Difference between revisions of "Roundhouse kick"

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(Created page with "Mawash-geri (literally: “go-around kick”), the roundhouse kick, traces a large, arcing path towards its target, as opposed to the purely linear techniques which we have sh...")
 
 
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Mawash-geri (literally: “go-around kick”), the roundhouse kick, traces a large, arcing path towards its target, as opposed to the purely linear techniques which we have shown you up until now. Because of this, roundhouse kicks look spectacular, and frequently appear in movies and television. Roundhouse kicks were what you pictured yourself doing in your own internal cinema when you decided to learn karate. Don’t lie. However, before we indulge your fantasies, you need to take three heaping doses of reality:
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'''Mawashi geri''' (literally: “go-around kick”), the '''roundhouse kick''', traces a large, arcing path towards its target. Because of this, roundhouse kicks look spectacular, and frequently appear in movies and television. Roundhouse kicks were what you pictured yourself doing in your own internal cinema when you decided to learn karate. Don’t lie. However, before indulging your fantasies, you need to take three heaping doses of reality:
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*'''Never perform roundhouse kicks with the rear leg.''' Though rear-leg roundhouse kicks are powerful and spectacular, their semicircular paths are, by definition, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pi π]-times longer than those of [[Front kick|front kicks]]. As a result, rear-leg roundhouse kicks will take about three times longer to perform than front kicks of equal speed. This is why rear-leg roundhouse kicks are the absolute easiest techniques to block; they are impossible not to [[Telegraphing|telegraph]]. While, training to develop speedy techniques can mitigate the hard limits which geometry imposes, they can never be completely eliminated.  
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*'''Never perform rear-leg roundhouse kicks.''' While rear-leg roundhouse kicks are powerful and spectacular, their semicircular paths are, by definition, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pi π]-times longer than those of [[Front kick|front kicks]]. As a result, rear-leg roundhouse kicks will take about three times longer to perform than front kicks of equal speed. Rear-leg roundhouse kicks are re impossible not to [[Telegraphing|telegraph]], making them the absolute easiest techniques to block. Training to develop speedy techniques can only mitigate the hard limits which geometry imposes; they never be completely eliminated. Since the front leg is closer to the opponent, it travels a shorter path, and takes less time to reach its target.
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*'''Round or circular techniques should never be the first in a series of attacks.''' Roundhouse kicks work better as follow-up techniques, because they have a slightly longer range. When the opponent is struck by linear technique, they may be knocked back -- not far -- but just far enough to put them in range of a roundhouse kick.
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*'''Round or circular techniques should never be the first in a series of attacks.''' Roundhouse kicks work best as follow-up techniques, because of their slightly longer range. A linear technique knocks the opponent back into the roundhouse kicking range.
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*'''Never throw a rear-leg roundhouse kick.''' Because of their geometry-imposed limits, [[Goshin-Jutsu]] [[Karateka|karateka]] only perform front leg roundhouse kicks. Since the front leg is, by definition, closer to the opponent, it travels along a shorter path, and requires less time to reach its target.
 
  
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Like all of our other kicks, throwing roundhouse kicks is a four-point procedure, so be sure to do it by the numbers:
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Like all of our other kicks, roundhouse kicks are a four-point procedure, so be sure to do it by the numbers:
  
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#'''Chambering.''' Enter a walking or [[Crane stance|fighting crane stance]], as per usual. Again, raise the knee of the kicking leg as high as possible, and your knee must be “past parallel” -- with your knee higher than your hips.<br /><br />
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#'''Chambering.''' Enter a walking or [[Crane stance|fighting crane stance]], raising the kicking leg' “past parallel” -- with the knee higher than your hips.<br /><br />
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#'''Kick.''' Open your hip to the outside, like a side-snap kick. Then, simultaneously extend your leg, and turn your knee to the inside. This will be difficult, but it will be made easier by pivoting the supporting foot to the outside, like in a side snap-kick. Curl your toes back, so that you strike your opponent with the [[Koshi|ball of the foot]], just like a front snap-kick.<br /><br />
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#'''Kick.''' Open your hip to the outside, like a [[Side kick|side kick]]. Then, simultaneously extend your leg, and turn your knee to the inside. Make this less awkward by pivoting the supporting foot to the outside, like in a [[Side kick|side kick]]. Curl your toes back, so that you strike your opponent with the [[Koshi|ball of the foot]], just like a [[Front kick|front kick]].<br /><br />
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#'''Re-chambering.''' Pull your foot back into a walking or fighting crane stance as quickly as possible -- at minimum, twice as fast as the kick went out. This will keep the opponent from catching your kick, or using your leg as a lever to rotate your body. Rechambering from roundhouse kick is difficult, because that technique ends in an extremely awkward, extended, sideways position. It will take lots of practice before this step becomes smooth. Do not use you kick as part of a giant step.<br /><br />
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#'''Re-chambering.''' Pull your foot back into a walking or fighting crane stance as quickly as possible -- at minimum, twice as fast as the kick went out. This keeps the opponent from catching your kick and using it as a lever to rotate your body. Rechambering from roundhouse kicks is difficult, because they end in an extremely awkward, extended, sideways position. It takes lots of practice before this step becomes smooth. Do not use you kick as part of a giant step.<br /><br />
 
#'''Stepping out.''' After kicking, return to a bent-knees [[Attention stance|attention stance]], and slide either leg into whatever stance you chose. Again, never step forward from crane stance into some other stance. You can -- and will -- be [[Leg sweep|swept]].
 
#'''Stepping out.''' After kicking, return to a bent-knees [[Attention stance|attention stance]], and slide either leg into whatever stance you chose. Again, never step forward from crane stance into some other stance. You can -- and will -- be [[Leg sweep|swept]].
  
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[Roundhouse kick videos, fast and slow, from the front and side.]
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[Roundhouse kick videos, fast and slow, from the front and side.]
  
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While the Goshin-Jutsu roundhouse kick is essentially “the [[Backfist strike|backfist]] of kicks,” they still pack enough power to crack a man’s ribs.
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While the [[Goshin-Jutsu]] roundhouse kick is “the [[Backfist strike|backfist]] of kicks,” they still pack enough power to crack a man’s ribs.
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Latest revision as of 17:58, 23 January 2021

Mawashi geri (literally: “go-around kick”), the roundhouse kick, traces a large, arcing path towards its target. Because of this, roundhouse kicks look spectacular, and frequently appear in movies and television. Roundhouse kicks were what you pictured yourself doing in your own internal cinema when you decided to learn karate. Don’t lie. However, before indulging your fantasies, you need to take three heaping doses of reality:

  • Never perform rear-leg roundhouse kicks. While rear-leg roundhouse kicks are powerful and spectacular, their semicircular paths are, by definition, π-times longer than those of front kicks. As a result, rear-leg roundhouse kicks will take about three times longer to perform than front kicks of equal speed. Rear-leg roundhouse kicks are re impossible not to telegraph, making them the absolute easiest techniques to block. Training to develop speedy techniques can only mitigate the hard limits which geometry imposes; they never be completely eliminated. Since the front leg is closer to the opponent, it travels a shorter path, and takes less time to reach its target.
  • Round or circular techniques should never be the first in a series of attacks. Roundhouse kicks work best as follow-up techniques, because of their slightly longer range. A linear technique knocks the opponent back into the roundhouse kicking range.

Like all of our other kicks, roundhouse kicks are a four-point procedure, so be sure to do it by the numbers:

  1. Chambering. Enter a walking or fighting crane stance, raising the kicking leg' “past parallel” -- with the knee higher than your hips.

  2. Kick. Open your hip to the outside, like a side kick. Then, simultaneously extend your leg, and turn your knee to the inside. Make this less awkward by pivoting the supporting foot to the outside, like in a side kick. Curl your toes back, so that you strike your opponent with the ball of the foot, just like a front kick.

  3. Re-chambering. Pull your foot back into a walking or fighting crane stance as quickly as possible -- at minimum, twice as fast as the kick went out. This keeps the opponent from catching your kick and using it as a lever to rotate your body. Rechambering from roundhouse kicks is difficult, because they end in an extremely awkward, extended, sideways position. It takes lots of practice before this step becomes smooth. Do not use you kick as part of a giant step.

  4. Stepping out. After kicking, return to a bent-knees attention stance, and slide either leg into whatever stance you chose. Again, never step forward from crane stance into some other stance. You can -- and will -- be swept.
[Roundhouse kick videos, fast and slow, from the front and side.]

While the Goshin-Jutsu roundhouse kick is “the backfist of kicks,” they still pack enough power to crack a man’s ribs.

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