Kicking requires space, and in a live situation you won’t have that space. Most dojo sparring takes place at a greatly exaggerated range when compared to the street. When dojo sparring begins, it typically does so with a gap between the combatants of around 6 to 8 feet. In a street situation the gap will be a maximum of a couple of feet. In the street there simply isn’t the space to kick like you might in the dojo. Stability is also completely sacrificed the instant you take one of your feet off the floor. Kicking therefore only has a very minor role to play.
In the traditional kata the kicks are never higher than mid-thigh. Also, the kata never instruct us to kick unless the opponent is already disadvantaged. The kicks are incidental techniques to further increase advantage or to break posture. There are also some examples where the kicks are used as finishers by kicking a downed or kneeling opponent in the head. In these instances it is possible to kick effectively (although depending on the circumstances this may not be legal!)
What we don’t see in the kata is kicks used as lead techniques, nor do we see high kicks. We may see high kicks in modified or modern versions of the traditional kata, but originally all the kicks were low.
Having established that high kicks are ineffective, and not a part of traditional karate, is there any value in practising them?
Personally, I don’t feel that there is any need to practise high kicking. I’ve come across many martial artists whose physical make up won’t allow them to kick high. In some cases these martial artists feel their skills are somehow lacking as a result. To my mind, it does not make the slightest bit of difference how high you can kick! From a traditional and combative perspective a good low kick is in every way superior to a good high kick.
Although there is absolutely no need to practise high kicking, I do feel there can be benefit in doing so. Not from a pragmatic perspective, but from the viewpoint of physical training.
High kicking is hard work and can therefore develop cardiovascular and muscular endurance. It can also develop explosiveness which will aid the execution of other more practical martial methods. High kicking can be a good way to develop physical attributes, but it isn’t something you’d actually use in a fight. A bit like skipping! Skipping can develop useful physical attributes for the martial artist, but I wouldn’t skip in a live fight (unless I was merrily skipping my way away from the whole situation!).
When it comes to application I rarely kick; and when I do they are low and in keeping with the methodology of the kata. I have used middle level kicks effectively (illustrative story originally included but ultimately not posted upon receipt of an undoubtedly wise suggestion from my wife) However, I view such events as the exceptions that prove the rule and certainly not a recommended course of action.
So although I don’t practise high kicking for the purposes of application, I do practise them as a means of physical training. If I’ve worked out how to do it, there should be a video clip attached to this blog entry of me doing head height kicking on the training dummy (filmed by and put together by me – apologies for the quality!). The footage was taken during one of my solo training sessions. In that session I did repetitive kicks to develop leg and lung endurance and then short bursts of high speed kicking to develop explosiveness. I hope you gain something from the short clip.
Well that’s enough blogging for now!
All the best,
Iain
