Scientific Directions

1.  Start in the anatomical reference position2. Move your left foot forward in the sagittal plane.
3. Flex your elbows humeroulnar joint and shoulders at the glenohumeral joint till face level.
4. Adduct your hands till your palms are touching your face
5. Keep your shoulders over your hips to keep balance6. Rotate your left hip outward and step on a 45 degree angle of attack to your left. By taking this 45 degree step, will increase your range of motion  of the kick
7. Flex your right knee using quadriceps and extend your right leg. At the same time, pivot left foot.   Your right leg should move through the transverse plane in a curvilinear motion. At the same time, hyperextend your right shoulder till your hand is touching your right side.  You will be using fast twitch muscle fibers for this motion.
8. Your right shin should make impact on the target.  Force your shin off the bag using general motion to return to position 2.

Scientific Terminology Definitions

1. Anatomical Reference Position- Erect, standing position with all body parts, including the palms of the hands, facing forward: considered the starting position for body segment movements
2. Sagittal Plane-  Plane in which forward and backward movements of the body and body segments occur.
3. Flexion- position made possible by the joint angle decreasing.
4. Adduction- To move a body segment towards the midline of the body.
5. Balance- Ability to control equilibrium.
6. Rotate- Circular movement of an object around a point of rotation.
7. Angle of attack- Angle between the longitudinal axis of a body and the direction of the fluid flow.
8. Range of motion- angle through which a joint moves from anatomical position to the extreme limit of segment motion in particular direction
9. Quadriceps- the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, and vastus intermedius
10. Extension- position made possible by the joint angle increasing
11. Pivot- point of rotation
12. Transverse Plane- plane in which horizontal body and body segment movements occur when the body is in  an erect standing position.
13. Hyperextend- Movement of a joint that results in increased angle between two bones.
14. Impact- Collision characterized by the exchange of a large force during a small time interval.
15. Force- Push or pull; the product of mass and acceleration
16. General Motion- motion involving translation and rotation simultaneously.
17. Glenohumeral Joint- ball and socket joint in which the head of the humerus articulates with the glenoid fossa of the scapula
18. Humeroulnar joint- Hinge joint in which the humeral trochlea articulates with the trochlear fossa of the ulna
19. Fast twitch fiber- a fiber that reaches peak tension relatively quickly.
20. Curvilinear- along a curved line.

 

Drill 1

1. Stand in your fighting stance in front of your partner who is holding the thai paid
2. Step out on your left foot (by stepping out on a 45 degree angle it will put you off center of the target) and raise your right knee
3. Extend your right leg and throw your right hand to your side.  Your partner should throw out his hand to make sure you took the correct 45 degree angle.
4. After making contact return back to your fighting stance by pivoting back on your left foot and pushing off the pad with your right leg.

• This drills teaches your how to properly throw a kick and to get your head off center so you will not be hit while throwing a kick.  This targets hip flexor muscles such as the psoas major and psoas minor.

Drill 2

1. Start in your fighting stance with your left foot forward and right foot back
2. Step out onto your left foot and raise your right knee
3. Extend your right leg while throwing your right hand to your side and use your momentum to swing 360 degrees on your left foot

• This drill allows you to practice following through with your kick by pivoting 360 degrees.  This drill targets the hip flexor muscles (Psoas major and psoas minor)

Drill 3

1. Start facing the thai bag in your fighting stance (Left foot forward for Right handed people)
2. Step out with your left foot and raise your right knee
3. Pivot on your left foot and and extend your right leg with throwing your right hand down to the side of you.
4. When making contact with your shin on the bag use your right leg to push off of the bad and pivot back on your left foot returning to your fighting stance. Your right hand should also return to your face. \

• This drills allows you to work on the correct form of a kick and your power of the kick. The drill targets the psoas major and psoas minor muscles.

Expert Kick

Novice Kick