it.
I have tried dynamic stretching after a good warmup without going thru passive or static stretching on more than one occasion, but never really worked for me and I always sensed that my muscles were too tight which could lead to injury. Again I appreciate your sharing this information.

 

[Evil Eye Gouger]

Thank you for taking the time and putting together this material. Like yourself I ve been around the martial arts game for over two decades now. I started in TKD at the late age of 20, took up karate while living in France where I got my black belt in 1988, trained with the likes of Dominique Valera and lots of top French guys that dominated the sport for a few years, Panda, Sarfati.......

I'm glad to hear that. You're right, it doesn't sound like McDojo at all.

But still, exercise science has advanced since the days when these champions were learning. Some of them were amazingly physically gifted and got results even with "old-school" techniques.

But, while I am as traditional as they come when it comes to basics and technique, I also believe it is important to learn from the scientific improvements and incorporate them into training.

I'm 42 years old now and despite the responsibilities of 50-60 hour weeks and family I still work out at least three times a week, not the mcdojo stuff you referred to I'm old school so a bloody nose a bruised rib etc...has always been a part of the game and in a stupid (according to my wife) and unexplainable way I enjoy it.

That's really good for you. I also train at least three times a week (up to six). I spend at least half an hour a day for stretching and working out alone. I do interval training for endurance. I work on strengthening the shins and insteps at home a few times a week. I like pain, and it has its place.

But, after having injury after injury taking me away from doing what I enjoy doing (hard training), I had to reconsider my stretching methods.

And that's all I'm trying to do. Spread the information that helped me, and which is scientifically grounded.

I have tried dynamic stretching after a good warmup without going thru passive or static stretching on more than one occasion, but never really worked for me and I always sensed that my muscles were too tight which could lead to injury. Again I appreciate your sharing this information.

Well, after a while, your body may adapt to the way you've always done things, especially after 20 years.

The trick with dynamic stretches is to start slowly, and build it up over a period of weeks. The first set of leg swings should be below your knees. The fourth or fifth set should approach your maximum flexibility. The leg swings should be controlled, and stop as soon as the muscle tightness starts limiting the movement.

After a few months, you will need a couple of sets, and you'll be as loose as ever.

Of course, you still need to develop the static flexibility (which will ultimately limit your dynamic flexibility too), with static stretches (PNF stretches, static active stretches and relaxed stretches), but this should be done after the workout.

 

[furious_styles]

Have a partner feed you targets with the focus pads.
Stay loose and dont strike till your partner pulls out the target.
Try to improve your reaction time. This will teach you to quickly fire your kicks when openings present them selves.

When doing these sessions only do up to 6 reps, you are not training for endurence only speed.
Do not worry to much about perfect technique either just fire as fast as possible.

 

[Trudge]

dynamic stretching is very useful in preventing injury and making you flexible.
you won't see all that many changes in speed though (if any at all)
a great way to train speed is throw kicks as fast as you possibly can at your local swimming pool, do it for the same amount of time as you would hit a bag and you'll see a difference after about 6-8 weeks if you do it 3-4 times a week.
you only need to do 20 mins each leg and you will feel the burn.
this is the only form of completely safe resistance training because as many people have said it ruins your ligaments and tendens if you weigh your legs down and then kick.
also it makes it so you can do it alone, without a bag and without the risk of you jarring your knees
try it and let me know how it goes

 

[hockeyfacekilla**]

relax. That's the best advice, by far in this thread. Also, I would strongly advise against wearing ankle weights while kicking: it could'nt be good for your joints, especially knees.

i can kick faster when my legs are barely bent. the problem with this is my boxing isn't the best. what am i doing wrong? should i just learn to box like that?

 

[Poseidon]

I've had the same problem, cheers for the tips also. I don't do it enough also.

 

[JooJitzoo]

1) Stretch... all the time. Flexibility will allow less resistance from your muscles.

2) Proper exercise... skip rope, sprints, high knees. These exercises will work the muscles necessary for kicking and give them constant work.

3) Hit the pad... alot. The more you give your muscles muscle familiarization the faster they'll get... in time.

4) Diet... protein will develop, calories and healthy carbs will empower when you're doing something active.

5) And most importantly... practice your body's ergonomics. Most people fail to do this, which means they fail to use their natural tools. Get drills in learning how to kick properly while maximizing the physics of your body to back it all up. Ex. Case of the low roundhouse kick. Leaning back properly during the execution of the technique will create a whipping effect with your roundhouse kick.

 

[beatin'stick]

For those involved in the stretching debate.
EEG is right. On my college track team we were always told to warm up, but not to stretchout until we were very warmed up, and preferably after the workout.

One point I debate with EEG is the arguement behind the physiology. True that muscles are long enough, but what needs to be stretched is the fascia and longer intermuscular tendons, and sheets of other connective tissue. Muscle come in lots of shapes, and some have tendon running alongside the muscle, or through it for quite a ways. AND this will stretch and improve most when it is very warm, full of blood, and relaxed.

Warm up like crazy, build into the workout step by step, like during our workouts we wouldn't start a 200 M sprint at a dead speed, like it was the Olympics, we'd run 2 at a 26 sec. pace, 2 at a 24,, and 2 hard as we can, then do the stairs. The stretch while you warm down. Flexible is flexible, even when cold, too.

listen to EEG, he isn't full of it..

NEVER put weights on your feet and kick. If you MUST use weights, put them on your waist.

Plyometrics will put speed in your kicks.

 

[Evil Eye Gouger]

Tendon and ligament stretching is fine when you're young (children).

But for older people, this can lead to joint instability.

Generally, for most people, controlling the stretch reflex (learned through patient stretching and strength training) will provide all the flexibility they will need and do it safely.

People like gymnasts, contortionists and Wushu practitioners who need absolutely ridiculous flexibility have to start at a really young age. It's very difficult to get a 20-year old to display gymnast flexibility, regardless of your training methods.

For pretty much everybody else (including TKD and other kicking arts), I believe dynamic stretches, relaxed stretches, PNF stretches and static active stretches are more then enough, and you don't need to mess with the tendons at all.

 

[Blomy]

The best thing you can do to improve your kicks is to hit the thai pads
What's Buakaw when he hits leg kicks at a continuous pace with the same leg.This is what you should do.It is really important to leave your whole body and especially your Leg relaxed when you kick.You should also stretch a lot in order to get your legs relaxed and not stiff.
YouTube - Buakaw training HL watch it at 0:57 sec.
You can also practice those types of fast Kicks in the air.But the best thing to do is the Thai pads.Everything else is supplementary.
One last tip,when you wanna be fast and hit fast first imagine of your self hitting fast.

 

[ChachiKiller]

Tendon and ligament stretching is fine when you're young (children).

But for older people, this can lead to joint instability.

Generally, for most people, controlling the stretch reflex (learned through patient stretching and strength training) will provide all the flexibility they will need and do it safely.

People like gymnasts, contortionists and Wushu practitioners who need absolutely ridiculous flexibility have to start at a really young age. It's very difficult to get a 20-year old to display gymnast flexibility, regardless of your training methods.

For pretty much everybody else (including TKD and other kicking arts), I believe dynamic stretches, relaxed stretches, PNF stretches and static active stretches are more then enough, and you don't need to mess with the tendons at all.

Perfect. That may be the first time I saw the stretch reflex mentioned here.

 

[koreankid6413]

flexibility is a big deal

 

[OAKS]

I agree with everyone that mentioned flexibility, strength, relaxing, and repetition as ways to increase your kicking speed. I would like to add that using your feet to do things like switching on and off light swithes, opening doors, picking up stuff, etc., is a great way to help increase your kicking proficiency. It works on balance and accuracy.