How to improve kick with my non-dominant leg

SuperAzn812

SuperAzn812

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Hey everybody,
I just recently started training in muay thai. I can throw kicks with nice force and technique with my right leg. I'm a righty, so natrually I'm a lot more comfortable with kicking with my right leg. However, when I try kicking with my left leg, it seems like I can't snap my hips and turn my leg correctly. The kick feels very awkward and I feel off balanced.

My instructor says I just have to keep on practicing, but start it slow because if I try to kick too fast, I'll lose technique.

Any suggestions?

I'm trying to pull of a head kick too, but I know I need to be flexible enough. Is there any other muscles I should stretch besides the groin?

Thanks
 
bend your post leg a lot more, step a little further over to.
bending will give more power as you kick through the guy,more balance to,yry that to begin with.
 
I just recently turned the corner with my left kick. What I found really helped was simply focusing on turning my hips over and pivoting on my right foot. If the kick wasn't hard that was okay, as long as it felt like I had good technique. After a while the motion became more natural and I was able to add more power. For head kicks, proper technique is half the battle.
 
Just go through the motions slowly on a heavy bag and just gradually increase speed as you get a better feel.
 
I don't really train or anything but I'm strangely equally comfortable kicking with both legs, and I feel slightly more solid kicking with my left because my right leg is stronger (therefore gives me a better base).

Now if only I could improve my technique a bit, and kick higher too!

Another question: When you kick the air, without hitting anything, do you find it hard to return your foot to the back, and it takes longer than it took to bring the kick out?
 
Liquid Rockface said:
Another question: When you kick the air, without hitting anything, do you find it hard to return your foot to the back, and it takes longer than it took to bring the kick out?
Click to expand...

You aren't suppose to bring it back when shadowboxing. You should be following through the kick 360 degrees.
 
Liquid Rockface said:
I don't really train or anything but I'm strangely equally comfortable kicking with both legs, and I feel slightly more solid kicking with my left because my right leg is stronger (therefore gives me a better base).

Now if only I could improve my technique a bit, and kick higher too!

Another question: When you kick the air, without hitting anything, do you find it hard to return your foot to the back, and it takes longer than it took to bring the kick out?
Click to expand...

Yes, it does I kinda find it difficult to turn 360 naturually. I think thats my lack of experience and flexibility. But I'm trying to pick up as much pointers as possible so feel free to correct me if I'm wrong
 
People tell me my technique is better with my left side even though it feels awkard to me. I think it's because i feel so akward i think about every movent i'm making, i don't know.
 
I rarely through a kick where I don't step off on a 45 degree line first. Whether that be a left or a right. So that's my first pointer.

Take you normal stance. Either switch (which your Thai instructor may prefer you to do), or step your right leg forward and off to the side on a 45 degree angle (or there about, but step off the centre line... no need to get out a protractor or anything). This does two things. Firstyl is opens your hips up so you can generate better power through technique. Secondly, your momentum is moving forward and hence a your body weight will add to the power of the kick.

Second pointer is the make sure your right leg (in this case) is on the ball of your foot, and turning away from your opponent. Again, this opens your hips and will enable you to kick higher (stretched hamstring, not groin so much).

Finally, when shadow boxing, try to circle on your kicks as it will develop flow in your technique. Secondly if you kick like this you are driving THROUGH your opponent/heavy bag etc not just trying to land the kick.

Of course there's more, but start here and see how it works for you. The rest is built on this, so if this doesn't work for you, the rest of my advice won't either.

Cheers
 
Just go through the motions over and over again. There really is no going around practice.
 
SuperAzn812 said:
Hey everybody,
I just recently started training in muay thai. I can throw kicks with nice force and technique with my right leg. I'm a righty, so natrually I'm a lot more comfortable with kicking with my right leg. However, when I try kicking with my left leg, it seems like I can't snap my hips and turn my leg correctly. The kick feels very awkward and I feel off balanced.

My instructor says I just have to keep on practicing, but start it slow because if I try to kick too fast, I'll lose technique.

Any suggestions?

I'm trying to pull of a head kick too, but I know I need to be flexible enough. Is there any other muscles I should stretch besides the groin?

Thanks
Click to expand...

"I just recently started training in muay thai. " That just about says it all. Just give it time. Make a point to be dexterous with both legs rather than have a totally dominant leg.
 
waikru101 said:
bend your post leg a lot more, step a little further over to.
bending will give more power as you kick through the guy,more balance to,yry that to begin with.
Click to expand...

Exactly!

A good drill I was taught that helped me a great deal.

Was to place my right foot (post leg) where it should be when coming through/finishing the kick. This will almost have your back towards the bag.

Then from this position pick up the left leg and kick the bag as hard as you can. You will look like a jack-ass! But this will help you to develop the ability to turn your hips over......... I know, sounds strange....... worked for me!
 
P-E Studio IOM said:
I rarely through a kick where I don't step off on a 45 degree line first. Whether that be a left or a right. So that's my first pointer.
Click to expand...

Good advice when learning to kick. However, once your comfortable you should practice variations...... That 45 step is the easiest way to see a kick coming, it can telegraph your kicks with a better fighter. (unless your circling your opponent)
 
ssullivan80 said:
Good advice when learning to kick. However, once your comfortable you should practice variations...... That 45 step is the easiest way to see a kick coming, it can telegraph your kicks with a better fighter. (unless your circling your opponent)
Click to expand...

Most definitely.

But once you have the technique down you need to practice setting up the kick. When fireing the kick like this, or for any truly effective kick (not just a hard kick, but a well placed hard kick) is through 3 cues.

Your opponent is hurt
Your opponent is distracted
Your opponents structure is disrupted (off balance, moving backwards or broken stance)

I prefer to set my kicks up with my hands, which will either hurt my opponent or distract them so I can step on the 45 and fire the kick in.

I may also hit their guard hard, or push them to try to disrupt their structure or move them back to again step on a 45 and sink a kick in.

This is a 90% rule for me, but off course you can throw other kicks in there without stepping off, however this is how I set up effective kicks, not just throwing kicks about. Think of it as setting up a effective punch or knock out, except with you feet.
 
SuperAzn812 said:
Hey everybody,
I just recently started training in muay thai. I can throw kicks with nice force and technique with my right leg. I'm a righty, so natrually I'm a lot more comfortable with kicking with my right leg. However, when I try kicking with my left leg, it seems like I can't snap my hips and turn my leg correctly. The kick feels very awkward and I feel off balanced.

My instructor says I just have to keep on practicing, but start it slow because if I try to kick too fast, I'll lose technique.

Any suggestions?

I'm trying to pull of a head kick too, but I know I need to be flexible enough. Is there any other muscles I should stretch besides the groin?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Your instructor is right, just keep practicing. Practice it a million times until it "clicks." I remember throwing Muay Thai kicks was akward for me the first month and then all the sudden it clicked and they became natural for me. If your left feels weird then just practice it more. Also ask your trainer to watch you and give you feed back. That helps ALOT. My trainer corrects me on little things that I dont notice and it helps A LOT.
 
Repetition is fantastic, but it is a double edged sword in the fact that if you do something incorrect over and over again, it will come out all the time and it's a lot of hard work to correct it.

Definitely get your coach to give you feedback on your technique, correct it, and repeat it again and again to program your neuromuscular connections.
 
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