New to Martial Arts? Here’s a list of the most common mistakes you’ll want to avoid when practicing your kicks. You can watch the video HERE, or read the 5 steps below!

1. Stepping Before Kicking

One of the most common mistakes beginners make while kicking happens before the kick is even executed. Have someone watch you or record yourself to see if you step before you kick. 

Over time, this becomes a hard habit to break because it turns into muscle memory. Some of the downsides to stepping before you kick is that it slows the time before your kick reaches it’s target, your opponent can see that you’re about to kick if you do it each time, and it creates extra movement.

2. Keep Your Eyes On Your Target

Check to see where your eyes are focused as you’re kicking. Your eyes should be on your target, but many times you’ll find your eyes looking at the floor, closed shut, or anywhere but the direction you’re kicking!  

3. Keep Your Hands in Control

Different martial arts styles require your arms/hands to stay in different specific positions, but they should always be in control. Many times, your arms get forgotten because you’re so focused on your lower body. However, arms shouldn’t be out flying around- I call these “airplane arms” when I’m teaching my students.  

4. Make Sure Your Bottom Leg & Foot are Stable

Don’t forget about your bottom leg just because the top one is the one making impact. You need a strong base to have a strong kick. The exact positioning varies by kick, but make sure your bottom leg pivots and is stable when you execute.

5. Don’t Crunch Your Body In   

 Many people will try to get more height by positioning their body in weird ways. Check to see what your upper body does while you kick!

6. Retract/Re-chamber Your Kicks

This is often forgotten because it’s after you have made the impact. PLEASE remember to re-chamber your kicks once you have executed it!

7. Finish In A Fighting Stance

 Many people get used to doing line drills and walking away or back to their spot after they kick. You MUST have a good recovery stance after you kick so you are either ready to do another kick, move, or defend.

Need extra help with your basic kicks? Make sure you check out my Kick Tutorial Vault that goes through and breaks down each kick step-by-step, includes tips, and mistakes to avoid. These include basic kicks, jump kicks, and spin kicks.

Get $10 Off by using the code “IMPROVE10” since you read this blog post to help you improve! Check it out HERE!