Karate is fast paced and very quick, and to keep up you will need more than just punches. There are three main Main kicks in the competitive sport that most athletes use. There is the body round kick, a head round kick and a hook kick.
Some beginner tips
Before you start your kicks you need to make sure you have a proper stance. You want to have your foot planted so you won’t fall over or swept. Next you want to be able to balance on the foot you’re not kicking on so you don’t want to make yourself fall over. You also want to be able yo bring your knee up past your hip so you can hit your target
1. Body kick
The Body kick is the most used kick in karate. It is a round kick to the body using either leg whether its front or back leg. You need to lift your knee up to around your hip and extend out your leg to hit your opponents body. The body kick scores two points and you can easily control a match if you have a great body kick.
2. Head kick
A head kick is just like a body kick but to the head. You use all of the same techniques and you can use either legs to hit the head. When you head kick you need to lift your knee up a bit higher to hit your target. When kicking the head you need to make sure you do not hit your opponents head or you will get a foul. A head kick scores 3 points but is usually slower and harder to score.
3. Hook kick
The kick is not like the other two kicks, it is more difficult to score but harder for your opponent to block if it is good. When you hook kick you need to bring your knee up high and angle your body back. The bottom of your foot has to hit its reverse side of the head of the leg your kicking with. The reason it is called a hook kick is that when you kick it looks like a hook with the back of you’re leg. My favourite kick is the hook because I feel that you can use it in different times, like timing or just take control of the match.
4. Side Kick
The side kick is not used as much as the other kicks but it is still very useful. If you are winning a match and need to keep your opponent away from you in the last seconds. This kick is any easy one all you need to do is bring your knee up and extend it to the side like you a re pushing something away.
In conclusion the four main kicks are the body kick, head kick, hook kick, and a side kick. You use each one at a different time for a different reason and if you’re good at any of them you can take charge of the match.
Karate 2018 