Well I guess I add my limited knowledge on kicking to the discussion.

First, in learning to kick several things have to be develop before moving to “effect kicking” which is kicking low with no chamber.  “Effect kicking” (I use this term only out of a lack of a better term) basically is a straight line from where the attack point (ie heel, ball, or toes of the foot) initially begins, to the point of contact (the opponent).  This bypasses the foot coming up to chamber then finding the target.  A faster and more efficient way of kicking. This type of kicking though fundamental for our system is not found much in other systems.  Why? Because it is hard to kick with power without first generating some kind of initial movement to generate power.   To kick without a chamber movement, one needs to learn the elements of energy of the “Body Lock” and extending power without an initial movement.     Bruce Lee’s one inch punch was seen as innovative to the American Martial Arts scene at the time but was just a Shaolin “body lock” which is fundamentally developed in our system and probably as ancient as the mountains. 

Well before I start babble on and on…..a couple of points on kicking.

When I first started in Liu Seong Gung Fu, I was taught to “still” my body and kick with just my leg.  Snapping it like a whip out and back as fast possible.  Clocking in hours of kicks over the initial years at 200 to 500 kicks per leg, per each different kick, per day.  Knee first then the foot.  Knee first then the foot.  Chamber then kick, chamber then kick, chamber then kick, so on and so on.  The upper body was kept still as not to telegraph your intent.  This training is elementary but fundamental to move to the next step.

I know now this training was to develop proper thought and discipline over the body and only the first step.

Next step was shielding of the body with your hands.  Shielding is another fundamental element of our system which is only minimally used in other systems.  Shielding in kicks is one hand down, protecting the lower body and groin.  The other hand goes high protecting the upper body and face.   This is done in timing with the out and back movements of the kicking leg and the hand going down should be the same said as the leg that goes up (Kicking) and the hand moving up is the same as the leg that is left on the ground creating yin-yang balance in the body.

Now a few things have been developed in the student, one the knee leads the movement (very important as Mike pointed out) and a yin-yang movement of the upper and lower body (which creates balance in the movement and the start of developing power).  But again this is only the next step.

Next is developing power.  As Mike so eloquently pointed out about the disadvantages of kicking high and the more effectives of kicking low, I disagree on one thing and that is a low kick is much more powerful than any high kick especially if the kicking is develop right.   If the low kick is developed properly, the power is infinitely greater than any high kick.  The only thing that makes the high kick look more powerful is because it is hitting the head.  Though some of us (including me) have “hard heads” ; ) , it does not take a great amount of power to injure and disable an opponent by hitting them in the head so it creates the illusion of a powerful kick.  Granted the more flexible one is, the quicker and more power your high kicks are but I guarantee that as hard as I can hit high with my leg, I can hit you 10+ time harder, low.

Well, on to Power.  Power comes from a number of elements of the kick.  First, it comes from the movement of the kicking leg.  Also it comes from the movement of the hands in relation to the legs in a yin-yang movement.  Also from what Mike called “Foot goes up – Head goes down”. 

Next is the movement of the hips in the movement of the kick.  In kicking with power there is a torque motion that is created by a twisting of the hips in the last part of the kicking movement.  I could try to explain it but some things need to be taught by action not words and should be left to a teacher/student relationship.  last is the "Body Lock" and the extention of the internal energy.   Individually these things only create minimal power but put together, they magnify each other to create synergistic energy (that is the sum of total is great than the sum of the parts)  That is 1+1+1+1= 4x4x4x4.

As far as the "body lock" and extending energy that is some left between you and your teacher to develop and not something easily explain on any forum.

Mike also pointed out the very venerable nature of the “Roundhouse Kick” and many system use this kick because the movement of the “roundhouse” is a easy way to create power but the rounding movement does open up a number places that become easy targets to a system like ours.  But by driving the knee forward first and then pivoting (torquing the hip) when the knee is forward to then a rounding motion make this kick much less venerable and a bit more power.  But as far as all the points Mike posted are fundamental to "effect kicking".

Last is the foot moving on a straight line to its target, from the ground to the opponent and back to the gorund in the blink of an eye.

A quick story here about high kicking….a number of years back, I had a Karate student that came to train with me.  He was fairly flexible and love to “head hunt” with his kicks (as Mike also pointed out not a good way to fight).  After years of stressing low kicks and shielding your body during kicking to him with little effect on changing his behavior, this karate student finally made his way to taking his Black Sash test.  He did all the required techniques and answered all the right answers but when it came to the fighting part of the test, he went right back to his “Karate ways” i.e. headhunting with his kicks. 

With the lower students, he dominated them with his kicks, clocking a few in the head with marginal control.  He had the bad habit of also get up on his ball and toes to reach a little higher and farther.   Well it came time to fight with me; we interacted for several minutes with me tagging him a number of times.  I could see that he was starting to get frustrated and start to “head hunt” with me.   Well, I’m 6’1” so I started standing tall then lowered my guard to my waist and stepped back about a foot or so.    The poor guy could not control himself and went for the bait.  I swept his plant leg and down he went.  He went down on his left arm and broke it in two places.  End of the test.

Well there is much more to power and kicking but some things need to left for the classroom.  And remember this is only the external, there is more when it comes to the internal.

Zaijian,

george