Benefits of Round House Kick Training

The round house kick is one of the most effective kicks in Tae Kwon Do. Proficiency in using this versatile kick requires continuous practice to develop speed, power and accuracy. Different drills are used to develop different components of this kick.

To develop speed, practicing round house kicks with hand targets is most effective. Speed drills with a partner develop reaction time, work to make the kick faster and build endurance. This is done be having one person hold the targets and quickly feed the target to the kicking partner. The kicking partner kicks only when the target is given, shortening reaction times and building speed. Doing this drill for a longer periods of time as you progress builds endurance in the legs and lungs.

By practicing round house kicks with a heavy bag you learn to strike with more power and accuracy. By repeatedly throwing the kick you learn to control and understand the distance you required to deliver maximum impact when you kick. This continuous kicking against a target that moves changes the distance dynamically and forces you to use foot work to adjust your distance in order to successfully execute the kicks.

Because the target moves as you kick it, in different directions and at differing speeds, different types of footwork will be practiced. Some examples of the footwork include; slightly move your body back and forth, move to the side, step in or outand switch feet while stepping. As you apply your foot work you prepare yourself for the next kick.

When you kick, you want to focus more on footwork and turning your hips. This drill will help you to kick faster as you refine your kicking technique. As you practice more, you can increase your kicking speed slowly until you are continuously kicking.

Written by Master Kim Edited by Master Vanover