Developed by American’s primarily for point-style fighting, the Front Leg Hook Kick is a powerful kicking technique as well as an effective sparring / counter attack technique.

The Hook Kick can be used as a “fake kick”, commonly followed by a turning kick, as well as a block, making it a very versatile move. Because the main target area for the Hook Kick is the face, this is a very difficult technique for someone who is lacking in flexibility. The Hook Kick also makes a very good foot sweep, which can be thrown by anyone regardless of their stretch.

Like the Side Kick, the Hook Kick uses the tensor fascia latae to raise the leg, the hamstring and gluteus muscles to bring the leg into chamber position, and the quadriceps to push the leg out. The hooking motion is created by the hamstrings, however care must be taken not to over-tax the knee tendons and ligaments so as to avoid injury. The striking service is the heel or bottom of the foot.

Common Mistakes
The thing that causes injuries to students throwing the Hook Kick is using the knee tendons to hook the leg. The hooking motion is caused by the quadriceps pushing out as well as the biceps femoris pulling in.

Another very common mistake is bringing the kick too wide, making the kick look too much like a Crescent Kick. Not only will this rob the kick of a majority of its power, but it slows the kick down to the point where the opponent can now jam on you as you try to execute the technique.

Breathing
Inhale before you kick and as you perform the kick, exhale sharply. When you return to ready stance, inhale again.

The post Kicking Secrets: Hook Kick (Front Leg, Moving In) appeared first on West Midlands TAGB Tae Kwon-Do.

Perhaps the most widely used as well as the most powerful kick is the Side Kick. Every martial art discipline has some form of the Side Kick as part of its basic system.

This kick is as versatile as it is common, being used as both an offensive and defensive technique. Strength is generated in a straight line from the mid-section, and because of this the recommended attacking area is the opponents torso area, or in the case of street self defence, the knee area.

The Side Kick is often demonstrated as being thrown face level, but that is not where it is most effective.

The Side Kick uses more muscle groups than any other kick, relying on the tensor fascia latae and gluteus muscles to raise the leg; the abdomen, oblique and biceps femoris muscles to draw the leg into chamber position; and the quadriceps muscles to push the leg out. Each group of muscles must work properly with the next in order for this kick to be thrown effectively. The Side Kick can be thrown from both a stationary position or while moving in towards the target for extra power as well as covering a greater distance.

Common Mistakes
The most common error made during this technique is not drawing the kicking leg up far enough to the chest, keeping the lower leg perpendicular to the floor rather than parallel.

Other mistakes include kicking like a roundhouse kick (which when done as a Side Kick is the cause of the majority of knee related injuries), leaning your body forward rather than back in a vertical line, and separating the movements of the kick rather than keeping them all in one continual motion.

Breathing
Inhale before you kick and as you perform the kick, exhale sharply. When you return to ready stance, inhale again.

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The Twisting Kick is a difficult kick for the beginner – and is not performed until you become a higher grade colour belt. However, it is a fantastic kick to use against a sudden and unexpected attack. Because of the attacking angle, this kick isn’t as powerful as some other kicks, yet this kick still uses the full strength of the quadriceps and gluteus medius muscles, as well as the gastrocnemius muscles.

As a stretch, this technique works on the sartorius area to its maximum because the kick can be thrown in a number of different ways; high section, mid section and groin areas can all be attacked with the Twisting Kick. With a balance similar to that of the Front Snap Kick, the Twisting Kick can be followed by a variety of hand techniques.

Common Mistakes
The most common mistake made while attempting a Twisting Kick is failing to have your kicking leg bent as parallel to the floor as it can be. This results in throwing a kick which is more of a Crescent Kick than a Twisting Kick. Hand in hand with this is the mistake of not using your knee and lower leg to generate power; relying solely on your hips and thighs.

Breathing
Inhale before you kick and as you perform the kick, exhale sharply. When you return to ready stance, inhale again.

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In a modern Tae Kwon-Do championship fight, such as the olympics, the competitors wear chest protectors – which restricts movement. It was because of this lack of mobility that the Axe Kick was developed in Korea during the 1970’s. The Axe Kick is now the most uniquely comprehensive fighting kick in Korea, being thrown out about 80% of the time.

For Self-Defence purposes, the Axe Kick is a powerful addition to anyone’s arsenal, requiring not a lot of distance in order to effectively throw out the kick.

The Axe Kick places a great strain on the hamstrings, and because of this it cannot be thrown safely unless these muscles are well stretched and conditioned. Additionally, this kick is aided by the illicus muscle which holds the leg high and the lumbar muscles in the back which provide support as the kick is brought crashing down on the target.

Common Mistakes
A common error of this kick is to just swing the leg without leaning the hip into it. This will reduce both the speed of the kick as well as its power.

Other errors are leaning forward, which will keep your leg from rising as high as it can, and over-bending the balancing leg, which robs the hamstring and hips of the full benefit of the stretch.

Also, don’t just drop the kicking leg – you must flex the biceps femoris muscle and pull your leg down sharply across your target.

Breathing
Inhale before you kick and as you perform the kick, exhale sharply. When you return to ready stance, inhale again.

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A very powerful attacking tool, the Crescent Kick gets its power from the sartorius, illicus and tensor fascia latae muscles as well as the hamstring and groin area. As effective a stretch as it is a kick, the Crescent Kick is a tremendous aid to increasing balance.

The practical application of the Crescent Kick is when in close quarters with an opponent, delivering a strong blow with the side of your foot to the face. Without flexibility and a good stretch, this kick is hard to throw, but if you have these qualities, then the Crescent Kick is a terrific addition to your arsenal of techniques.

Common Mistakes
The mistake which almost always happens when performing this kick is using just the leg to generate speed without torquing the hips and waist, as well as leaning the torso too far forward (usually done to compensate for lack of stretch). Either mistake will rob the kick of both speed and force, making it less effective than it could be.

Breathing
Inhale before you kick and as you perform the kick, exhale sharply. When you return to ready stance, inhale again.

The post Kicking Secrets: Crescent Kicks (Inside to Outside) appeared first on West Midlands TAGB Tae Kwon-Do.

In between the Axe Kick and Front Snap Kick is the Pushing Kick. The Pushing Kick, whose action is just as it sounds – a solid pushing motion with the bottom of the foot, has been developed and used to the great advantage lately by the Olympic Tae Kwon-Do stylists who see it as an effective technique which rises above the restrictions of fighting while wearing chest protectors.

Used both offensively as well as defensively, the Pushing Kick serves a lot of needs while sparring. If an opponent is rushing in, a Pushing Kick can help to keep them off of you. If you are trying to set up your opponent for a hand or foot technique, then the Pushing Kick can move them to a proper distance. Also, since the chamber of a Pushing Kick is halfway between those of the Front Snap Kick and Axe Kick, the Pushing Kick can be thrown as an afterthought when the Front Snap or Axe Kick that you were getting ready to throw turns out to be the wrong move at the wrong time.

Because your body remains upright while throwing this technique, it is fairly easy to keep your balance. The Pushing Kick gets its power from the quadriceps which thrust out the kicking leg – and the abdominal, illiacus, and biceps femoris muscles which help to keep the leg in chamber position.

Common Mistakes
The single most common mistake made while executing the Pushing Kick is failure to bring the kicking leg up into a high chamber position with the flat of the foot facing the opponent. The pushing action is straight out from your chest to your opponents.

The other most common error is to not follow the Pushing Kick with an effective follow up technique or techniques. The Pushing Kick is a good technique but cannot stand on its own.

Breathing
Inhale before you kick and as you perform the kick, exhale sharply. When you return to ready stance, inhale again.

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The Front Snap Kick is a reasonably easy technique to throw, making it both fast and versatile.

This kick is performed by lifting the quadriceps and simultaneously throwing the kick out using your knee. This kick is performed 2 different ways, for example, the kick performed in Do San Tul is for closer distance than when performed in Yul Gok Tul. During pattern Yul Gok, the upper body leans back slightly as the kick is thrown to add distance and to give the kick reach.

Getting its force mainly from the quadriceps and gluteus muscles as well as the knee tendon and arch tendon areas, the Front Snap Kick is an attacking technique, rather than a stretching exercise such as the Front Rising Kick.

The kick can be thrown a number of ways for a variety of purposes. Thrown high, this kick is an attack to the face. Thrown straight out in front or slightly lower, this kick can be used on targets such as the solar plexus and/or groin area.

Because balance is so easily places on the rear leg while executing this technique, the Front Snap Kick can be easily followed with hand techniques.

In Korea, the Front Snap Kick is enjoying a renewed following with tournament fighters using it as a pushing type of technique for defense, as well as backing it up as a double technique for offense.

Common Mistakes
The most common mistake when it comes to the Front Snap Kick is to bring the kicking leg too far in front of you before throwing the technique. This prevents you from gaining the speed and power from your hips and quadricep muscle.

This is also a common cause of knee injuries, because the knee must bear the full brunt of the kick’s forward force.

Other mistakes include not pulling the toes back, striking the target with the toes rather than the ball of the foot, separating the cocking of the leg and the throwing of the leg (these should happen together), and leaning too far forward.

Breathing
Inhale before throwing the kick, and as you execute the technique, exhale sharply. As you return to ready stance, inhale again.

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The Front Rising Kick is the first kick you will learn in Tae Kwon-Do – often referred to as “The Leg Raise Exercise”.

This kick is the one of the most powerful kicks – if performed correctly, and it will also sharpen your other basic kicks, hence why it is performed first by the beginner. As a stretching technique, this kick develops and strengthens the biceps femoris area as well as the illicus and gluteus muscles, arch tension, hamstring and lower abdomen areas.
It will also help you develop balance and speed.

The practical applications of this kick are varied. Rising up with the ball of your foot, the Front Rising Kick is a powerful attach for the groin area or under the chin – however using the heel on the way back down can cause a devastating blow to the face or collar bone.

Common Mistakes
A common error when it comes to the Front Rising Kick is to just swing the leg without leaning the hip into it. This will reduce both the speed of the kick as well as its power.

Other errors include leaning forward, which keeps your leg from rising as high as it can, and bending-over the balancing leg – which hinders the full development of the stretch in the hips and hamstrings.

Breathing
Inhale before the kick, as you rise up with the kick exhale sharply. When you return to ready stance, inhale again.

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