Question re roundhouse

[Hatake88]

Regarding the roundhouse, do you keep your leg at a somewhat 90 degree bent then kick up - only straightening the leg up and turning the hip over when it gets to the desired height? I've been trying to keep my leg bent at the initial stage of throwing the kick but feel like when I straighten it out at the end its almost like I'm flicking my leg and I don't know if all my power is transferring across...

 

[weirdflex]

No that ain't it pal. Not at all.

You do a the kick with the amount of bend that was already on the leg in your fighting stance, which is slightly bent. You don't pre bend and then straighten it, that is madness.

 

[aerius]

You do a the kick with the amount of bend that was already on the leg in your fighting stance, which is slightly bent. You don't pre bend and then straighten it, that is madness.

Maybe you'd like to tell Yod that he's doing it wrong...

 

[Hatake88]

No that ain't it pal. Not at all.

You do a the kick with the amount of bend that was already on the leg in your fighting stance, which is slightly bent. You don't pre bend and then straighten it, that is madness.

I'm pretty sure you are meant to bend it as it makes the kicking arch more slender...

 

[biscuitsbrah]

I like to exaggerate and keep the end movement as straight as possible. Just to make sure I’m landing with power. As for the bending part. I have never really thought of how my kick starts

 

[Gym Turtle]

Regarding the roundhouse, do you keep your leg at a somewhat 90 degree bent then kick up - only straightening the leg up and turning the hip over when it gets to the desired height? I've been trying to keep my leg bent at the initial stage of throwing the kick but feel like when I straighten it out at the end its almost like I'm flicking my leg and I don't know if all my power is transferring across...

Are you talking about chambering the kick? If you are, that's generally what ends up happening. You get speed at the expense of power.

 

[aerius]

Regarding the roundhouse, do you keep your leg at a somewhat 90 degree bent then kick up - only straightening the leg up and turning the hip over when it gets to the desired height? I've been trying to keep my leg bent at the initial stage of throwing the kick but feel like when I straighten it out at the end its almost like I'm flicking my leg and I don't know if all my power is transferring across...

If it feels like you're flicking your leg, chances are something went wonky in the kick mechanics, either that or you're still working to untrain the TKD style round kick where the leg comes up chambered then snaps through the target.

When a Muay Thai round kick is done right, the leg naturally extends and whips through the target, it doesn't feel like you're flicking or snapping your leg to straighten it and drive it through. The video a few posts above of Yodsanklai kicking in slow motion is pretty much textbook on how a kick should work. At the start of the kick, the lower leg gets "left behind" by the hips & upper leg and the knee is bent at around a 90 degree angle. As the momentum & energy transfers through the kinetic chain, the lower leg "catches back up" and the leg starts straightening out as it nears the target. Ideally, you want your hip & thigh to rotate a bit past the target and still have some bend in the knee at the point of impact, this is what gives full power transfer and drive through the target.

 

[Hatake88]

Are you talking about chambering the kick? If you are, that's generally what ends up happening. You get speed at the expense of power.

no I am not. I am talking about keeping your knee bent so that your legs are at a 90 degree angle before kicking

 

[Hatake88]

If it feels like you're flicking your leg, chances are something went wonky in the kick mechanics, either that or you're still working to untrain the TKD style round kick where the leg comes up chambered then snaps through the target.

When a Muay Thai round kick is done right, the leg naturally extends and whips through the target, it doesn't feel like you're flicking or snapping your leg to straighten it and drive it through. The video a few posts above of Yodsanklai kicking in slow motion is pretty much textbook on how a kick should work. At the start of the kick, the lower leg gets "left behind" by the hips & upper leg and the knee is bent at around a 90 degree angle. As the momentum & energy transfers through the kinetic chain, the lower leg "catches back up" and the leg starts straightening out as it nears the target. Ideally, you want your hip & thigh to rotate a bit past the target and still have some bend in the knee at the point of impact, this is what gives full power transfer and drive through the target.

Thanks! When should the "catch back up" part happen? I've heard two answers to this - (i) when you turn the hip over and (ii) when your knee is pointed directly at your opponent (so a little past the point where your shin will land)

 

[JohnPJones]

no I am not. I am talking about keeping your knee bent so that your legs are at a 90 degree angle before kicking

Sounds like you are talking about chambering the kick...bringing it up like a front kick then turning the hips over and kicking the leg out in a4 step technique...am I wrong?

 

[Hatake88]

Sounds like you are talking about chambering the kick...bringing it up like a front kick then turning the hips over and kicking the leg out in a4 step technique...am I wrong?

no not bringing it up like a front kick. imagine if you kicked straight up - that kind of motion but my leg isn't fully extended (its not "tucked in" like a taekwondo kick but its at a 90 degree angle) until I reach the height I want then I turn my hip and straighten out my foot (i.e. "whip it").

 

[aerius]

Thanks! When should the "catch back up" part happen? I've heard two answers to this - (i) when you turn the hip over and (ii) when your knee is pointed directly at your opponent (so a little past the point where your shin will land)

Starts catching back up at or a bit before the hip turnover, then fully catches up (leg straight) a bit past the target.

 

[Hatake88]

Starts catching back up at or a bit before the hip turnover, then fully catches up (leg straight) a bit past the target.

Thank you. That is beautiful - so textbook!