kicking method

Never in my entire life, after over 20 years in martial arts, 2 black belts, god knows how many styles, have I ever heard of anyone suggesting getting as high as possible on the ball of your kicking foot was a thing you would do until this video. I'm so confused.
 
Never in my entire life, after over 20 years in martial arts, 2 black belts, god knows how many styles, have I ever heard of anyone suggesting getting as high as possible on the ball of your kicking foot was a thing you would do until this video. I'm so confused.

your confusing me now, your saying you were not taught to raise onto the ball of your foot? how were you taught? to kick flat footed?

maybe not as high up as possible, but generally speaking, high up on the ball of the foot. If you pay attention to the clips at the end. Its quite easy to see the difference in how high up buakaw is on the ball of his foot vs the thai in the other clip.

take a look at this video for comparison, notice how he raises on the ball of the foot. the alternative way to kick, as I explained in my video, is to pivot without raising. You can see the thai in last clip of my video kicking this way several times.

 
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My thought is you get enough on the ball of your foot to eliminate the friction. I'm not sure what benefit you get from going any higher than that. Basically hover your heel off the ground, but not tip-toes.

I guess the one exception would be where you're spinning so much that you need some leeway because you're going to be minusculely off balance. Multiple roundhouses fall into that category, you want to be higher because if you're as low a possible, your balance check may put you flat footed. Edit: Maybe a better way to put it, the sloppier your kick, the higher you go up.

Edit 2: Fun fact, there are actually chinese styles that advocate staying on your heels rather than toes. I don't know much about them or why. I thiiiiink tai-chi is one of them?
 
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Easier for me to make contact with headkicks if I'm high up on the ball of my foot. Not stretchy enough to land shins on faces while flat footed.
 
Easier for me to make contact with headkicks if I'm high up on the ball of my foot. Not stretchy enough to land shins on faces while flat footed.

I almost mentioned that, but I way back in the day come from a TSD background where you were a total loser if you couldn't do a complete split. I think that's a valid point, and definitely why a lot of UFC roundhouses look like complete crap yet still get the job done (prime Rashad I'm looking at you). Also I'm almost a shade over 6'4 so... ya, my view can be distorted I suppose.
 
My thought is you get enough on the ball of your foot to eliminate the friction. I'm not sure what benefit you get from going any higher than that. Basically hover your heel off the ground, but not tip-toes.

I guess the one exception would be where you're spinning so much that you need some leeway because you're going to be minusculely off balance. Multiple roundhouses fall into that category, you want to be higher because if you're as low a possible, your balance check may put you flat footed. Edit: Maybe a better way to put it, the sloppier your kick, the higher you go up.

I see, I was originally taught this way



I was then taught the way i explained in the video.

I now utilize both. it really depends on what your doing.


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Easier for me to make contact with headkicks if I'm high up on the ball of my foot. Not stretchy enough to land shins on faces while flat footed.

i totally agree, thats why i say, with basically every technique, its all just a general rule of thumb. Everyones body is different so you must use what works best for you.
 
For the roundhouse, I am almost always on the high method. I think I'm only flat if i go for a power low kick with a step in, or a sweep low.
I'm also high for the teep if it's an offensive one, and flat only if its a front leg defensive one...
 
For the roundhouse, I am almost always on the high method. I think I'm only flat if i go for a power low kick with a step in, or a sweep low.
I'm also high for the teep if it's an offensive one, and flat only if its a front leg defensive one...

Why though? I can only see downsides in an average situation. And I'm not talking about flat footed versus on the ball; if you're kicking you're on the ball. What is the purpose of going way up high on tip toe instead of just skimming to eliminate friction?
 
@fluffball

-I feel longer. It may sound stupid for so little length added, but i feel that i can stretch my legs more when I'm high on the ball.
-I feel that my rotation is faster.
-And I feel that my rotation back after the kick, is faster and smoother, that i have a better control over it.

The more flat i am (as you said, not fully), the more heavy/compact i feel. Which is not necessarily a bad thing in some situations.

And i don't feel i loose a big amount of power.

Funny think is that i was taught that way both in MT and TKD ITF...

But in the end of the day, i think it's like shinchekin said... It's probably a personal preference, and wont have a huge difference.
But it just feels right for me.
 
@fluffball

Another think that may play a part, is how my stance is.
I have a heavy back footed balance. The front foot is almost on the toes, very light. So its faster for me to just rotate from there, without putting it down any more than it's already is.
 
@fluffball

Another think that may play a part, is how my stance is.
I have a heavy back footed balance. The front foot is almost on the toes, very light. So its faster for me to just rotate from there, without putting it down any more than it's already is.

I'm VERY front foot focused, except in a boxing stance.

I need to get back up to Sityodtong keeping this in mind.

Every now and then stupid Sherdog will surprise you with some good questions.

Edit: I just spent a bunch of minutes kicking in every way I can think of off of both feet and I can't find an excuse to go up high. Felt AWFUL and slow.
 
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@fluffball

I just tried some kicks to have a better feel of what we are talking about.

I'm not sure i will be able to explain properly, but here it is:

Lets say that we have 3 positions of the pivoting foot.
Flat
45°
90°

With no movement:

-When i am flat, i feel the force of my weight been distributed between my heel and the ball of the foot.

-When in 45, the main force pushing down is at the ball obviously, but i can still feel a force pushing down at my heel, because my body is aligned above it. That force makes me want to step fully down, to be flat footed.

-At 90 the force is only at the ball of the foot, because now, the heel, and the rest of the leg is aligned above that point. The force pushing down is already at the point of contact.

With rotation:

-Flat: no need to discuss.

-45. When I raise my foot to a 45°, stop, then try to rotate, i find it very difficult. I have to help it with my shoulders and hips.

-90. When I raise my foot at 90, stop then try to rotate, i find it a lot easier. I feel like the toes/ball, ankle, and leg are locked in a straight line, making it a lot easier to rotate. I just need a little help from the hips.


I don't know if that make any sense to you, or even if its understandable the way i describe it. But dont forget that i'm always right.

In before j123 comments on the balls...
 
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Being high on the ball of your foot or low changes the angle of your kick slightly.
Being high on the ball of the the foot should come because your driving up with your calf muscle. As the kick lands it should be still traveling up and through your opponent.
Being low on the ball of yours foot means you have a little more rotation in your hip and pivot. The kick will land slightly more horizontal and to the side.
No right way, diffent strokes for different folks
 
@fluffball

I just tried some kicks to have a better feel of what we are talking about.

I'm not sure i will be able to explain properly, but here it is:

Lets say that we have 3 positions of the pivoting foot.
Flat
45°
90°

With no movement:

-When i am flat, i feel the force of my weight been distributed between my heel and the ball of the foot.

-When in 45, the main force pushing down is at the ball obviously, but i can still feel a force pushing down at my heel, because my body is aligned above it. That force makes me want to step fully down, to be flat footed.

-At 90 the force is only at the ball of the foot, because now, the heel, and the rest of the leg is aligned above that point. The force pushing down is already at the point of contact.

With rotation:

-Flat: no need to discuss.

-45. When I raise my foot to a 45°, stop, then try to rotate, i find it very difficult. I have to help it with my shoulders and hips.

-90. When I raise my foot at 90, stop then try to rotate, i find it a lot easier. I feel like the toes/ball, ankle, and leg are locked in a straight line, making it a lot easier to rotate. I just need a little help from the hips.


I don't know if that make any sense to you, or even if its understandable the way i describe it. But dont forget that i'm always right.

In before j123 comments on the balls...
I getting old and my hips give me shit so I have different foot positions for different kick.
For low kicks I step wide and flat footed almost 90deg to my oppo, drop my knee and chop down into the low kick. A poor imitation of Ernesto Hoost. I don’t pivot at all as my foot is already at 90deg and it pulls my hips round.
Right mid kick I drive up high with my calf fully extended. Left kick I stay lower and rotate more.
@ctrlaltdelete my hips won’t let me do the standard upright body position head kick either. Even if I lean back I loose a lot of power. I pivot around so that I’m almost facing away from my opponent and land questionmark kick.
 
I find the higher up I am on my feet the less balance I have, no matter the height of the kick. might be due to a lack of experience with the movements.

I was always taught to just barely take my foot off the ground, but I like experimenting.
 
I made it 40 sec into the video. Why should we listen to a very stoned person. Who is that?

Anyway. There are as many was to kick a round kick, as there are different ways to do a left hook in boxing.

That being said. It wont hurt to have a little spring in your foot.
 
For the roundhouse, I am almost always on the high method. I think I'm only flat if i go for a power low kick with a step in, or a sweep low.
I'm also high for the teep if it's an offensive one, and flat only if its a front leg defensive one...
I'm the. Same way... I was taught to sideways be on your toes in thai boxing
 
I made it 40 sec into the video. Why should we listen to a very stoned person. Who is that?

Anyway. There are as many was to kick a round kick, as there are different ways to do a left hook in boxing.

That being said. It wont hurt to have a little spring in your foot.

Its me in the video. Im not stoned in the video either. 40 seconds into the video, you have a short attention span. If you didnt take the time to listen to the whole thing, you cannot form an educated opinion on the topic as you dont know what its about.

Hows your 100 weeks to pro debut coming along?

whens your next fight? i have asked you this a couple of times now. Dont know if you missed it or are just choosing to ignore me?
 
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