Superfoot Training for High Kicking

To be able to kick fast and with power is probably the thought that comes in most peoples minds when the word martial arts crops up. Since martial arts where first portrayed on the silver screen, fighters have been expected to be able to pull of jumping spinning kicks, aimed always towards head height.

Of course, the reality is that these types of spectacular kicks should be left at the movie theatre. However, more realistic kicks for fighting sports such as MMA or Muay Thai do require fighters to be able to perform kicks at any height with strength.

Weight training is probably one of the best ways to develop strength in the muscles, but for kicking, especially at head height, requires years of performing the actual kicks to get your muscles, ligaments and tendons used to the rigors of kicking.

A method which I have been using for many years and which I consider to be one of the best for developing kicking strength is slow kicks and isometric holds and I happened to find a video with Bill “Superfoot” Wallace demonstrating the exact exercise.

As you can see, Wallace uses a chair to keep his balance (a wall or post etc will do) and basically performs kicks his kicks. The exercise involves isometric holds where you hold the kicking leg high in a kicking position (i.e, roundhouse kick), slow extensions of the leg to kicking positions at various heights and finally fast kicks (which can be performed with single kicks or as Wallace does with combination kicks)

Now if you’re new to this type of training, you probably will not be able to hold your leg up as high as Wallace does and will probably will not be able to hold a kicking position for 10 seconds as Wallace does, but that’s ok. As with everything you start small, performing to your own specific maximum, but you do want to try and better yourself over time so you are holding your leg in a kicking position for at least ten seconds for a few sets. Perform the same workout with both legs to develop the same strength on both sides.

By performing this exercise you shall develop the exact muscles used for kicking and shall develop other areas of kicking such as balance, body positioning and crisp technique. It is a must for all martial artists who train kicks and should be performed regularly.

Another similar article which may help whilst trying to perform this exercise is here

Marks

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Tags: MMA, martial arts, bill superfoot wallace, high kicking

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