Wah Lum's 7 Kicks

[Black Mantis]

I'm learning 7 kicks now and am having the hardest time executing the rising heel kick (the one right after the 360 sweep). Did anyone else out there have problems with the strength/flexibility/coordination that it takes to do this correctly? And finally I'd love any suggestions. Thanks. -BM

[yu shan]

BM, try training pistols (sp?) one leg squats. Did you know there is a nifty two-man form to 7 kicks?

[woliveri]

Try 500 pierce the heart kicks a day. Seriously, 500 a day, every day for a year. Then write back how you're doing .

Don't just practice forms, practice basics. Basics practice will make your forms shine.

[Oso]

BM, try training pistols (sp?) one leg squats. Did you know there is a nifty two-man form to 7 kicks?

...jim, i think you just might have made him rethink his moniker....

[Yao Sing]

Did anyone else out there have problems with the strength/flexibility/coordination that it takes to do this correctly?

Nobody does it correctly so I would say that everyone has problems with it.

No offense but just do the best you can, it's a personal journey.

[spiralstair]

The movement is basically the same as being in a split, turn body to left, put chest on thigh...so that's how you train it. Also see Hurdler's Stretch...when you can get your torso against your front thigh you have the flexibility, but that's only half of it...then you need the strength to balance it and to stand up. For that see yu shan's post above.
This is one of those forms MC always made look easy, then you tried it and...
In Switzerland we do this form as a Basic Exercise...most people struggle, but that's Kung Fu..
Good Holidays.

[yu shan]

Oso, OK I am only thru half of my coffee this morning, but the moniker (nickname) thing has me stumped. We have a souped up version of 7 kicks that turns into a very cool two-man form. Maybe I`ll get the notes out and go over it and put on youtube, if Shifu says it is OK that is.

[ironfenix]

Jim: was he referring to bowel movements?

Spiral Stair: is your chest touching your thigh because you are kicking high, or is your back bent? I don't know if you understand me. When i first learned this form, we didn't have this.

[yu shan]

Oh Lord, I live a sheltered life.

[spiralstair]

The stretching loosens the hip flexors and hamstrings, allowing the leg to be brought up while the torso leans slightly back. Taking an extra step after the turn means everything happens on the other side on the 2nd road.
Good Holidays

[Oso]

Oh Lord, I live a sheltered life.

lol...sadly, my grandmother is to blame...she always referred to taking a cr4p as 'having a BM (bowel movement)' so, whenever I see 'BM' that's what I think.

[Yao Sing]

The stretching loosens the hip flexors and hamstrings, allowing the leg to be brought up while the torso leans slightly back. Taking an extra step after the turn means everything happens on the other side on the 2nd road.
Good Holidays

Or leave off the second scrape off/kick in the beginning. I think that's how it should be practiced.

[Black Mantis]

BM, try training pistols (sp?) one leg squats. Did you know there is a nifty two-man form to 7 kicks?

That's funny you should say that, I set this as my home page about a month ago after I learned that I'd be learning this technique in the next form. I'm on step 2.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/legpower.htm

Woliveri: what exactly are pierce the heart kicks? I saw that mentioned in the handbook and did a search online, but I can't quite picture what it would look like.

Yao: No offense taken

Spiralstair: ". . .most people struggle, but that's Kung Fu" Ok, man I have to take that one!

I'd love to see this form. Anyone have it?

[woliveri]

Pierce the Heart exercise/kicks are:

Let me form this in my mind..... hmmm...


Stand with one leg back like you're going to do a straight kick.
On the side which leg is back (let's say right leg back here) extend the right arm in front.
Grab into a fist with the extended arm/palm.
Place the opposite palm under the extended arm with the back of that palm against the outside of the bicep of the extended arm.

Kick with a heel kick straight out while scraping the extended arm and while drawing back that extended arm.

Press forward with the scraping palm which is vertical, fingers pointing to the sky.

End with the scraping palm extended and the foot extended into the kick. Foot and Palm are opposites. Here, the right foot would be extended and the left, vertical palm.

If you do the elbow to heel stretch, pulling the foot back, that's what the kick will look like in this kick.

If you're in Wah Lum you should know what I'm talking about and I'm sure you've seen this before.

[Black Mantis]

OK. You're right. I know this one. I never knew it had an actual name; I just have been calling it "tam tui with scrape". Thanks again for your help.