I have done TKD and am now in MT. TKD kicks seem more flashy and quick than in MT. The main differance i found was TKD round kicks in the upper level try to peel back toes and strike with the ball of the foot while in MT you make impact with your shin and instep. Also MT ther seems to be more of a stress on leg kicks where TKD strikes more to the body and head. In TKD sometimes I would throw multiple roundhouse kicks without coming back to base in MT my kicking leg always atleast touches the ground before throwing another even when throwing rapidly. I put alot more power in my MT roundhouse kicks then in TKD.
A kick is a kick is a kick. There are fundamental things you need to get right to make it a true Thai style kick for maximum efficiency and power. But iv seen people with stunning kicks not stand a chance against people with half as good kicks It's not what it looks like, it's how, when and where to throw it that's Important Don't make things out to be more complicated than they are Did you analyse foot positioning and stride difference when learning to walk and run? No. Look, copy, feel and practice Get sound advice off a good coach and you'll be fine
Roundhouse kicks are easily my worste kicks, I have trouble getting my hips over, and I find that when I actually do I get myself off balance. I think the problem is my hips, they are very stiff, runs in the family. I find the more upward pointed ones much better for me, even targeting the head (takes some set up, but I've done it) but again, not my best kick. So, any Thai guys have a bit of advice for me? I'm coming from a karate background, so bear in mind I kick with my instep, ball of the foot, and rarely the ankle.
Are you trying to hit the Thai roundhouse with the instep also? I'm not sure, as I haven't tried it, but I think striking with the instep will pretty much prevent the hips from turning properly. The turn of the hips brings the whole body with it, so you end up almost side on at impact, which is a very tough position to land with the instep from, even with good flexibility. Anyway, hip stretching is your best bet, to increase the flexibility. Also you could try the leg kicks, which should be easier to turn in on, and will also work the balance on your support leg, as will using kicks in shadow boxing. One tip our instructor has used for a couple guys having trouble with the hips turning, due to technique though (not flexibility) is to try and turn the shoulder in more and focus on that. With some people that is easier to do than focusing on the hips, but has the same effect.
ITF Taekwondo vs Muay Thai roundhouse - the same depending on preference. You can kick with the chin in TKD. The actual follow through after impact might differ for tactical reasons, but not neccesarily. Excellent article: http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.se/2010/10/taekwon-do-turning-kick-versus-muay.html I prefer kicking all the way through in practice without retraction. It generates maximum amount of power, and I see no point holding back in practice.
Here's a video I made a while back for a friend (non martial artist) who was wondering why people were getting knocked out from leg kicks in clips I was posting. It really wasn't meant as a technical explanation or demonstration, but it did sort of turn out that way: [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3drCxyarww"]Leg kicks - YouTube[/ame] Phil
