Training for better kicking ability?

[MoiFah]

What are some methods of training for higher and faster kicks? I have been doing a combination of squats (both with weights and the "hindu" squats), as well a plyometric jumping (basically squatting down and jumping up as high as possible for a set of 10-20). I train my legs in this way once a week, and do my kung fu training which of course includes long horse stance training, for 6 days a week.
What other exercises for the legs can I include that will help me in my high kicks i.e. tornado kick and flying jump kicks?

[David Jamieson]

stretching, strength building with static and shifting pattern stances and practice, practice, practice.

peace

[Robinf]

Nothing beats practicing.

Different ways of running--do twenty or thirty second jaunts bringing your knees high, then bringing your feet to your butt. With these, you won't go very far very fast, the idea is to take many, very fast steps. Bringing the knees high is for front kick and other motions, the feet to your butt is the retraction in roundhouse kick. Of course, these have other uses, but those are two ways of thinking about those motions.

Robin

[Johnny Hot Shot]

Kick lots. I like to kick myself. To develop my kicks into devestating weapons I have to practise them almost everyday. That is at least 500 kicks. My kicks are awesome, fast, powerful and non telegraphic. But I practise them almost everyday. That is key.

[fgxpanzerz]

It isnt healthy for yor joints to be locked out all the way. Every time u extend yor joints all the way, u cause damage. U might not notice it now since u are young. Yor kicks wont always be dynamite. Most kicks cause yor knee joint to extend all the way. A lot of people end up getting surgery for overworking their joints. U should limit yor kicks. This limiting goes for any physical activity.

[SevenStar]

kicking a bag will help to control that, as you will be conscious of where your leg is and will have something to stop it from completely locking. Plus, you get to work kicking power at the same time.

[ElPietro]

Originally posted by fgxpanzerz
This limiting goes for any physical activity.

Ummm...Bullsh!t. Your joints are improved through physical activity. As well as overall bone, tendon, and cartilage density. When you do not regularly exercise you end up weak and fragile and enjoy things like osteoporosis, weak spines, and broken hips in your old age.

[shaolinboxer]

You joint do strengthen with activity, but overactivity will weaken them.

Even when training hard, we must be careful.

[fa_jing]

Actually, back in my TKD days I overworked the knee joint, was in all kinds of pain, and eventually quit. It took at least 5 years for the knee to get back to normal. The main culprit was the TKD training method of relying on "snap" to tell you if the kick is good. "Snap" is the sound your uniform makes when you sanp your kick back. Hyperextending the joints will increase your "snap" but is extremely detrimental. I do as many as 700 kicks as part of my training routine, but half of these are straight legged stretch kicks, the rest tend to be mid-level kicks and I'm always carefull about not hyperextending. My new mechanics don't call for snapping the leg back. Remember, there are other ways to exercise your legs. Horse stance, slow kicking. Slow kicking in the air might actually help your kicking more than fast kicking. Also, kicking the heavy bag or air shield if one is available. For the tornado kick, the essential exercise is inside and outside crescent kicks with a straight leg.
Bruce Lee quote: "If you want to learn how to kick, kick." He meant you've got to repetitively train the motion, and do alot of kicks. But unless your joints are made of titanium, don't snap out your knee excessively.
-FJ

[ElPietro]

Yes those points are somewhat obvious though. Hyper extending your knee isn't really all that smart, and of course you must let your body recover adequately when training.

[Robinf]

TKD has done the opposite for my knees. I've actually gotten better. I still have to wear a support for one knee in kung fu (because of low stance training), but I'm fine in TKD. I did hyper-extend a little once, but realized I wasn't using the proper muscles in my leg to control my kick/leg motion.

Robin

[Johnny Hot Shot]

Kicking in the Air is for technique. Sometimes I train my kicks very slowly and persicely. Never full power, fully extended in the air. Well enough to make a Gi snap.

Perhaps full extension when training ballance/ stance training. Bag work is where I can go full power.

In my opinion a person that only does one be it either bag work or kicking in the air is shorting themselves on the benifits of both.


Good Kung fu will only make you stronger. :D