Tips on how to throw an awesome front kick!

1. Make sure to chamber, kick, chamber. Keep your chamber up high.
2. Just like when you punch you should rub your kicking leg against the standing leg to make sure the kick goes straight.
3. Place all your weight on the standing leg.
4. Turn your standing leg to the corner or 45 degree angle.
5. Tuck your hip.
6. Turn your belt.
7. Sink pressure into the standing leg.
8. Make sure there is an almost straight line from your hip to the target.
9. A snap kick is faster and less powerful much like a jab. Use the ball of the foot to kick when snap kicking usually.
10. A thrust kick is more powerful and slightly slower. May times this kick uses the heel of the front foot.
11. Make sure your kick goes down as fast as it comes up.
12. Kick from your center or the knot in your belt.
13. Test your kick by moving your center forward with your foot on a bag or wall to see if you can feel the pressure transfer through your leg into the target.
14. Always have a weapon (ball, heel, instep,) and a target (groin, under the nose, solar plexus, just above the knee, corner of the ribs) in mind when you kick.
15. Work single, double, triple, shuffle, skip, flying, spinning, rebounding, and even combinations of the above to perfect your kick.
16. Try different footwork to make your kicks more effective. Use the power from you steps to fire your kicks.
17. Try your kicks in many different combinations.
18. When you get your knee up try to swing or snaping your leg like a pendulum.
19. Relax.
20. Breath out as you kick.
21. Front kick is a straight line kick that comes in like a poke with a bo or staff.
22. The Chinese version of this kick has the leg straighter and coming up like a football kick. This kick is useful to kick low or to the groin.
23. Work on making your kick natural and relaxed so that it is difficult for your partner to see it coming. Don't force the kick.
24. Practice kicking bags, pads, paper, leaves on trees, tennis balls, soccor balls, pretty much anything you can as long as you don't break anything or upset your parents, younger students.
25. Use the front foot kick to stop someone who is moving forward and the back foot kick to chase someone who is moving backwords.

Sincerely,
Scott Shoen

P.S. Make sure to have fun, make kicking into a fun game, and feel free to share this tips with your friends or family. Remember karate is good for you!