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Squat Kicks - The Deceptively Simple Exercise to Strengthen Your Legs and Improve Your Kicks

Author: Shawn Kovacich
Date Posted: April 21, 2007

The following exercise that I am going to explain to you is deceptively simple to perform, yet the benefits that you can achieve in a relatively short period of time, if you are consistent in your workouts, are nothing short of amazing. NO, this isn’t some silly miracle technique or some secret training technique only known to a select few who learned it from a Tibetan monk. It is simply a solid basic exercise combined with any kick or kicks that you wish to combine with it. So, without further delay let’s get started!

BASIC SQUAT:

The starting position for your basic squat is executed by facing directly forward (front facing squat position) while standing with your feet approximately a little wider than shoulder width apart and your upper body and back straight. In this particular case, I want you to keep you hands up in a fighting position, exactly like a boxer would hold his hands up.

From this position, slowly bend your knees keeping your upper body and back straight and your hands up, while lowering yourself down until the tops of your thighs are parallel with the ground. Make sure your head is up with your eyes focused in front of you, not on the ground. Once you reach this position, slowly raise yourself back up to your original starting position. Once you become familiar with this exercise and your bodies reaction to it, you can adjust the speed to where you alternate between doing slow repetitions and faster ones.

VARIATION of the BASIC SQUAT:

The only difference in this particular variation is that instead of standing facing directly forward, I want you to stand more sideways (side facing squat position) like you would if you were in an actual fighting position. One thing to remember though, keep your feet parallel with one another. Don’t actually have your feet in the position you would normally have them in during an actual fighting stance.

From this position, slowly bend your knees keeping your upper body and back straight and your hands up, while lowering yourself down until the tops of your thighs are parallel with the ground. Make sure your head is up and turned over your lead shoulder with your eyes focused in that direction, not on the ground. Once you reach this position, slowly raise yourself back up to your original starting position. After doing a predetermined set of repetitions, switch your feet so that you are facing the opposite direction with your opposite side of your body now facing towards the front.

Once you become familiar with this exercise and your bodies reaction to it, you can adjust the speed to where you alternate between doing slow repetitions and faster ones.

KICKING:

What kick or kicks you decide to do is entirely up to you. My only recommendation is to not do any kind of jumping kicks for several weeks until after your legs have become accustomed to the new training routine. You can execute your kicks at any height you prefer. The only thing to make sure and do is to alternate your legs after each squat, but more on that later.

SQUAT KICKS (The Exercise):

Start out by standing in either the front facing squat position, or the side facing squat position. Whichever position is more comfortable for you to be in. Eventually, you will want to do this series of exercises from both positions.

Keeping your hands up and your upper body and back straight, slowly lower yourself down until the tops of your thighs are parallel with the floor. Upon reaching this point, slowly raise yourself back up into your original starting position. However, as you start to reach your original position, execute any kick you prefer with your right leg. Immediately upon returning your kicking leg back down onto the ground, slowly lower yourself back down again into the squat position. Repeat this again and then execute your preferred kick with your left leg. This constitutes one (1) repetition.

Execute this 10 times executing the same kick ten times with each leg before moving on to your next kick.

Now I know what you are thinking. This is really simple! Well, you’re right, it is simple, but extremely effective in building strength and endurance in your legs. Not to mention improving the speed and power in your kicks.

RECOMMENDED ROUTINE:

I strongly recommend performing the following routine 3 to 4 times per week. You will need to adjust the number of repetitions to fit your own level of fitness.

Day One:

Knee Raises – 1 to 3 sets of 10 to 20 reps (2 squats and 1 kick with each leg is one-rep)
Rising Kicks – 1 to 3 sets of 10 to 20 reps
Front Kicks - 1 to 3 sets of 10 to 20 reps
Side Kicks - 1 to 3 sets of 10 to 20 reps
Back Kicks - 1 to 3 sets of 10 to 20 reps

Day Two:

Knee Raises – 1 to 3 sets of 10 to 20 reps (2 squats and 1 kick with each leg is one-rep)
Rising Kicks – 1 to 3 sets of 10 to 20 reps
Crescent Kicks - 1 to 3 sets of 10 to 20 reps
Reverse Crescent Kicks - 1 to 3 sets of 10 to 20 reps
Roundhouse Kicks - 1 to 3 sets of 10 to 20 reps

Day Three:

Knee Raises – 1 to 3 sets of 10 to 20 reps (2 squats and 1 kick with each leg is one-rep)
Rising Kicks – 1 to 3 sets of 10 to 20 reps
Axe Kicks - 1 to 3 sets of 10 to 20 reps
Wheel Kicks - 1 to 3 sets of 10 to 20 reps
Hook Kicks - 1 to 3 sets of 10 to 20 reps

Be sure and stretch properly before attempting to execute these exercises. They are simple in nature, but are a very brutal workout for your legs. These can even be done while watching your favorite TV show. However, if you do decide to do them at that time, I recommend that you perform the exercise during the show itself and take a break during the commercials. Try and work up to where you can do these during the entire time your favorite show is playing.

Final Note:

Please feel free to drop me a comment on this routine and let me know how it works for you.

About The Author

Shawn Kovacich is a high ranking black belt in both Karate and Tae Kwon Do. Shawn is also a two time world record holder for endurance high kicking as certified by the Guinness Book of World Records. Shawn is the author of http://www.chikara-kan.com/shoppingcart/Back-Kick-p-16133.html Back Kick, volume one in the highly acclaimed http://www.chikara-kan.com/shoppingcart Achieving Kicking Excellence™ series of martial arts books, and is currently working on several additional marital arts and self-defense books. Which are due to be released in 2007.

Article Source: JKD Street Combat - online collection of Exercise articles.

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