? for Dutchman

[Call Me Al]

The gym where we train has the same opinion on leg conditioning as yours. I have used those methods for many years, but I have another problem which has reoccured off and on inthe past couple years and wonder if any of your older fighters have experienced the same problem.

After hitting the thai pads things are fine, but once in a while I am working on one of the heavy bags in the gym at work the top of my instep swells up when I kick without shoes. Best advice I have gotten so far is just ice it down a lot and wear shoes. I started MT a lot later in life than most, but I have developed good conditioning in my shins.

Have you experienced this or any of your older fighter had similar problems? Are there any other items you guys use to give a little protection without wearing shoes, foot pads or totally wrapping your foot.

[Bau13]

I found that just wearing ordinary ankle supports helps pad the impact quite a bit...ever tried wearing em??

Sure youre not using too much of your foot in the kick? e.g kicking too far from the bag?

[Call Me Al]

I have never used the ankle supports, but I will give them a shot. I'm sure I am using too much instep. I have been in TKD for 15 years and only got into Muay Thai about 5 years ago (I'm too old to compete but it its great for conditioning and self defense -I'm a LEO). Old habits die hard.

I never seem to have problems with the thai pads, but it is usually the heavy bag. I think a couple times I actually burst a blood vessel, but I don't want to give too much with my training.

[Chad W. Getz]

So what is the best type of ankle wraps? The pull over sleeve, the wrap around sleeve, or the actual wraps?

[Bau13]

Al..15 years TKD! no wonder youre using so much instep! I used to do TKD too so understand what you mean by "old habits die hard" !

Chad....I like the pull over sleeve...

[Call Me Al]

I will get some of the pull on ankle wraps. I have pretty much tried to train my kicks in the Muay thai and Jun Fan structures to train my muscles(For about the last five years), but in the fading seconds of the last couple rounds the old movements return.

[duchman]

Sorry can't help you, i'm still a young guy but i will ask my dad who has allot exp. in kyokoshin karate and muay thai. And he is old

[Lord Lupin]

I ain't an old guy but I have been kicking my heavy bag and found the same problem. I guess I need some ankle thingos too. After like 10 kicks my ankle was cained.

[Call Me Al]

Typically i can get three or four three minute rounds in before the top side of the right foot swells. My left foot has never swollen up. I am leaning toward bone spurs from the previous injury. I have not gotten the ankle protection yet becasue of the holiday's , but I let people know once I try them out.

[Kevin]

Bad Dogs

Hi Al,

Another old time TKDer here.
I'm not a "straight Muay Thai man"... I've been training JKDC/Kali for the last 9 yrs.

My suggestion to you would be to slow down.
Start off slow with your kicks... focusing on kicking with the *SHIN*. Then progressively increase the speed and intensity. I know how hard it is to back off... but it really doesn't take that long to do work up to a correct full power shin kick.

One of the hardest things to do is to throw a decent shin kick after years of throwing TKD snapping roundhouses. So... slow down.... don't worry about impressing your gym-mates.... focus on correct form... it will pay off.

~Kev

[Call Me Al]

Kevin
I think you have hit the nail on the head. Most of the time the injuries occur when I am trying to complete the last couple rounds of pyramids when I was tired. Poor technique is the bottom line. Slowing it down and correcting the technique is key.