To master the three basic marital arts kicks, the snap, the side, and the roundhouse, naming, execution and stances are needed.
A student just starting out in the martial arts will walk into a dojo (training hall or school) and be amazed by what appears to be lightening fast kicks by the advanced belts in attendance. He or she will on any given day see spinning back kicks, hook kicks, crescent and even flying kicks. What is hard to fathom by many beginners is that almost all of the advanced kicks are spin offs of one of the three basic kicks that a white belt is taught. These three basics are the snap or front kick, the side and the roundhouse kick.
To begin learning any kick, punch, block or self-defense technique, the student must first learn a few basic stances to give a solid foundation to their execution.
Most schools will start the student in a forward stance for snap kicks and a fighting stance for side and roundhouse kicks.
For the sake of the article, we will assume the student will be in right forward stances and fighting stances in which the right side is closest to an opponent.
The forward stance has also been known as the walking stance. To assume this stance properly, the student will be instructed to place his or her feet apart at shoulder width or even a little wider. Then one foot will move forward. If a student is told to assume a right forward stance then the right foot is in front and vice a versa.
In the forward stance the majority of the weight is placed upon the front foot. The knee itself is bent directly over the foot and should appear to have a rod driven in a straight line from the knee, through the leg and out the heel of the foot. The toes are facing forward and the leg stands straight, never leaning to the right or left.
The rear leg is kept straight and also has the toes facing forward. Although the student will feel awkward at first, once he or she has mastered the stance it will be extremely difficult for an opponent to push or shove them in any direction.
In the forward stance the hips and shoulders are facing forward and the back is kept straight. The arms are held at guard position with the right one up in front of the body and the left one coming across the body in a horizontal line with the left fist touching the side of the right elbow.
Once this position is assumed and the student is ready to begin the snap kick, weight will be shifted completely upon the forward (right) leg while the knee is brought up as high as possible to the front of the student. The toes should be pointed at all times! After the knee is up, the student will then extend the leg and the strike would hit upon the bony topside of the foot's instep.
Instead of simply dropping the foot, the student will be told to bring it back to the bent knee position and placed once again into its original position. The ability to retract and replace the foot will be vital later on to advance kicks such as the flip kick combination.
The sidekick is taught from a fighting stance. To assume this position, turn your right side to your opponent so as small a target as possible is given and place your feet apart at shoulder width. Your knees should be slightly bent and the weight needs to be kept on the balls of the feet. Your hands should come up at guard position.
When executed properly, the sidekick will come straight out from the body, hit with the bottom of the heel and promptly return to the body. The return is important so after hitting the target, make sure to bend the knee as you retract the kick just in case you should need to throw another one.
The actual sidekick begins by bending the knee and raising the kicking leg as high as possible in a manner so that the knee itself is pointed ninety degrees away from your target. While doing this, allow the supporting foot to pivot so that its toes are pointed away from your opponent as this will help open the hips and allow for greater height in the kick.
Keep your hands close to you body and stay as upright as possible. Height will come with practice and stretching ability, so don't lean over to try and attempt higher kicks than you are ready for.
The next step is to extend the leg straight out and make sure your heel strikes the target first. Breathe out as you complete the extension and then retract the leg immediately back into the bent knee position and then set it down to its beginning spot.
The Roundhouse kick is also executed from the fighting stance but it will be striking with the bony upper part of the foot, not the heel.
Bend the front knee and raise it as high as you can with your toes pointed towards the floor. After reaching the height you desire, pivot the back foot so once again the toes are pointed away from the body and allow the knee and bent leg to become perpendicular to the supporting leg. Preferably your knee will be pointing PAST or behind the targeted area and extend the foot. The leg and foot will automatically follow a straight line from the knee. By having the knee pointed past the target, the kick should carry through and be more forceful.
As with the other kicks, don't just drop the foot after delivering the kick. Retract it back into the "cocked" position and then either throw a second kick or set it back down into the original position.
All three of these basic kicks take an immense about of practice to be able to execute properly and with power so don't get discouraged when you have trouble keeping you balance or reaching the height you desire.
With all of them you will want to keep your arms close to your body not only for guarding the body but also for balance. Also remember to exhale forcefully as the foot connects with the target. This will improve your focus as well as reduce the chances of having the breath knocked out of you in case of a retaliatory strike.
While doing all of this, remember practice is the only way to reach perfection in any learned endeavor.
