switch kicks

[treelizard]

Anybody got any good videos or sites with pictures that break down how to do these really well?

[DickHardman]

Anybody got any good videos or sites with pictures that break down how to do these really well?

its easy. just take one step forward. thats all it really is.

[Khun Kao]

Create a diamond shape on the floor with mat tape. Stand with your rear foot at the back 'point' of the diamond, and your lead foot on one of the outer points (depending on whether you're an orthodox or southpaw fighter).

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Quickly skip so your rear foot goes to the unoccupied side point, and your rear foot skips about 1/2 way back towards the rear point. Then quickly kick with the leg that just skipped towards the back point.

As you get comfortable with it, you shorten the movement. Watch a lot of Buakaw fights and watch his left roundhouse kick. That's what its supposed to look like when you do it for real against a live opponent.

[gabbah]

I'm not sure if the term switch kick describes what I think it does, but if so DickHardmans advice would be the slower way of doing it since you're stepping. It also requires more distance, but is very good to use if your opponent is moving away from you.
If he's standing still or (prefferably) moving towards you I would recommend the fast way (which is what I think is the "real" switch kick, but I'm not good with english terms):
In one motion, you switch your feet to the soutpaw stance, and then kick with the left leg. But like Khun Kao said, try to not go all the way back with your left, instead it's like a pretty narrow soutpaw stance (that is, the feet are more square as you push off and let the left leg fly).
The secret to having a fast switch kick is to not jump up as you do the switch. If you do this, you will have to wait for your hips to come back down, your legs to sink down just a bit so you get the power you want in the kick. No, instead of jumping up, just let the hips stay on the same level from the floor, and just switch your feet fast as hell. That way, the switch is much faster, and when you left foot lands (same instant as the right of course), you can perform the kick, without having to wait for gravity to do it's job on your body.
And as was said, watch Pramuk switch kick, he's the best reference for sure.

[William]

khun Kao & gabbah got it.

Don't jump up and then switch. Keep your hips on a level plane and switch the feet. I would add that you want to contact the ground with the ball of your (what is now) rear foot, and use the bounce/re-coil of your hamstring/calf to immediately fire the kick right back out. If you land flat footed it will take you an extra beat to get your body weight shifted to then fire the kick out.

I often have my students often work switch stepping up and down the floor to get them used to the mechanic.

Want to try something fun? Utilize a switch step into a straight knee and see how much more power it generates. Heh, always a shocker to a new pad holder.





William

[jeff5]

With a front switch kick, I was taught that once you switch it back it has to bounce, and the kick has to come very fast. You can't switch, pause, then kick.

[William]

With a front switch kick, I was taught that once you switch it back it has to bounce, and the kick has to come very fast. You can't switch, paush, then kick.

The foot sort of bounces, using the stretch/re-coil of the muscles and tendons to rebound and fire back out right away. No pause.



William

[treelizard]

Thanks everyone. I noticed that I have a tendency to switch both feet at the same time, which could easily get me off balance against a resisting opponent.

[gabbah]

Thanks everyone. I noticed that I have a tendency to switch both feet at the same time, which could easily get me off balance against a resisting opponent.

hmm.. you are supposed to switch them at the same time though.
How else would you do it? One at a time would take a 100 years and be useless. :P

Another detail:
When I do the switch with my feet, my left foot lands a fraction of a second earlier than the right foot, and bounces/pushes off immediatley.
The reason for this is that there is no resistance from the right foot to start bringing the hips forward (and rotate). This "delay" of the right foot landing is hard to spot though, so to a beginner it will look like I'm landing at the same time with both feet. This is simply to gain a little power, speed and save a little energy. It's a detail though.

[treelizard]

I think your delay is what I meant--basically I want to be able to switch without jumping. Does that make sense?

[WildWest.]

It makes sense. You want your feet to just skim over the floor as such and not move your body up and down at all if possible making it a fast switch as it should be.
I think I know what you mean. Practice will accomplish what you are after....provided you do it right or course.

[gabbah]

I think your delay is what I meant--basically I want to be able to switch without jumping. Does that make sense?

My "delay" is not really connected to the "not jumping" part of the switch technique as such.
The not jumping part is simply not pressing off the ground as you perform the switch. You just switch your feet and instead of pressing off before you do, you basically just let your hips free fall. But since you make the switch so fast, your hips only begin to fall, but in reality you can barely see that they even change position vertically.
As of the delay part: My feet "take off" at the SAME time. But the left lands juuust slightly before the right. In doing so, my hips will just begin to move forward when the right lands.
This little detail will come after some time of training this kick. You don't need to actively think about this, I think that will only cause more problems than it does good. So in just focus on having your feet "take off" and land at the same time, and NOT jumping up when you "take off" so to speak, that is, not pressing up when switch.

PS. Can you say "As of the delay part..."? Is it correct english?

[WildWest.]

Yeah Gabbah's got it right. I think you can only explain a technique so much over the Net without using video and then only so much as well until you actually get out there with someone who know what they are doing and can teach you and then you can practice.

I think "As for the delay part..." might have been better.

[gabbah]

I think "As for the delay part..." might have been better.

Oh right what was I thinking, thanks!

[fire cobra]

To add to the points above,keep your shoulders rotated when you switch your feet.ie dont go square and expose your targets(chin,torso) this helps with defence especially against a teep counter.