Preparing Your Foot To Adapt To A Target

Each martial arts kick has many different variations depending on the intended target. The position of the foot and the exact part of the foot you strike with must be correct in order for the kick to be as effective as possible.

Instructions for Technique

• It is important to harbor flexibility not just in the leg and hip and core but in the small delicate muscles of the foot so that you can hold the foot in the correct position for the strike and to change the position of the foot quickly to adapt to quickly changing circumstances like a facing switching, a guarding arm shifting, etc. The front kick can be performed with a pointed foot, the ball of the foot, or the heel. The roundhouse kick can be performed with the instep, the top of the foot, the ball of the foot, even the big toe. The side kick can strike with the heel, the knife edge of the foot, the ball of the foot, even the tip of the toes (spear toe kick). It is important to practice drills that will condition your foot muscles to respond to your needs quickly and correctly, just as you train your other muscles daily to respond at your need.

Reference Sources

1. Simon Scher, Northampton Martial Arts, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoVdb3czUT0NHokAoS3yz2A, Added - 09/12/15