"Cutting Edge  Information for the Modern Warrior"

By Sensei J. Richard Kirkham

A lot of martial artists and other fighters hire me to analyze their punches and kicks. I've even received videos to analyze other activities due to my background in kinese, movement education, exercise phys and martial arts. One of the most misunderstood kicks I analyze is the roundhouse kick.

We will define the roundhouse kick for the purposes of this martial arts article as a kick executed from a cocked knee position whose arc travels approximately parallel with the ground as the knee snaps straight and travels across your centerline striking with the shin down to the top of the foot.

Most martial artists think this is one of their weakest kicks when it could actually be one of their most powerful weapons in their arsenal of kicks, punches, and other strikes.

If you're the average martial artist, you throw your rear-leg roundhouse kick from a front stance snapping your leg across your body depending on the weight of your leg and the snap of your knee for power. Power is a combination of mass (weight can be used in this example) and speed. Kinetic energy (energy of motion) is ½ mv^2 that's half mass times speed (velocity) squared. The more mass, or the more of your body you put into your kick, and the greater the speed of your kick (snap of your knee for example) the more powerful your kick will be.

So now you're going to tell me that you already get most of your body into your roundhouse kick anyway. I will make you a gentleman's wager (as soon as I find a gentleman) that this martial arts article will, if practiced correctly, increase the power of your roundhouse kick by about 30% minimum.

Let's make some more general statements about striking power.

The closest moveable joint to your center of gravity is your hips.

If your hips do not go towards the direction of your strike you are losing power.

If your non-striking limb on the same side of your body you are striking with moves in the opposite direction of your strike, you will lose power.

Speed is a more important factor in striking power (kinetic energy) than mass

Antagonistic muscle groups are those muscle groups which hinder a wanted movement.

If the antagonistic muscle groups are tense during a strike the strike will be slowed down as well as more energy being consumed for future strikes.

If the strike is slowed down power will be lost.

Breath, held in the lungs, can get in the way of proper movement

So what we now see is that during the roundhouse kick, or any other martial arts strike for that matter, is we want to stay as relaxed as possible, use as many of our muscle groups as possible in the correct timing (gross coordination), and breath out as we strike.

We can also conclude from the statements above, that the roundhouse kick should not be treated as a solely lower body strike. Many athletic coaches will tell you that the sprint, for example, is at least 50% upper body work. The same facts applies to the roundhouse kick. If you can get the muscle of the upper torso involved in the strike, there will be a greater mass and greater inertia (basically follow through ability)

The Biggest Mistake I See Almost All Martial Artists Make When Executing the Roundhouse Kick is...

not getting a good upper torso rotation into the roundhouse kick. Remember this powerful fact ...?

If your non-striking limb on the same side of your body you are striking with moves in the opposite direction of your strike, you will lose power.

Almost every martial artist I have seen execute a roundhouse kick whips his arm backwards in the opposite direction of the kick. This means if you are throwing a roundhouse kick with your right leg towards your centerline to the left your right arm is whipping to the right in the opposite direction. This, by its very nature, precludes you from getting your upper torso muscle groups involved with your roundhouse kick to your greatest potential and therefore, you lose power.

I've heard every excuse in the book for executing a roundhouse kick in this manner;

I won't be able to keep my balance.

Well you couldn't keep your balance the first time you learned to do the kick wrong could you?

I see full contact fighters executing the roundhouse kick that way?

The one's that do have not hired me yet to increase their striking power nor have they read my e-book Step by Step Learn Internal Energy Strikes.

If I kick the way you are showing me I will over-extend myself and not be able to stop to throw another technique.

Not in the beginning because you will have more power and inertia in your roundhouse kick than you are accustom too. Practice practice practice.

It feels like my ankle is twisting off when I get I turn my shoulders into the roundhouse kick like you said.

Remember my statement -

If your hips do not go towards the direction of your strike you are losing power.

Be sure to pivot your supporting foot as you execute your roundhouse kick.

Look, I've done this kick both ways. You think I started doing the roundhouse kick like this? Nope, but I'm doing it this way now and I kick – real – hard .

Enjoy

Sensei J. Richard Kirkham is a 27 year martial art veteran. He is a dual certified teacher with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Physical Education with a background in Special Education, Exercise Physiology, Movement Education, and Behavioral Modification. He is presently an in home tutor, self-defense instructor, and body guard. Mr. Kirkham is presently teaching in Honolulu Hawaii. He can be reached at 808-528-5775 Ext. 5. He has one challenge which has yet to fail him, he can increase anyone's striking power 50% to 100% in one lesson. For those who cannot see him in person, he offers the same service with others on affordable custom video tapes. Sensei Kirkham has the unique service of offering in home classes so that people may learn self-defense in the privacy of their home without worrying about travel after a hard days work.