Tae Kwon Do >> Kicks >> Sliding Side-Kick
As with all kicks, this kick should be performed using a good fighting stance: feet on two tracks, back foot turned about 45°, shoulders will be about 15° to 20°. The hints below suggest a different stance. That is because those are the tips that helped me get my kick technique corrected. After getting correct technique, the kick should be performed from a correct fighting stance.
Sliding side-kick
An attacking kick where the back foot slides behind the kicking foot (generating distance) and the kicking leg comes from the side of the body.
- A demonstration of the technique
- Required board breaking kick, both legs, for 1st degree black belt
Hints to performing with good technique
- Start with a longer than normal front stance.
- Feet and hips (particularly hips) squarely face forward - every degree rotated to the side will rob the kick of power.
- Slide the back foot forward, quickly, on the ball of your foot, behind and past the kicking foot (this is the pivot): sliding foot stays close to the back foot; heel pointed forward to the target - every degree away from 180° will prevent proper rotation of the hips required for the "side" kick.
- Kicking leg comes up, knee pointing to the side.
- Foot strikes target with toes pointing down (from the rotation generated during the pivot).
- The body should remain upright with no backward-lean, away from the target, or bend-sideward, toward the kicking-knee.
- Done correctly, you will feel a compression stretch near the kidneys.
updated 19 April 2013
Tae Kwon Do >> Kicks >> Sliding Side-Kick
