Question about arm configuration while kicking

In Muay Thai, you are taught to swing your right and left arm in opposite directions as a push-pull effect to generate additional power. In Karate and TKD, however, jazzy arms are penalised in the evaluation of the kick.

From a TKD perspective, how is the practitioner supposed to generate forward momentum if not by the aid of the arms?

This is not the most extreme example, but it is noticeably more flinchy than textbook deliveries. My balance is not really affected in this kick whether I use my arms or not, but it doesn’t feel natural without it, and it slows me down if I don't do it. I also feel that having an arm in front of my face should be preferrable than by my rib or waist.

 

The factor that determines what my arms do is what my opponent is doing, not what I am doing. The hands are active in the relevant defence or attacking motion, rather than being determined by what kick. The question is therefore moot.

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I had a correspondence with a Tang Soo Do practitioner who's universal critique (since context was not specified) to my hand configuration was that I twitch my arms in the wind-up rather than keep them statically in place from start to finish. This would have be to corrected in front of (his) instructor, he claims, and that there would be no way it would be accepted for 1st dan black belt level with "jazzy hands" as he put it.

 

Maybe you should be more selective in what you choose to believe and from whom.

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He has a point though. Look at this random sample... Arms completely tucked in for all kicks.

 

Not tucked...ready.

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That’s not a good ready position for your hands

 

Care to elaborate why not?

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Not so much his side kick but the dollyo chagi, I don't feel there's much offensive, punching potential with both hands tight. Having one of them extended and or up can act as stabilizer, defense, and striking addition. It's a higher probability of serious damage and follow up with a dollyo chagi kick, and punching can come in handy then.

I prefer something like this during point of impact.

The ITF encyclopedia has a nice first picture. View attachment 188

 

Gnarlie, Where do you stand (no pun intended) on the matter of bent vs straight supporting leg for Dollyo and Yeop chagi?.. It seems that most modern-day TKD practitioners almost uniformly kick with a straight supporting leg. One Karateka made that observation trying out TKD, but I have seen Karatekas with straight supporting leg as well.. And TKDoins with bent..

 

Then you don't understand what I mean. The arms are active during the kick. You move them as you need them. With this in mind, a consistent neutral position trained as default is not necessarily a good thing - neither is a consistent motion, as both leave consistent openings which will be exploited.

Better then to have a neutral position which plays as a starting point from which any useful motion can be initiated, be that punching or blocking, as required.

The issue for beginners is, you need to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time. So beginners are taught to hold a position.

It's the same old tired "keep your hands up" argument. High level peeps don't worry about it too much as they can read and react whilst in motion.

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Depends on the purpose and on the individual.

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In basics. It is taught in your school with a straight or bent leg? Why do TKD exponents generally perform Yeop and Dollyo forms with straight supporting leg?

 

Depends. Slight bend usually. So small that you don't see it through a dobok.

Straight for competition aesthetics.

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How would you alter this side kick to raise it a level quality wise? It's hard when you don't know what to look for and you're saddled with innate limitations. I'm not leaning away from the kick anymore (success!). Is this the best a regular person can do with a stiff body in your experience? I can't extend this height statically. That’s how stiff I am. This affects my body mechanics. Small changes are still possible though so let me know if you spot something right away.

 

Here is another one: is it in the same ball park as the first one?

 

You fall backwards during and after your kick, right?

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No but I generate more force from my lead leg than rear on a shield. There is a timing and or weight transfer issue, that I don't have from the lead leg. It's probably just down to repetitions but I still think my rear leg side kick should be a lot harder. I can make a strong holder move a little bit but there is no real power.

 

The pics are rear leg, right?

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Yes and I haven't done it for at least a year. I have problems with prolonged tensing during extention. I have no such problems with the dollyo chagi. I don’t know why but the rear side kick does not age well when you're inactive