AboutMike Casto Expertise My primary area of "expertise" (for lack of a better term) is in Filipino and Indonesian martial arts. However, I've been involved in the martial arts since 1978, trained in several systems and been exposed to many, many others. I've also done a fair amount of reading about martial arts in general and about various systems. I can answer questions about Filipino and Indonesian martial arts and I can often answer questions about martial arts in general. Feel free to ask me any question about martial arts. Even if I don`t have an answer I can often point you in the right direction to find the answer.
Experience I've been involved in martial arts since 1978. I started in Tae Kwon Do and, when my instructor quit teaching, I began training in Okinawan Goju-Ryu. In 1995 I was introduced to Filipino Kali/Arnis/Eskrima and Indonesian Pentjak Silat. I've been training primarily in them since 1995. I've taught private lessons, classes, seminars and workshops all over the United States, in Europe and in China. I have also trained with a wide variety of martial artists in different disciplines. Between hands-on exposure to various martial arts and reading about many others I have a very well-rounded knowledge of martial arts in general.
Question I have been working on the front kick alot over the past couple of years, I can't seam to get the height I want. seams its only around knee height. I have practiced with the chair. How long should i hold my leg out. Thanks alot.
Answer The Filipino & Indonesian martial arts I study don't do much kicking - and most of the kicks we do are at or below the knee. As such I don't have much advice on getting your kick higher.
My question is *why* would you want to kick higher?
When it comes to combative usage there's really no reason to kick higher than the groin. Use your low line tools to launch low line attacks. Use your high line tools to launch high line attacks.
The common reason cited by kickers for using the legs is that they are more powerful than the arms and there is some truth to that but when it comes to kicking above the waist I think the added power isn't worth the extra time it takes to fire the kick.
There are exceptional kickers, of course, such as Bill Wallace who can kick to the head as fast or faster than many people can punch to the head ... but these people are the exceptions.
As one instructor said at a seminar I was at, "Kicking to the head is like punching to the foot."
Now, if you're interested in sport fighting - especially something like Olympic Tae Kwon Do - then you will need those kicks but, unfortunately, I can't help you much.
