LESSON 1

Basic Strikes and Blocks

Looping Elbow – From a defensive stance, elbow comes across target, turn hips and pivot on the balls of your feet as if throwing a hook punch. Target areas: jaw, temple, nose.

Direct Elbow – elbow shoots straight into target thrusting body in the same direction as the strike. Target areas: nose, temple, solar plexus, jaw.

Outside Hammer fist – From a defensive stance, with a closed fist right hand behind comes around in a circular motion. Target area:  temple.

Palm Strike – From a defensive stance, keep elbow and arm tight to the body, turn hips in the same direction as the strike while pivoting on the balls of the feet. Target areas: nose and chin.

High Block – From the defensive stance, one arm crosses the other, lift arm raining it above the head. 

The Basic Kicks

1. The Front Kick – this can be performed as a snap kick – as if kicking to the groin, or a ball kick as if you are kicking to the solar plexus. From the self defense position putting your right foot back, weight evenly distributed on both feet, your body on a slight angle, hands up eye level, keeping the elbows in tight to your body, lift your lead leg up (left), knee bent, heel back to your butt, slowly extend the leg pressing out with the ball of your foot, pull your heel back to your butt and put your foot down in front.

2.The Roundhouse Kick – a little more difficult to perform. From the same position the self defense stance – with your right foot back, pick your lead leg up (left), knee bent, heel back to your butt, now pivot on you right foot,  turning your hips over extend your leg straight out, keeping your foot tight and toes pointed, pull your heel back to your butt, put your foot down in front.

3.The Side Kick – from the same self-defense position, lift your lead leg (left), pull your knee up and into your stomach, at the same time pivot on your right foot turning your hips over, push your foot straight out kicking with the heel and edge of your foot

4.The Knee Kick – from the same self-defense position, lift your back knee up, heel back to your butt thrusting your hips forward, pushing your knee in, put your right foot back to where you started.

5. Back Kick – From the defensive stance pick either leg up, knees slightly bent, pull knee up and in towards your stomach, push back with your heel.

6. Spin Back Kick – Very powerful kick. From the defensive stance, starting with your right foot back. Knees slightly bent, pivot on the balls of the feet, spin to the right, left knee should be inside the pocket of the right knee - back is completely turned and square to target, pick right knee up and pull it in to stomach, kick out with the heel of the foot, bring knee back in putting right foot back to where it started  - in the original self defense stance, turn body back around so facing in the direction you started.

Try It! Slowly for the burn

A great way to develop good technique. This will also strengthen and tone - especially the glutes. Using a chair to balance/bar hold your leg up in the set position, depending on the kick you are doing extend your leg out very slowly, pull your foot back in, without putting your foot down, repeat for 8-10 repetitions working up to 15-20 of 2-3sets.

Try it! Fast

You can perform the above kicks or incorporate them into your workouts, just as if you were exercising a specific body part, in 3sets of 15-20 reps, and its great reinforcement.

Cardio Instructors should emphasize kicking to a comfortable level or height, emphasizing good technique and kicking to a target – using a mirror kick at your knee, groin, solar plexus, or head depending on student’s flexibility.