Karate: Using The Legs Part 1

You are now probably eager to learn how to use your legs to effect an attack. Here are some ways to do it.

Mae Geri

This is the straight kick, the one that you see  most often. It can be fast, strong, ''breaking'', stopping or whipsaw-like''. It works on short, middle, and long distances.

The basis may look simple; however, from my experience, everybody makes mistakes, and usually more than one mistake at a time, while performing this technique. Begin from the ''kumite''. The leg that you are going to use for a kick is one at the back. Raise the knee to your chest (it is a preparation for an attack and a defense at the same time).

With your legs muscles AND your hips turning 45 degrees, send the foot towards the target, keeping in mind, that it should move on a straight line. The chesoku (base of the toes) or the kakato (the heel) is used in the classical version.

That was the basic technique. Now, let's take a look at the details. Keep in mind that missing any ''little'' detail will make your technique much less efficient or will leave you vulnerable for a counter-attack.

The foot of the supporting leg MUST be flat on the ground. DO NOT go up on your toes. If you do that, your balance will be compromised. Also, when the foot hits the target, you need to have a strong support. If you are on you toes, the ankle will work as a shock absorber, which is not what you want. The energy must go into your opponent, and not into your ankle.

The supporting foot may turn outwards, but normally, no more than 45 degrees. The knee of the supporting leg should be slightly bent. If not, the speed of your next motion will be compromised (you need to bend your knee to begin moving) and your balance will be weak. Also, your knee will be more vulnerable to your opponent's counter-attack.

Your hips should turn, sending the leg forward and adding the speed as well as power to the kick. However, this is not possible if you are short on space; so, apply common sense.

In the classical version, the knee goes up to the chest and then the leg is thrown forward. There are actually variations of this form. First of all, note that the foot is moving in a circle when knee is going up, and then the circle turns into a straight line. So the kick and this is very important begins ON THE GROUND, while the foot is accelerating all the way. There is a kekomi version of mae geri, wherein in the leg is going on  a different path, but it is part of another technique (see below). Thus, we won't discuss it here.

Now, what if you want to attack your opponent's knee? Bringing your knee all the way up would be too explicit, plus your sped will be compromised. So there is another version of this leg technique. When the foot is going from the floor to the target, do it on a straight line. It can also be done to the chudan or jodan. Again, see to it that the foot is accelerating all the way to the target.

As you are doing this technique, do not try to use your abdominal muscles. It is a most common mistake among beginners. Your abdominal muscles have nothing to do with your leg. Do not use them. Same with your shoulders and neck. However, the more tired you are, the more likely you will try to use them. It does not help! And it takes away some of your energy. So learn to be relaxed, even when you're tired.

Regarding your body position, unless you are a master and you know what you are doing, keep your back vertical. Yes, you can bend backward or forward. But these are bad ideas.

Your foot at the moment of contact must be solid. If it is relaxed or if your toes are not in the proper position, you can get hurt. Conditioning these parts of your body helps.