add power to a kick

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add power to a kick

Postby everything on Fri Jun 21, 2019 3:09 pm

what is an efficient way to add power to kicks?

efficient for me: I'm probably not going to go to the gym (no membership) and do deadlifts (no equipment or gym membership, some bad shoulder). should be minimum effort/time input, maximum result (80/20 rule is good). I also don't have a heavy bag.

some kind of body weight exercises?
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Re: add power to a kick

Postby klonk on Fri Jun 21, 2019 4:16 pm

A strong kick ain't just about muscle, it calls for a certain degree of timing and coordination as well: to get yourself moving in the right direction at the right time. So I don't think there is a substitute for the heavy bag or some other resisting but yielding target. A beefy partner holding a kick shield is great.

In any sort of power kicking practice, you must be careful not to injure your feet. Hurting yourself is easier than I imagined...until I did it. :-[
Last edited by klonk on Fri Jun 21, 2019 4:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: add power to a kick

Postby origami_itto on Fri Jun 21, 2019 4:22 pm

What kind of kicks?
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Re: add power to a kick

Postby everything on Fri Jun 21, 2019 4:27 pm

my application is kicking a ball, but MA probably has more advice because the target isn't always on the ground but is in 3d space.

my timing/coordination is ok (I can usually make clean contact with either foot), but I wouldn't mind adding power in certain cases. of course in some cases if I add power, my aim goes totally way off. this might not matter in a kickboxing way (I still kick the ball hard), but it matters when you want the ball to travel to a certain area.

darn it if I need a bag. for now sometimes i lightly kick a deflated volleyball into my couch. this helps a lot with getting the timing and motion down. but i don't know if i need some more strength or not.
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Re: add power to a kick

Postby klonk on Fri Jun 21, 2019 4:37 pm

If your application is kicking a ball, would a heavier ball be helpful?
Last edited by klonk on Fri Jun 21, 2019 4:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: add power to a kick

Postby everything on Fri Jun 21, 2019 4:41 pm

I don't know. I think I probably need more strength in my hamstrings (the plant foot kind of pulls as the kicking leg swings through) and my core (front side) and hip flexors to pull my kicking leg forward.

but it could also just be my technique is still not good enough or should be a bit faster/smoother. in that case maybe kicking something heavy (like a bag) is a good route. repeat until good.
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Re: add power to a kick

Postby origami_itto on Mon Jun 24, 2019 7:24 am

everything wrote:my timing/coordination is ok (I can usually make clean contact with either foot), but I wouldn't mind adding power in certain cases. of course in some cases if I add power, my aim goes totally way off. this might not matter in a kickboxing way (I still kick the ball hard), but it matters when you want the ball to travel to a certain area.


Well I'd recommend getting a ball and finding a wall that can take a pounding, just kicking the ball against the wall with accuracy until you can get the same spot or targets you pick, and gradually finding the power. It should come from proper form not forcing the muscles, that's why your accuracy tanks.

Likewise with an ma punch or kick, I can't speak for everyone but I do try to maintain a high degree of precision regarding the forces I'm working with.
Last edited by origami_itto on Mon Jun 24, 2019 7:24 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: add power to a kick

Postby everything on Mon Jun 24, 2019 8:18 am

oragami_itto wrote:
everything wrote:my timing/coordination is ok (I can usually make clean contact with either foot), but I wouldn't mind adding power in certain cases. of course in some cases if I add power, my aim goes totally way off. this might not matter in a kickboxing way (I still kick the ball hard), but it matters when you want the ball to travel to a certain area.


Well I'd recommend getting a ball and finding a wall that can take a pounding, just kicking the ball against the wall with accuracy until you can get the same spot or targets you pick, and gradually finding the power. It should come from proper form not forcing the muscles, that's why your accuracy tanks.

Likewise with an ma punch or kick, I can't speak for everyone but I do try to maintain a high degree of precision regarding the forces I'm working with.


hmm, I might have enough power (when my shot was way off it was powerful).

the reason my shot was way off was moving my leg at speed, my foot
doesn't connect with the correct spot of the ball. a cm off and the trajectory
is way off.

maybe my question should actually be how to get that precision. you are
right in that I probably just need 1000s more repetitions, maybe on a smaller target.
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Re: add power to a kick

Postby johnwang on Mon Jun 24, 2019 12:58 pm

everything wrote: maybe on a smaller target.

To kick a small tree can be helpful.

- If the tree is the size of a human leg, you can develop accuracy for your kick.
- You can adjust the kicking distance and use your jumping kick to move in (kick far, not kick high).
- the tree will give just enough yield so you won't hurt your knee.

If you can't find any tree, to set a PVC pipe on the ground can be helpful.
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Re: add power to a kick

Postby everything on Mon Jun 24, 2019 1:35 pm

Oh I didn't think about that idea before.

I feel like I might hurt my foot or knee, but OTOH, I don't have a heavy bag.

So definitely seems like something I could try.

Might scare the neighbors, LOL.
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Re: add power to a kick

Postby Trick on Tue Jun 25, 2019 2:25 am

(Used)Car tires arranged into kicking object. Either hang them as they are, or cut’em up and attach to something, a tree trunk maybe? Be innovative.
Make your own heavy bag ? I did in my teenage years out of that “plastic” sheet cover used to cover the deck of a boat, stuff it with rags and cloth, it was quite kickable. But best is a partner held kicking mit/schield, that also train the holders abdomen when held for front, side or spinning back kicking
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Re: add power to a kick

Postby dspyrido on Tue Jun 25, 2019 5:39 am

I don't like to do any barbell squats without a partner or safety bar. So I do bodyweight squats, pistols and good ole chicken which help a lot with stability and power:

Image

I also don't have a bag or sizeable trees and my wife hates it when I hit the brick wall at home. So I just do a couple hundred kicks (and punches etc.) in a solo routine 3-4 times a week. It surprised me how useful this is.
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Re: add power to a kick

Postby Ian C. Kuzushi on Tue Jun 25, 2019 6:05 am

So much bad advice.
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Re: add power to a kick

Postby GrahamB on Tue Jun 25, 2019 6:19 am

It's easy. Just kick harder!
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Re: add power to a kick

Postby dspyrido on Tue Jun 25, 2019 2:56 pm

Ian C. Kuzushi wrote:So much bad advice.


How so? I'm always looking to improve from straight kicks that have taken the wind out of opponents in tournaments to something more.
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