Kicks can deliver a lot of striking power. However, a forceful kick requires balance, stability, speed, and timing if you want to deliver maximum impact or use it to win a fight. In the most basic self-defense situations, a person can use a simple, strong kick to create distance between themselves and an attacker, allowing just enough time for an escape or decision.
Kicks can be varied as strikes, shoves, linking movements, distractions, or takedowns in combination with other techniques. Most kicks have advanced variations like jumping, flying, spinning, and reverse maneuvers.
Front Kick
A front kick is the most direct kind of kick for basic self defense. It is, as the name implies, a simple kick to the front. The front kick, at its most basic, is done by lifting your knee and kicking to the front, striking with the bottom of the foot.
The front kick can be used to create distance between yourself and an oncoming attack.
Side Kick
A side kick is one of the most powerful basic kicks in martial arts. It is effective as a defense against attacks from the side, or you may position yourself perpendicular to the opponent to deliver a side kick. It delivers even more power when you are in motion. For example, you can move forward with a step- behind side kick. You will advance naturally with a penetrating side kick. A flying side kick, when skillfully executed, delivers your whole body momentum as force against your opponent.
Correct form for a side kick is to chamber the kicking leg by bending the knee while balancing on the standing leg and tilting the torso away from the direction of the kick.
Back Kick
Back kicks target attacks from behind. Although, generally, you would not want to turn your back on an attacker, back kicks are effective if you find yourself in this position for one reason or another. A back kick, like the front kick, can create distance between you and an attack from behind. If there are multiple attackers, you can dispense of one with a back kick and the other with a front kick (or vice versa) to give yourself time to escape or reassess the situation.
Again, an effective backe kick is done by chambering the leg ( bending the knee) and leaning forward, maintaining structure, while you deliver the kick.
Roundhouse Kick
A roundhouse kick delivers a powerful blow with a lot of force, since you are using the rear leg and momentum. This kick requires timing, speed, and targeting, so it can be a bit more technical than a front kick.
For the most basic roundhouse, you assume a fighting stance. Open the front foot and hip slightly outward as you kick with the back, directing force through the body by turning the entire torso from the hip. Then reverse the motion and return to fighting stance.
Ways to Improve Your Kicks
Stretch to open the hips and legs. You can do floor stretches – straight leg, wide leg, butterfly, pigeon – and advance to stretching each leg higher against a wall or using bands.
Focus on maintaining structure and balance as you execute the kicks. Practice very slowly, holding each movement with intention.
Use resistance training by using a punching bag, partner with a shield, and by doing body weight leg exercises such as squats and lunges.
For a structured side kick, use the wall to hold onto. Lean the upper body away and down in direction proportion to the leg ascending for the kick.
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