Q & A: Sang H. Kim on How to Improve Your Weaker Leg for Kicking

Reader Question:

My name is Daniel and I would like to ask you for some advice on how to improve kicking with my weaker leg. I can execute well balanced kicks with my stronger leg but I can't seem to do so with the other leg. Thank you.

Yours sincerely,

Daniel

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Answer from Sang H. Kim:

Dear Daniel,

Complete Kicking: The Ultimate Guide to Kicks for Martial Arts Self-defense & Combat Sports

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By Sang H. Kim

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Here are the steps you can take to improve your weaker leg kicking:

1. Stretch the weak leg muscles well before kicking to warm-up and prevent possible injuries.

2. Strengthen your weaker leg by doing very slow controlled kicks wearing a light (2 to 5 pound) ankle weight. Start with the lightest weight and work your way up.

3. When practicing kicking in the air, choose a specific target before you kick. Do 10 to 15 repetitions of each kick with your weak leg whenever your practice to improve your flexibility and control.

4. Practice 3 sets of each kick on a heavy bag or handheld target at each practice session to develop power.

5. Work on the above four suggestions consistently, at least 3 times per week. You should begin to see results in a few weeks.

6. Set specific goals (like you want to do a front kick at head height) and track your progress in your training diary or notebook.

7. Every two weeks re-evaluate your progress and goals using your training notes and your observations.

Sincerely,

Sang H. Kim

Basic Taekwondo Terms in Korean and English

Terms commonly used in Taekwondo, in English and Korean:

Complete Taekwondo Poomsae: The Official Taegeuk, Palgwae and Black Belt Forms of Taekwondo

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By Sang H. Kim, Kyu Hyung Lee

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Movement Principles of Taekwondo Poomsae

Excerpted from COMPLETE TAEKWONDO POOMSAE by Kyu Hyung Lee and Sang H. Kim

The movement order of each Poomsae is predetermined so you must practice accordingly. The predetermined movement line is called the Poomsae Seon. Every form begins and ends in the same place. Poomsae also begins and ends with etiquette, as manifested in the bow.

There are three principles:

1. Poomsae must have beauty and power.
2. Rhythm is derived from softness and strength of force.
3. Technique is made of the slowness and rapidness of movement and the contraction and expansion of the body.

The detailed movement principles of Poomsae are as follows:

Complete Taekwondo Poomsae: The Official Taegeuk, Palgwae and Black Belt Forms of Taekwondo

$24.96

By Sang H. Kim, Kyu Hyung Lee

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1. Each Poomsae movement is divided into preparation for the movement and the main movement. In preparation for a movement, you rotate your trunk, move your feet and prepare to block or strike. During this stage, relax your entire body and move your feet into a transitional stance while simultaneously chambering your arms or leg. Next, perform the main movement, the block, punch, strike or kick. At the moment of impact, focus your force on the target and snap your hand or foot to maximize the power of your movement.

2. For each movement, maximize the rotational force of your waist and the snapping motion of your strike. In Poomsae, you can increase your power by rotating your waist slightly when blocking, striking or punching. Avoid bending your trunk forward or sideways, as this reduces the power of your technique.

3. Power and Rhythm: When performing the preparation phase of a movement, relax your shoulders and coil your trunk to the side. When performing the main technique, focus all of your force into the target at the moment of impact.

4. Rhythm and Speed of movements: The preparation movement and main movement should be rhythmically and seamlessly linked. Avoid pausing in the middle of a technique.

5. When blocking, kicking and punching, always use both arms. In the preparation for the movement, one arm stretches toward the target direction while the other arm prepares to block or punch.

6. Always look at the target and align your body properly.

7. Accurately perform each stance. Adjust the width and length of your stance according to your height. When forming your stance, one step generally means the distance of one walking step forward. Pay attention to the degree of bend in your knees.

8. When kicking, bend your knee and kick as high as you can then quickly recover your balance.         

Tips for Motivating Your Students

Excerpted from 1001 Ways to Motivate Yourself and Others by Sang H. Kim

The teacher, like the team leader, is a role that often comes in disguise.  You may not teach in school, but certainly you occasionally have the opportunity to pass along your knowledge of something to others.  Perhaps you train new employees at your job or teach others a favorite hobby or sport.  We all find ourselves sharing our knowledge with others from time to time, whether in a formal classroom setting or a more informal exchange of ideas.

Teaching can be one of the most frustrating tasks you can undertake. Although you can easily perform a skill yourself, you may find yourself perplexed when you try to get someone else to do it correctly.  No matter how you explain it, they just cannot see it your way and you begin to wonder if it wouldn’t just be easier to do it yourself.  This is a critical juncture in motivating your student to succeed. If you give up and berate the student (colleague, employee, . . . ) you will alienate him and block any further progress.  

1001 Ways to Motivate Yourself and Others

By Sang H. Kim

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However, if you draw on your motivational skills to provide a good role model and plenty of encouragement interspersed with meaningful guidance, you may be surprised at the sudden turn­around in your student’s learning.

12 Tips for Motivating Your Students

1. Make learning progressive and point out progress as it occurs.
2. In the early stages of learning, recognize effort above results.
3. If your students easily accomplish everything you teach them, your standards are too low.
4. Make it hard for students to blend into the background.  Require everyone to make quality contributions regularly.
5. Criticize the behavior, not the behave-er.
6. Motivate students to think and participate by asking open-ended questions. Example: Instead of asking “Any questions?”,  ask “What questions do you have?”
7. Praise progress as well as results.
8. Select goals and rewards that are tied directly to student needs. Example: A woman signs up for  a shooting course to learn self-protection.  Setting goals related to basic proficiency and safety are more important to her than  proper breathing techniques or learning to handle an exotic variety of weapons.
9.  Whenever possible use "hands on" methods to teach new concepts and skills.
10. Make every effort to reduce the potential for failure or fear of failure associated with learning.
11. Give students clear criteria that identify when they have reached their goal.
12. Call attention to things done right rather than errors.  Build successful habits around these positive things.

How to Fight Against a Taller Opponent

Sang H. Kim answers the following question that he received from a number of YouTube viewers:

"Most of my opponents are definitely taller than I am. So my question is: how to deal with an opponent quite taller than you?"

Over 89 more video replies to fan questions by Sang H. Kim can be found on the Answers to Martial Arts Questions Youtube playlist.