The Kick Pod
Today is May 4, it’s my birthday and I’m feeling pretty happy. So I went to a little extra effort for you, to explain with diagrams, a simple drill I came up with last week in class to help my junior students develop their side kick…
(Yes, I know stick man pictures are awesome! )
I decided to name this one, The Kick Pod.
Here’s how it works…
Each student stands between two kick pads which lay on their side. The pads almost enclose the student with just enough room for them to be able to pick up their knee an kick outward and to the side, over one of the pads. As soon as they’ve executed the kick, they must recoil their foot to clear the pad and put their foot back down.
Now they switch legs and kick with the other side of the body, over the other pad. Have students do 20 kicks and then switch out of the kick pod with a partner. Repeat 3 times each.
Another variation is to make this a dynamic / plyometric type of exercise in which the students must jump with their feet together over both pads, then perform a side kick back over the pad before jumping back over both and repeating the kick with the other leg. Again do 20 kicks and then switch with a partner.
This is a great exercise to build strong hip flexors and develop good technique. It’s just one example of the types of karate exercises and drills that I’ve included in my 125 Dynamite Drills ebook, that I use with my students to develop their side kick. In fact you could do this drill with virtually any type of kick you like…
What variations can you come up with?
Enjoy,
– Jason
Anonymous
Hi Jason,
Nice exercise. We have done something similar in the past. We used people instead of pads. A little more dangerous, but then you dont need the pads. Plus, the people on the floor can be working on something (such as knuckle and wrist strengthening, back exercises, etc).
But I havent done it in ages… thanks for the reminder!
Nigel Kersh
Hi there, Jason.
Happy birthday!
I also do this exercise with "live" pads. Two students stand side by side. One squats while their partner executes a side kick over their head. Then that partner squats, and the other kicks. It's a killer…
This also works well with front and roundhouse kicks.
Keep up the blog work – it's excellent!
Best wishes, and Oss!
Nigel Kersh
Bushido Dojo
Ra'anana
Israel
Jason Stanley
Oooh, I like that one Nigel!
Tell me, how many of your kids have been kicked in the head by their lazy partners who didn't lift up their knee high enough?
hahaha!
Anonymous
Hi Jason you probably dont know me but i think your drill is spot on looks like my club is gona suffer Sam at Seiki Club Mersham Kent
Jason Stanley
Hi Sam,
Glad you like that one… let me know how it goes…
Jason
Anonymous
good drill jason gonna try it tommorow on the guys see how works thanks ,chris kelly woodbridge t. k.c.