My own round kick - looking for some pointers (with video)

De4dEyE

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Quick background, I have been taking formal training [though the place I go to is less traditional than to my liking] so I have gotten some pointers here and there. Currently I am in-between gyms and so during this period I'm attempting to keep up with practicing on my own until I locate another one.

The quality isn't exactly the best, but hopefully some of you guys can give me some advice in what I'm doing wrong/could do better.

Also note, the metal piece that attaches the heavy bag to the hook literally broke off during this video, coincidentally when I finally decide to have it recorded. :icon_sad:

Anyway, I'm attempting to do a round kick at a 45 degree angle, to hit the floating ribs.

Edit: Uh, don't know how to correctly link the video here... I'll just paste the link.

http://youtu.be/ERw2VNIus_g

Any criticism is appreciated, since I'm still an amateur and would like to learn. Let me know if my hands are off, the twist at the end is bad, I'm chambering... etc. Thanks.
 
For starters, when you make contact with the target the heal of the post foot should be facing the target. This will open the hips. On your left round kick your right thumb goes in your left ear and your left thumb goes in your butt (not literally). This will snap your shoulders in the opposite direction of your kick for power. Your right hand looks to be flying up in the air. Also I don't hear your breath. You need to tighten your stomach and grunt, growl or yell more to get your breath out. You're too quiet when you kick.
 
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For starters, when you make contact with the target the heal of the post foot should be facing the target.

I was always taught to never do this.







try to find one thai that does what you are implying...maybe it is a kung fu thing?
 
try to find one thai that does what you are implying...maybe it is a kung fu thing?

I don't know about kung fu but it's certainly a karate and taekwondo thing. That's not how it's taught in Muay Thai though...
 
I was always taught to never do this.

try to find one thai that does what you are implying...maybe it is a kung fu thing?

It's not a kung fu thing. It's just a training tool to get beginners to open the hips and follow through. It prevents them kicking with a flat post foot like we see many MMA fighters do. Beginners have a tendency to want to throw hard and fast before they have developed proper technique. Over exaggerating the technique for beginners will slow them down. In actual application with speed and power the fighter can't pivot the heel around that far so the training doesn't create a bad habit.
 
It's not a kung fu thing. It's just a training tool to get beginners to open the hips and follow through. It prevents them kicking with a flat post foot like we see many MMA fighters do. Beginners have a tendency to want to throw hard and fast before they have developed proper technique. Over exaggerating the technique for beginners will slow them down. In actual application with speed and power the fighter can't pivot the heel around that far so the training doesn't create a bad habit.

Odd, I honestly have never heard anybody besides TMA/MMA guys teach a kick that way. Students who normally do what you are implying develop other bad techniques (in terms of Muay Thai) for example: doing a 360 when shadow kicking and steeping out with a foot angle great than 45 degrees (sometimes i see people step out at 90 with respect to the normal).
 
For starters, when you make contact with the target the heal of the post foot should be facing the target. This will open the hips. On your left round kick your right thumb goes in your left ear and your left thumb goes in your butt (not literally). This will snap your shoulders in the opposite direction of your kick for power. Your right hand looks to be flying up in the air. Also I don't hear your breath. You need to tighten your stomach and grunt, growl or yell more to get your breath out. You're too quiet when you kick.

Depends on the kick. The higher the kick generally the further the support foot/heel turns until it's almost pointing straight at the opponent. For a neck kick or a Saenchai style brazillian kick (don't know the MT name) you could well see the heel pointing at the opponent but not nearly as often as you'd see in karate or TKD.
 
Hmm, Ok so my hips aren't opening enough for the kick? I also thought my right hand was guarding the side of my face... maybe it's harder to see in the video. Someone on youtube [thanks for the comment btw!] said that my shoulders need to turn more into the kick - if I throw my shoulders into the kick, how do I get the counter rotation in?

Also, I am chambering a bit because of how the bag stand is and how I kinda don't want to bust my foot. Let me know if you guys see anything else!
 
It looks real good to me. You heel does NOT have to face your opponent.
 
I was always taught to never do this.



Was Goliath holding those pads :|

But yeah, I think you're coming along well, you'll find that you'll pick up other little things the more you go along until you develop the kick more. It's far from a simple action, so as you go along you'll probably find you'll develop the other little nuances in what makes the kick work for you. But I think it's very good so far. I'd focus a little more on recalling the kick and I PERSONALLY prefer to pivot further but that's just a preference.
 
You kick looks fine.

I always find it funny to read the advice on this forum when someone posts a video. "Oh you dropped your hand" or "you're not rotating enough"
 
Well, Bas' heel faces his opponent for a split second. I don't know how necessary that is, but the stepping in and turning your heel does seem to be helpful for utilizing the stretch-reflex.

 
Well, Bas' heel faces his opponent for a split second. I don't know how necessary that is, but the stepping in and turning your heel does seem to be helpful for utilizing the stretch-reflex.



Bas is not known for clean technique and he is also not doing a MT styled kick round kick.
 
Bas is not known for clean technique and he is also not doing a MT styled kick round kick.

Well, he was known for liver kicks, and that kick seems powerful enough. I also didn't see that TS was asking for a clean MT kick anywhere.
Not that it matters, I don't really know the intricacies of the different types of round kicks in existence, I was just putting it out there.
 
Well, he was known for liver kicks, and that kick seems powerful enough. I also didn't see that TS was asking for a clean MT kick anywhere.
Not that it matters, I don't really know the intricacies of the different types of round kicks in existence, I was just putting it out there.

Yea but bas thinks jabbing doesn't work in MMA.

But seriously, you can tell watching the video that ts is going for a mt style kick. Keep in mind that bas was a very strong athlete with fantastic mobility, similar to Cro cop. He kicks hard for sure, but those kicks don't look great technically. Not that mt style kicks are the only correct type, but planting the heel is generally so you can get better power with the kicking leg instead of using the support leg and hips. It's weird to do that then push up on the ball of the foot and rotate how he is for a mid kick.
 
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