Safety in Taekwondo Kicks

When using taekwondo kicks, in order to prevent injury, it's important to maintain proper orientation while performing them. Most of the kicks in taekwondo use a straight line of attack, all the force of the blow travels and is directed in a straight line, which is why if done incorrectly they can damage the joints.

The two most well-known taekwondo kicks, the roundhouse kick and the sidekick, both use the hip to generate their explosive energy. Because of this the hip has to be kept in proper alignment, this is done by pivoting and turning. When doing a roundhouse kick one would turn his body so that his side is towards the target. This is easiest done by pivoting on the non-kicking foot, which allows one to not only turn but to track the target as it may move. Then the leg is brought up, pointing the knee at the intended target, while keeping the leg horizontal the leg is then extended so that the balls of the feet snap forward and into the target.

If, in contrast, one were to kick directly in front of them without turning, one could still strike the target, but it will have much less force. By forcing the hip to remain squared with the target the leg isn't able to reach as far and the force of the kick can pull the leg out of joint.

For a sidekick one would also want the side and hip to be pointed towards the target. It's less likely to perform a side kick in an injurious manner, but power and stability are still improved by pivoting properly. For a side kick the more of the hip muscles that can be used the better, so turning the hip just a little past the target so that the heel is pointed directly at the target allows it to be extended straight into the strike zone. In addition, if the non-kicking foot is pivoted so that the heel is pointed towards the target and the toes are pointed away, this positions the body on a direct line of attack. This means that all of the force, even that of stepping or moving forward, is directed into the kick.

When kept in mind and with practice these tips easily become natural and part of the kick itself. It's a simple way to improve the performance and safety of the two most popular taekwondo kicks.

Alan Stables is a student of taekwondo, learning the basic taekwondo poomse techniques in order to progress through the different colored taekwondo belts. Although only an amateur, Alan hopes to compete competitively in the future.

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