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Better Kicking Balance - 3 Exercises

Author: Keith Pascal
Date Posted: December 22, 2008

You are new enough to the martial arts that you haven't yet mastered kicking balance. Every time you throw out a kick, whether it's a front kick, side kick, or even back kick, you feel yourself falling. Immediately, you drop your kicking leg to the floor, to keep from falling on your face. What follows are three ways to improve your kicking balance.

Kicking - Putting In More Than You Need

The key to improving your kicking balance, to really being able to hold your kick out there for long periods of time is to overcompensate in several areas of your kicks. In a sense, you over train several aspects of the particular kick that you are trying to improve.

You do more now, so that when you really need your kick, you will have more than enough balance to complete the job.

Off the top of my head, I can think of six or seven variables that could be over trained for kicking balance and improvement. Here are three important ones.

Practice these and your balance will definitely improve:

Higher Kicks For Better Balance

One way to see marked improvement in your kicking balance in a very short period of time is to kick higher or at a sharper angle than you would really need.

For example, if you want to develop incredible balance in your knee-level kicks, then practice kicking at groin level. If you want great balance at groin level, then practice all of your kicks at waist level, for awhile.

Whatever height you want to achieve, then practice until you are comfortable with a higher kick. Then, when you back down to the desired height, it will seem easy -- especially when compared to the practice height.

The more you practice at the greater height, the easier the lower kick will seem.

Try 5 sets of 20 kicks each at the greater height. Then lower your kicking height for an additional set of 10.

Do this every day for a week, and you'll see noticeable improvement.

Kicking Longer For Improved Kick Balance

In just the same way that you kicked higher, practice sets of kicking longer. Hold your kick out for longer than you'd need to.

At first, go ahead and use a finger or two against the wall or a rail, to help with balance. Maybe a cane would help in the beginning. As soon as possible, wean yourself off the aid.

Then start building your balance by holding your kick extended for as long as possible.

Note: If you find yourself having to adjust your balance, then the next time, try to adjust your balance "as" you kick. Work on remaining frozen for longer periods of time.

Remember to use good form on the beginning and also the retraction of the kick. Don't just fall forward when you can't hold it any more.

Super Kick Balance

My best method for over training kicks for practice is to use the super slow kick.

With this kick, you won't be able to get in sets of 20 kicks. It would take all day. maybe three sets of three kicks each.

Try to kick in slow motion. Super slow motion.

And then combine your slow motion kicks with holding your kick out there longer than it needs to be.

Finally, combine all three elements -- kick higher than you need to, in super slow motion, and hold it out there longer than you need to.

With in a week or two, you'll have kicks with a much stronger base. You will stay balanced as you kick.

About The Author

To get on a great list all about effective self defense sign up at: Practical Defense. (You get a great free ebooklet on elbow strikes, checks and blocks, when you join.)

Keith Pascal has taught martial arts for over 25 years. He left his job as a high school teacher in 2000, to become a full-time writer.

Keith is the author of several books, including Wrist Locks (Revised) Wrist Locks Book

Article Source: JKD Street Combat - online collection of speed and power training articles.

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