Improving hip motion with a kicking exercise No2

Our hip motion and rotation is one of the most important elements of our striking ability

We use it as an enhancer of our striking force – knowing that a strike which does not include its motion will lack in its full power potential.

Improving the motion and power can be done directly by working on the hip, either with weights or other means of resistance, or by means of a strike. That is to say, we can improve our hip motion for a punch or elbow, when and while working on our kicking – the hip does the same movement…

Drills:

1. Kick a boxing bag either with the front foot or the rear. This simulates rather accurately the hip motion needed for front hand striking and rear. When returning the leg back down, as soon as it touches the ground kick with the same leg again.

2. Repeat this exercise as much as 5 times per instant – instantaneous kicking - this will force us to use our hip because if not there will not be any force behind the hit.

3. The faster we kick between the first, second exe… the more we add a plyometric element to the drill.

Tips:

1. Make sure we don’t load the hip before kicking, even with the front leg, if we do it with our front kick we will probably perform it with our front punch.

2. We can decide if we want to utilize the foot of the leg on which we stand in the same manner we intend to use it when we punch. If we raise our heal and turn on the ball of the foot – we can practice the same way here. If we set the foot a bit open before the punch – the same before the kick.

3. Opening the foot at least a little bit either before or during the kick is important for our knees health

4. Keep the hands up – there’s a tendency to use the hands in order to increase power and momentum – it’s a bad habit…

5. Don’t let the leg settle on the ground – as soon as it touches the ground it bounces off of it…

6. Concentrate on the hip movement.

Enjoy the Sweat

The Warriors Project