Uechi-Ryu Kicking !

GSantaniello · Post by **GSantaniello** » Tue Jun 11, 2002 5:04 am

For many who teach and study Uechi-Ryu Karate, it is generally understood th our style is somewhat "limited" in kicks as compare to some other systems.

As our kata's and pre-arranged drills are primarily limited to front kicks, round houses and an occassional side kick, the sparring aspect of the art may allow one to "expand" a bit on kicking.

However, how many insructors "teach" the use and/or defence of some other kicks used in other styles ?

Is it relevant that we also teach and expose a little other than what "we" do only ?

As myself who uses 80% hands 20% feet, at one time in free sparring i would believe the balance to have been more 50/50.

When an opponent is at distance, one with ability can utilize high rounhouses, hook kicks, spinning back kicks and wheel kicks that are not normally taught in uechi.

People who "charge" in with drive, are very difficult to keep at bay with these kicks. However, for those who have the agility, flexibilty and reflexes, i have seen some people be very effective with them.

Should we (do we) incorperate some of thes kicks into our classe, as to expose there content and possible use ? Or do many stay away because they are not considered to be "Uechi" ?

Spinning back kicks can be very effective and has been said to be one of the kicks used in uechi. Truth is, i've seen many lack ability to throw them.

Single hook kicks to the head have kncked out peoople with "one" shot as have roundhouse.

Although many are "limited" in their flexibility for various reasons, familiarlity with kicks other than "uechi" is an asset.

Opinions, views, thoughts ?

------------------

Gary S.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Jun 11, 2002 5:32 am

Gary, good post, should generate some interest. In the dojo I trained in we trained all kicks and attempted to trained counters for them.

Sensei would seize on the opportunity to explore the techniques of other styles. When a student with other martial experience joined our dojo he was invited to teach his style and mindset in sparring class. Sensei would have us train these new techniques. When we had the basics down he would begin to show us how to use our Uechi to deal with many of these techniques.

This proved to be most helpful when in the open tournaments. Today I can no longer throw those high spinning kicks,I don't train them.(I was never very good at them years of training are required to really throw them with power and not telegraphing) I,ve grown older and less flexible. But I do have a feel for when they will be thrown and a better understanding of distance and how to slip them as a result of the exploration. I don't expect to deal with this stuff on the street and my tournament days are long gone.

To day I have a better feel for Uechi and it is more appealing for my mindset and body type. I have always found that when you play with the other guys toys you appreciate your own a lot more. I'm always blown away by how much I learn when I hang out in the other guys sand box.

Laird

maxwell ainley · Post by **maxwell ainley** » Tue Jun 11, 2002 12:06 pm

Hi Gary,

I do understand ,all you say . Uechi - ryu is structured in its own unique way ,but we can become blind to why its structured ,that way .
Search abilities are a must , rather than search its easy to just borrow.
We do need to keep our martial art observation wide but not at the expense of ,
dallying around on the suface of our ryu .

max.

------------------
max ainley

student · Post by **student** » Tue Jun 11, 2002 12:49 pm

The inevitable problem in all orthodox martial arts with rules is that you wind up practicing against your own kind of techniques, period.

As a TKD practitioner I fight against a hell of a lot of kicks, almost no hand techniques, and none of them directed to the face.

When I'm praticing Wing Chun seldom are any high kicks thrown at me.

One reason I still practice both is to get a better feeling for different techniques and range.

Yes, I do try and confuse my opponents by using TKD tactics against WC and vice versa. Sometimes it helps. Sometimes....

YMMV

student

[This message has been edited by student (edited June 11, 2002).]

Stryke · Post by **Stryke** » Tue Jun 11, 2002 2:47 pm

I beleive it`s got to depend on your training goals , Im a reasonable kicker but I must admit for high/advanced kicks to be practical it requires quite a bit of maitanance , Although not discrediting them as an option i beleive there more suited for tournaments , what is more important i beleive is to be used to facing them .

Bill Glasheen · Post by **Bill Glasheen** » Tue Jun 11, 2002 4:11 pm

In my mind, one of the lessons of the early NHB tournaments is that one needs to understand and respect the techniques of "the enemy." The Gracies dominated the early tournaments because they did their homework. The strikers assumed they were invulnerable to wrasslers and the jiu-jitsu types. How can they weather my sidekick? Big mistake! Now any decent fighter in a NHB arena crosstrains.

My early martial arts experiences were back when Jhoon Rhee was king. <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Nobody bothers me! I take karate from Jhoon Rhee.

Call USA-1000 today!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> If you fought in a tournament, it was certain that you'd face at least one TKD fighter before making it to the finals. If you hadn't developed your defensive skills, you were in serious trouble.

Another interesting phenomena I note in this venue - and has been mentioned above - is the "inbred fighter." This is most apparent in aikido dojos where nobody has trained in another art. Ever see an aikidoka attack another that has never practiced karate or other striking art? They hurl themselves at each other, brutally attacking each other with their faces and falling before touched. Oye!! How in the heck is that person going to survive on the street? Oh yea...their ki will protect them. They will harmonize with their opponents. Fortunately I learned aikido from a judoka/Gojuka/Green Beret. Everyone in our dojo had at least a shodan in another striking art. We were not gentle with each other.

Sometimes the stuff worked; sometimes it didn't. Then when we were getting thrashed in 3-on-1 randori, our instructor would "tag" in and show us how it was done. One day, one of our folks went to visit another aikido dojo. He was shocked that nobody could throw him. Why? He knew how to attack, and (Goju) sanchin had taught him about the concept of a center. THEY thought he was being an S.O.B. Fine...

My solution to the TKD dilemma was first to watch and learn, and then to choreograph something everyone could practice. My own 38-Special form still survives, and some of my students ended up being superb kickers. All you need is one or two in the dojo who can kick like mules and do splits on command. You'd be surprised how quickly the defenses improve in class.

I'm waiting for Joe Pomfret's BJJ kata.

George is waiting for my ukemi kata (work in progress).

As for needing flexibility to use all this, I say not true. Some of the best kicks are below the waist. Lately I've been fascinated by the use of "leg manipulation" techniques. it adds a whole other dimension to your fighting. And if you look close enough, you may find the moves hidden in your own Uechi forms.

- Bill

P.S. A good way to train cardiovascular in a Uechi dojo is to spend a little time each workout on pure kicking. It's also a reason not to rely on kicks too much in a long competition bout.

TSDguy · Post by **TSDguy** » Tue Jun 11, 2002 11:43 pm

You get used to kicks if you see them, but don't get cocky about defending against them. I recently started an olympic style TKD class and counted the kicks... pushing 2000 per class (I've since stopped counting, it's demoralizing

). Anyway, the best kickers in a non-kicking style usually are medium/poor kickers in a kicking style; something I'm finding out as I compare TSD and TKD. Totally irrelevant for fighting off would-be rapists (hopefully!), but something to watch for in a tourney.

sunsu8 · Post by **sunsu8** » Wed Jun 12, 2002 4:36 pm

In our dojo, we study front,side,round,back,angle,cross-heel stomp, side-front, knee, and heel thrust. We learn several bunkai for each kick and then we expand in kumite (one half being pre-arranged) and then find new ones ourselves.

I personally train 50/50, but when it comes to sparring, I do about 90/10. I don't prefer kicks because when I first starting karate, I never learned how to properly kick nad did not build speed either. Now that I am approaching shodan, My kicks are too slow. I work on them hard someday to hopefully have them good enough. But I am still working.

Our dojo does few tourneys and we are taught to naturally kick low. (I believe this has something to do with the number of tourneys we go too! lol) Most people in the dojo kick head high when they fight, but have the thoughts of still using low kicks if need be.

Hope this helps ~ sjr

Bill Glasheen · Post by **Bill Glasheen** » Wed Jun 12, 2002 4:49 pm

TSDguy

Very true! But I'd rather have 20/100 vision than be totally blind.

Every little bit helps.

This is a good reason to have an "open dojo" policy, and an open mind when it comes to traveling and training.

- Bill

Deep Sea · Post by **Deep Sea** » Thu Jun 13, 2002 2:07 am

Hello Gary, I’ll offer a littler here.

I just read what I wrote with the thoughts that you often take offense to what I write to you in response to questions you ask. Please don’t Gary, because I’m oly trying to help. You are asking questions because you are genuinely looking for answers and I have, as I have had in the past, solid answers for you. If you don’t agree with what I write, then that is ok by me. With that said, I’ll post this and go until next time, because I have a tremendous amount of personal stuff to do before I retire for the evening.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote

For many who teach and study Uechi-Ryu Karate, it is generally understood th our style is somewhat "limited" in kicks as compare to some other systems.

I’ll say this understanding is an understatement as well.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote

As our kata's and pre-arranged drills are primarily limited to front kicks, round houses and an occassional side kick, the sparring aspect of the art may allow one to "expand" a bit on kicking.

I don’t want to get started on expanding my discussion into doing other kicks tonight, Gary, but at the very minimum, the number of Uechi-only kicks and the way they’re done in the dojo is often both deplorable, and another one. That and the next statement is not for the “stray” school or “stray” students, but if Uechika want to get good at their own kicks, doing them only during class time will never get them anywhere. Uechika need to get good at their own thing before they try to learn something else.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote

However, how many insructors "teach" the use and/or defence of some other kicks used in other styles ?

I know I do. Uechi doesn’t “have” to be a kicking style, and it never will be, so to learn kicking skills in our style is not a necessary feature of the style. However, from where I’ve been, I’ve learned to love and cherish them, to learn how develop them and get much mileage from them.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote

Is it relevant that we also teach and expose a little other than what "we" do only ?

Absolutely not. A good kicking routine takes a minimum of about ½ hour per session, and unless Uechi dojo are willing to lengthen class to accommodate a kicking class by an appropriate amount of time, Uechi techniques, right down to Sanchin, will suffer and the students will be the looser.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote

As myself who uses 80% hands 20% feet, at one time in free sparring i would believe the balance to have been more 50/50.

At some dojang, kicking was 100% until I walked in. High percentages like that are the norm. Uechi is to kicks the same as what Taekwondo is to hand strikes.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote

When an opponent is at distance, one with ability can utilize high rounhouses, hook kicks, spinning back kicks and wheel kicks that are not normally taught in uechi.

Some of those kicks can also be used as effective fist-fighting-distance attacks also. One of my favorites was an axe kick straight down on top of the collarbone, definitely not Uechi-fare.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote

People who "charge" in with drive, are very difficult to keep at bay with these kicks. However, for those who have the agility, flexibilty and reflexes, i have seen some people be very effective with them.

I agree.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote

Should we (do we) incorperate some of thes kicks into our classe, as to expose there content and possible use ? Or do many stay away because they are not considered to be "Uechi" ?

If one does it to learn how to successfully attack into, and defend against other stylists, I say it’s a good thing. But is one sets out to learn them because he thinks he’s missing something, he’s only fooling himself – and he will fail. Uechi has all the blocks ever needed to defend against most, if not all, Taekwondo kicks. Absolutely.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote

Spinning back kicks can be very effective and has been said to be one of the kicks used in uechi. Truth is, i've seen many lack ability to throw them.

What I think of a spinning back kick is not something from the Uechi toolset. If you are referring to that spinning thing in Dan kumite, it sure is NOT a spinning back kick of what I know as a spinning back kick and I’ve never seen anyone do anything close one in anything Uechi. There are a handful of Uechi stylists who can do such things. Those who I know about are also exceptional at it, but either they brought them with them from a former style, or had an instructor who introduced those kicks into his dojo.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote

Single hook kicks to the head have kncked out peoople with "one" shot as have roundhouse.

I used to break more boards with my heel on a spinning back kick/wheel kick than anything else. The peripheral speed one can generate from it when done right is extremely high. I don’t think it would be difficult to crush a skull or possibly kill someone with a kick like that.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote

Although many are "limited" in their flexibility for various reasons, familiarlity with kicks other than "uechi" is an asset.

That’s a given, every word! Learn how to kick higher and you will kick better at the height you kicked at when you started. However, the low kicks of Uechi provides a definite and unique attractiveness for those who cannot get their legs up. And there’s nothing wrong with that.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote

Opinions, views, thoughts ?

Done!

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote

Sensei would seize on the opportunity to explore the techniques of other styles. When a student with other martial experience joined our dojo he was invited to teach his style and mindset in sparring class. Sensei would have us train these new techniques. When we had the basics down he would begin to show us how to use our Uechi to deal with many of these techniques.

Good man, he is.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote

. . . But I do have a feel for when they will be thrown and a better understanding of distance and how to slip them as a result of the exploration.

Very useful for a Uechika, no?

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote

To day I have a better feel for Uechi and it is more appealing for my mindset and body type. I have always found that when you play with the other guys toys you appreciate your own a lot more. I'm always blown away by how much I learn when I hang out in the other guys sand box.

Well said again, Laird.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote

As a TKD practitioner I fight against a hell of a lot of kicks, almost no hand techniques, and none of them directed to the face.

I had a lots of fun and good times sparring TKD kickers, student, I was one once. I won’t get into TKD vs Uechi on a public forum because I love them both, but send me some email.

------------------
Allen Moulton from Uechi-ryu Etcetera

GSantaniello · Post by **GSantaniello** » Sat Jun 15, 2002 4:55 pm

In the dojo I trained in we trained all kicks and attempted to trained counters for them.
Sensei would seize on the opportunity to explore the techniques of other styles.

The exposure to other systems can only help one to be effective when dealing with those of other styles.

This proved to be most helpful when in the open tournaments. Today I can no longer throw those high spinning kicks,I don't train them.
years of training are required to really throw them with power and not telegraphing) I,ve grown older and less flexible. But I do have a feel for when they will be thrown and a better understanding of distance and how to slip them as a result of the exploration. I don't expect to deal with this stuff on the street and my tournament days are long gone.

Excellent points are made. I agree with most of your comments. Having developed a "feel" for your oponents intentions and having the ability to do something about it is a key element to one's effectiveness in fighting.

I do understand ,all you say . Uechi - ryu is structured in its own unique way ,but we can become blind to why its structured ,that way .
Search abilities are a must , rather than search its easy to just borrow.
We do need to keep our martial art observation wide but not at the expense of ,
dallying around on the suface of our ryu .

I believe that all the "tools" we need are within uechi ryu only that those who stay within "the box" are not well prepared to deal with effective individuals of other systems.

The inevitable problem in all orthodox martial arts with rules is that you wind up practicing against your own kind of techniques, period.

Point well made !

As a TKD practitioner I fight against a hell of a lot of kicks, almost no hand techniques, and none of them directed to the face.
When I'm praticing Wing Chun seldom are any high kicks thrown at me.
One reason I still practice both is to get a better feeling for different techniques and range.

It is also a benefit for your opponent to have you mixing it up on them.

I must admit for high/advanced kicks to be practical it requires quite a bit of maitanance , Although not discrediting them as an option i beleive there more suited for tournaments , what is more important i beleive is to be used to facing them .

I agree.

Many high kicks used in "tourny's" to score points would lack effectiveness an
power needed in the street. Although some are very "effective" in their ability.

I believe that the ability to "face" them and deal with them is much more important than the ability to use them.

Lately I've been fascinated by the use of "leg manipulation" techniques. it adds a whole other dimension to your fighting.
I have also taken note of the same. It does add another "dimension".

Now that I am approaching shodan, My kicks are too slow. I work on them hard someday to hopefully have them good enough. But I am still working.

For some, kicking is easier than others. Some do not put enough time and effort into them as to improve them. A heavy bag can help as part of ones training routine.

Hello Gary, I'll offer a littler here.
I just read what I wrote with the thoughts that you often take offense to what I write to you in response to questions you ask. Please don't Gary, because I'm oly trying to help. You are asking questions because you are genuinely looking for answers and I have, as I have had in the past, solid answers for you. If you don't agree with what I write, then that is ok by me.

Occassionaly things are taken out of content. Misunderstood and/or not well explained. At any rate, thank you for your responce.

I don't want to get started on expanding my discussion into doing other kicks tonight, Gary, but at the very minimum, the number of Uechi-only kicks and the way they're done in the dojo is often both deplorable, and another one. That and the next statement is not for the "stray" school or "stray" students, but if Uechika want to get good at their own kicks, doing them only during class time will never get them anywhere. Uechika need to get good at their own thing before they try to learn something else.

Point well taken. Developing strong and effective kicks does require more than the limited use in our kata and drills.

Absolutely not. A good kicking routine takes a minimum of about ½ hour per session, and unless Uechi dojo are willing to lengthen class to accommodate a kicking class by an appropriate amount of time, Uechi techniques, right down to Sanchin, will suffer and the students will be the looser.

It is important that classes are not always focused on covering "all" material in a short time. But, that classes are structured to focus on specific material as to develop the effeciency of different aspects of our training.

Uechi is to kicks the same as what Taekwondo is to hand strikes.

Can't agree here. My training years with Bob Bethoney was very "exposing" to kicks. We spent much time on drills, bag work, pads, sparring etc.

Although i "understand" what you mean, possibly some uechi dojo's do more kicking than others.

Now that i teach an "older" group and my own flexibilty is more limited, it is the "basic" kicks that we use. Many that were used in my younger days of training are no longer used within my group.

Having a TKD dojo up the street from my house, i can not help but notice that the majority of the students are younger, such as children and teenagers.

Don't think you will see many 50 yr. olds jumping, spinning and wheeling kicks as the the younger generation.

One of my favorites was an axe kick straight down on top of the collarbone, definitely not Uechi-fare.

I am famlier with the kick. Have seen it used often in the old days in tourny's. Taller people usually have the edge on high kicks. Having higher hips from longer legs and being able to position the knee at head level, defenitely makes a difference !

If one does it to learn how to successfully attack into, and defend against other stylists, I say it's a good thing. But is one sets out to learn them because he thinks he's missing something, he's only fooling himself – and he will fail. Uechi has all the blocks ever needed to defend against most, if not all, Taekwondo kicks. Absolutely.

the low kicks of Uechi provides a definite and unique attractiveness for those who cannot get their legs up. And there's nothing wrong with that.

I agree !

Respectfully,

------------------

Gary S.

Deep Sea · Post by **Deep Sea** » Sun Jun 16, 2002 4:32 am

Uechi is a small enough system that to add and extra kicking routine, even a minimalist one, can be a welcome addition to those who have reached dan rank and have little in the way of new material to be tested on.

A kicking program can breathe new life into an otherwise mundane segment of time where the temptation to leave the system because of lack of interest caused by boredom and nothing different, new, and exciting to learn can be great, as well as bring refreshing and welcome relief. Once engaged in a kicking program, interest in sparring can almost generate itself with newly acquired abilities [Look, Ma. No hands!].

Too many Uechika think that Lots of kicks and high kicks means Taekwondo. Some Uechika have been known to go out of their way to overtly insult that tremendously powerful martial art for a number of reasons. That’s real sad, because it shows a mark of immaturity, stagnancy, and ignorance, as well as gives the uninformed an incorrect negative impression of TKD.
If one says, instead, “Let’s develop a kicking program with this many kicks and this many combinations, and incorporate it into our regular program,” and never mention the word “TKD.” The students may enthusiastically think their sensei has invented the best thing since beer. Then it can become a true tool. Yes. All the tools we need are in Uechi, but if one cannot grow he eventually withers and dies.

Some things always seem to get lost in the translation. A kicking program doesn’t necessarily mean HIGH kicks, although it could eventually develop into that. A kicking program does mean a lot of kicks done a lot of different ways. I read above something about “age” being a factor that weighs down high kicks. I think it is only the thought of “age” that weighs down the motivation to perform them. I haven’t stretched-out regularly in years, and my muscles are tight as a drum. I’m getting up there in years, but if I was motivated, I’d throw out the age factor and within three months I’d be loose, and will even go so far as to say I could touch my forehead on the floor and against my knees as I depicted in Uechi-ryu 2000, say on page 3-8.

The real problem behind not being able to do high kicks and the associated stretching required for doing them is a predisposed attitude of self-failure. If one says “I can’t do that,” then it’s a given fact that he can’t do that. If one says “They’re useless,” or something similar, than that individual has turned the switch to learning OFF. Too many just don’t try, and when that happens, nothing else does.

If one wants to learn, then don’t depend upon the style or sensei, rather take it upon yourself and just do it. Once one becomes proficient with his kicks, high or low, then he’ll know whether they work or not. Of course they won’t work if you can’t do it.

Someone wrote that their kicks were too slow and that someday they hope they will be good enough. The best plan for that is to forget whether the will be good enough, and map-out a strategy of reps and sets and days, and go for it, keeping a level of challenge that prevents you from slacking off. And the heavy bag is tremendous. I used to think of it as a foot makiwara. Not “enough time” is what can often defeat the best intentions. So what if you have a harder time than others. You don’t know what’s going through their minds and maybe you really don’t. If you think you have a harder time, then you are creating your own destiny. Take it easy on yourself, menatally, and just keep at it.
<hr>
Gary,

I strive to not to take things out of context, but because the way the English language is written, a sentence many mean one thing to some and something else entirely to others. My goals are to get to the point without changing, twisting, fabricating, or inventing.

As you wrote that developing strong and effective kicks requires more than we do now, You can put together a ½-hour program of 10-15 minutes stretching and 15-20 minutes kicking. The time will go fast, and in order for the program to work, it must be done regularly at least three times a week, either in class or out of class on your own.

I like what you wrote about efficiency and focus rather than spending time to cover "all" material. Shorten it to 10 minutes stretching and 10 minutes kicking. Look at what Van does. He focuses on one thing, and that is power. There;s no time in one of his classes to do more than only a few kata. Depth rather than breadth.

Well you didn’t agree with me when I wrote that Uechi is to kicks the same as what Taekwondo is to hand strikes. You used Bob Bethoney as your example. I was a student at his dojo too. However I often write that I’m talking about the standard fare, not the exceptional. Bobby trains steamrollers on legs and his students have trouble in Uechi tournaments because they really go at it. I remember a broken jaw incident at the Uechi tournament a few years back, and those guys don’t unleash themselves, even.

When old age creeps in, the flexibility creeps in, and the height of the foot is no longer as high, I think one must work it more to keep himself going as long as possible and as far as possible.
You write about the young TKD jumping jacks across the street from you. That’s the time to develop high kicks, before the muscles grow in. Stretch can last for a lifetime with minimal or even no maintenance when persistently done at that age.

You like that kick too, huh? Reads like you depended upon it once in a while in your younger days. That one’s a fist-fighting-distance kick. It might help to be tall, but it helps the defender if the kicker is tall as well.

Your original post reads like you must have been thinking of assembling a mid-range kicking program for your dojo, Gary? Yes?

------------------
Allen Moulton from Uechi-ryu Etcetera

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Jun 16, 2002 6:40 am

The exposure to other systems can only help one to be effective when dealing with those of other styles.
--------------------------------------------
Actually yes and no Gary. I've always found that digging around in the other guys tool box shows me more about my own. I come away from the experience with a better understanding of my style.I learn how my Uechi works against things I have not been exposed to.

Food for thought:

If everthing I need is in my Uechi tool box what drawer do we find:

1.How to defend against spinning kicks?
2.How to read a telegraph of a spinning kick?
3. What distance will the axe kick be delivered from? What combos will be comming with it?
4. How to tell if a spinning kick is going to be thrown or are you being lured in ?
5. How to read if its a hook kick or is it just going to come down the middle?How do you defended against the hook kick?
6. How to defend against a low high kick combo?

These questions could be endless. So should we just tell the student its in sanchin go deeper?

Or do we train this stuff, play with it,spar with it.Or do we cross train with a kicking style or do we enter open tournaments?

Laird

jorvik · Post by **jorvik** » Sun Jun 16, 2002 8:43 pm

I always associated karate with kicks. always have, and i tried my hardest to learn how to kick really well, but i was never better than poor, i tried every method i could to get into the full splits, never got anywhwere close.
my wife is very supple, she has a medical condition were her hips can just dislocate.
i have 3 sons, one is like me, though more so, a white mike tyson,at 9 he weighs in at 8 1/2 stone, very strong, but stiff as a board.the eldest is like his mother and with minimal instruction can throw unbelievable roundhouse kicks- to the head and beyond- the youngest we are waiting on( but he s got one hell of a temper, and is always fighting our "iron mike" )
i think that kicks are genetic, you either can or can't.
the best martial artist i have ever trained with was a kuk-sul-won stylist, he was unbelievable,like bruce lee on dexadrine.
none kickers dont realise how hard kickers train.he used to do 30 roundhouse kicks to knee level,30 to the waist,30 to the head,then 30 to above the head,( he never put his foot down once) then repeat on the left side.then side kicks....
one thing i did learn, though was how to fight a kicker.
with kicks, not all kicks are long range- the higher you kick the closer you need to be to your target. middle range kicks are the furthest from your opponent, i.e. to the waist level ( assuming he isnt 6ft 9ins) also, there are kicks that supple people can do and ones that people who arent, can do .
if your not supple, you cant do high roundhouse,high side kick.
but!!! you should be able( if you can touch your toes) do a really neat crescent/reverse crescent kick and also their derivatives i.e. jumping spinning reverse crescent( YES YOU REALLY CAN) and tornadoes, whirlwinds etc..
i used to do a training regime whereby i did the daily dozen( 12 of each, roundhouse,side,front,crescent,reverse crescent) it really all comes down to youeself, you ll never be any good until you integrate m.a. into your life and train outside the dojo.
i really like sparring with kickers, they always underestimate me.and now, as a very stiff, middle-aged dude i have to say IMHO punching styles are better.and uechi is very good.

Deep Sea · Post by **Deep Sea** » Tue Jun 18, 2002 2:24 am

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote

he used to do 30 roundhouse kicks to knee level,30 to the waist,30 to the head,then 30 to above the head,( he never put his foot down once) then repeat on the left side.then side kicks....

That kind of stuff is no less than awesome to watch. I knew a guy like that once. He'd start at one end of the dojang and rapidly shoot high crescents [foot too high for roundhouse] until he reached the other wall without lowering his kicking leg while skipping forward on his supporting leg. There are a few out there who know how to and can really kick!

Us mere mortals must contend ourselves with stepping down for balance after every two or three

------------------
Allen Moulton from Uechi-ryu Etcetera