Better Kicks
Kicks (12)
Kicking Drill
The Kicking Drill
Poor Man's Kicking Bag
How to make a poor man’s kicking bag. (Originally written October 1988)
This home made training equipment does so much for so little money. It works on focus, technique, balance and flexibility for kicks, and helps to condition the hands for punching and feet for kicking. So what is this training equipment that can do all this? It’s called “The Poor Man’s Kick Bag.” And it can be yours for the incredibly low price of $19.95 plus taxes, shipping and handling. Our operators and standing by to take your calls, and if you act now you will get this attractive set of genuine 23 karat electroplated gold chop sticks. Yeah --- Right!
No really the poor man’s kick bag will only cost you the price of the few items: a 2 or 3 liter soft drink container (empty), small diameter type of rope or twine (size will depend on how high you hang it) and a place to hang this kick bag, and 2/3 cup of salt. You can also use 20oz bottles to train on as well. Take two cup of water to start with and bring it to a boil on the stove, pour in the 2/3 cup of salt, reduce the heat and stir to dissolve the salt. Let mixture sit and cool for a bit, then pour into the empty container, topping the container off with cool water until it reaches the very top of the container (this is important as you will not want any air in the bottle, plus it will add to the life of your poor man's kick bag), tightly replace the cap. Now take your rope and tie it around the neck of the bottle just under the cap, and taking the other end tying it up where ever you are going to hang it at the height level you want it. If you are not going to keep the poor man’s kick bag outside during the winter, you do not have to put salt in it, which will keep it from freezing. OK, sometimes the bottles will burst, but they are real cheap to replace. This is a really cheap way of having some training equipment and you can hang many of them in the back yard and at different heights. Way back in the day when I was coming up through the ranks I used to have three of these things hanging from a tree in my back yard.
A WORD OF CAUTION!!! DO NOT DO ANY TYPE OF SPINNING KICKS ON THE POOR MAN’S KICK BAG! Not that I would know anything about this, but, if you miss the target and catch the rope with enough force to swing the bottle over your foot, it could entrap your foot leaving you dangling there in your back yard as you yell for someone to help get you unstuck. Well I hope you enjoyed the story of how to make a poor man’s kick bag for only $19.95. And remember don’t accept any imitations!
Sifu Mike Meadows
Chief Instructor of Huo Ma Pai Kung Fu
115 – B Albemarle Ave S.E. Roanoke, VA 24013
30s
Students kick 30 front snap kicks without touching their foot to the ground; higher belts must kick higher.
Do both legs, then move on to round kicks and side kicks in order.
Make sure knee stays chambered high, so there is no swing, enforcing strengthening of the hip flexors and quadriceps.
by J Lucas Wilson
Tao of Peace
4 Way Kicks
Start from a right leg back fighting stance.
Imagine four opponents, one of either side, front and behind you. Each kick will be targeted to each opponant. This is good for leg control, hip and base foot pivoting. The idea is to not place the foot back onto the ground until all four kicks have been executed.
Perform the kicks on the following order.
1) Perform a front kick and recover the kick in the knee up chambered position.
2) With the knee still up, perform a back kick and recover to the front knee still chambered.
3) Perform a side kick to the right and recover again, with the knee chambered.
4) Perform a roudhouse kick to the left opponant and continue the kick 360 so that you end up turning around and complete the drill by landing the kicking leg back on the ground in a good fighting stance.
Then switch legs and perform the same drill on the left leg.
Enjoy!
Sensei David Prior
Shobu-Kai Karate
Doing the Laundry
Here is one that we use to help train correct targeting, accuracy and retraction. It is called 'Doing the Laundry'.
The premise is that you use a round laundry basket, preferably the ones that are sloped inward toward the bottom. You can really use any size/shape basket, depending on what you want to emphasize with the drill.
Partner up the students (or if the basket is mounted, individual practice can be attained), having one hold the basket on the sides,with the bottom resting against their stomach, hip, etc.Not only is this a good practice for the kicker, but also for the holder as well. It can help toughen up the stomach of the holder, with the tapping of the kicker on the bottom of the basket.
Goal:The goal of the kicker is to get in, touch the bottom of the basket and get out without touching the sides of the basket, all while performing a good kick.
Drill:Start with front kick. Initially you can do this for a certain amount of kicks. Then as an advanced drill, or when they become more comfortable, do the same drill for a fixed number but if they touch the sides of the basket, the kick does not count. Usually this results in more kicks than the number specified, but will teach them to be more precise while kicking.
You can do front, side and back kicks really well with this drill. Roundhouse can work, if you angle the basket 45 degrees from the kicker.
Results:You will find that the students will gain immediate feedback when they:
- don't go in straight to the target
- drop the kicking leg instead of retracting it after the kick is done
- don't focus on the spot to land the kick
Things to watch for:As an instructor, watch how the students are coming in contact with the bottom of the basket. Typically (as in the case of the frontkick) it won't be the ball of the foot making contact, but more of the bottom of the foot. Still emphasize good kicks and correct placement of the foot for striking. They may need to kick slightly off-center to the bottom of the basket, to allow enough room for their foot.
Advanced Drill:You can further practice 'Doing the Laundry', by changing the sizeof the basket. For higher level ranks, start with the laundry basket and them move on to a bucket. This will challenge them to be as precise as possible with their kicks.
Safety:We use both plastic laundry baskets and buckets for the drill. Remove any metal handles, etc. Sharp corners (or areas that get broken by mis-targeted kicks) are taped up to prevent the students from cutting their feet and legs.
Summary:Well that is the drill. We have found it very handy and quite useful over the years, to help emphasize good targeting, accuracy andcorrect retraction for kicks.
Give it a try and have fun, 'Doing the Laundry'!
Dale G. Gutt
World Moo Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do Federation
Six Way Kicks
Groups of Three Power Kicks
Have your students pair up in groups of three.
Give the center student a kicking shield. Have the other two students be in a fighting stance on either side of the center student.
While the instructor gives command the two outside students will alternate back leg round house kicks as fast and powerfull as they can. I
like to do 25 with each leg. Then rotate until every one has had a chance to hold the kicking target.
Line Kicks
by Master Jenny V
Line kicks - split the class in half - have half hold a kicking paddle side by side down the dojang for the technique of instructors choice.
Have the 'kickers' line up (one behind the other)on the right side of the dojang to do right leg kicks - switch target holders - next, have them line up at the left side of the gym to do left leg kicks.
Circle Kicks
Line up all of your students in a circle and have a kicking bag in the middle.
Have all of your students kick & spar with it for a couple of minuets.
Usually 2-3 min.
Works out great. Have fun!
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