In tae kwon do, how do you get better at doing hook kicks and spinning hook kicks?

Question

I am terrible at these kicks and I can never do them. I need to learn them!!!

to the 1st answer...You know nothing about tae kwon do...First of all its called protective gear...and second of all you couldn't kill someone with a hook or spinning hook unless you hit them incredibly hard in the head...You know, not all tae kwon do athletes fight to kill...It's called self-control...Maybe your thinking of another kick, but a spinning hook kick is when you bend your knee across and just hook it around...Do a little more research before you imply something like that.

PS: My TKD school is one that practices the original way of TKD, we do not practice the modern techniques.

Answer 1

I don't if it will help you any, but my teacher designed a post for me. He wrapped it in rope, and placed a target for me to kick on the side of it. In order for me to strike the target, I had to hook my kick around the post. The rope wrapping absorbed some of the impact when I messed up, but it still gave a not so gentle reminder to focus on my skill levels, before working on my speed.
Hook kicks are some of the harder skill level techniques due to the fact that in a way you are actually striking past your target, and then coming back to it, or avoiding an intrusive obstacle to strike. Either way you want to view it, you are going to have to focus on style and technique, and THEN work on your speed. Slow it down until you get the method down better, THEN speed up slowly. Patience girl, let it flow and try not to fight it so much. Let it come naturally, with practice, and try to relax. Good luck!!

Answer 2

Both of these kicks will get you killed against even an unskilled opponent. Tae Kwon Do in the US is completely fraudulent and best avoided. If you really want to study this, you are going to have to move overseas. Legitimate Tae Kwon Do is a powerful art.....it's just not available here, lol.

Instead, study a legitimate martial art. Two good examples are Judo and Aikido. The difference is there has been a concerted effort to maintain correct teaching methods and weed out fraudulent practitioners. The sad state of most karate, tae kwon do and other commercial schools is grim testament to the need to do this as those arts in the US are worthless. Judo and Aikido, however, are not. There are many other worthy arts to study but none as easy to obtain legitimate instruction in, as Judo and Aikido.

Note that hook kicks and spinning hook kicks IMMEDIATELY identify someone who knows nothing about combat. An unskilled opponent would find it relatively easy to take advantage of someone doing these kicks. A skilled opponent could easily and instantly kill you if you do crap like that (the kicks expose death points to easy access for various power strikes is why).

Answer 3

First of all, all those technical answers above me are complete crap. There is no mysticism to martial arts. Any dedicated student who learns these moves can be dangerous, ok? I am a black belt who practiced for 4 years, and it all boils down to a)how fit you are, b) how well you can execute your moves, c) how strong you are, d) what you know, and finally, e) confidence in your abilities.

Confidence is the most important of all. It doesn't matter what style of fighting you know, that's all garbage. As long as you know how to fight, you're good.

TKDchick, your instructor showed you how to do the kick, right? Keep on practicing it. Bring your leg up with the knee bent and snap it in the opposing direction while extending it then rebend the knee, almost like you're drawing a line with your kick, and pretend your hitting your opponent's head. That's all there is to it.

And FYI, if you're really good, you can do major damage to your opponents with this kick. This guy I knew was a boxer and he sent two guys to the hospital with his head kicks while he was sparring. All that style crap is garbage. That's for videogames and Van Damme movies. If you can fight, that's all there is to it.

Answer 4

First-stretch your tendons and muscles, and increase the flexibility of all joints. Do this slowly, do not bounce but hold the stretch for increasing lengths of time (10 seconds, then 20, 30 40,etc). Then increase slowly the distance of the stretch. Second-Get your weight to what it should be for your size and structure.
Third-Practice each kick slowly paying most attention to doing it correctly rather than trying to do it fast and powerfully. Speed and power will come with practice.
Fourth-Practice with determination, Practice with focus, Practice with confidence and Practice with enthusiasm

Answer 5

maybe its because i'm not from the US, but i have no idea what Panacea is talking about.... But anyway, i agree hip flexibility is important. Make sure you stretch properly and are warmed up. Position your feet sideways, lean back slightly, lift your knee and flick your leg back. Its easier if you lift your knee higher, and use your butt muscles and hips to generate power. When doing spinning hook kicks, look over your shoulder first and try to position your feet so you dont lose balance. but the main thing is to practise. your technique will improve.

its hard to describe without showing you, but maybe you could get some advice from your instructors.

Answer 6

Keep stretching your legs, the more you stretch your legs the more you are acurate to kick a person on the head hard. Don't worry you'll do fine, because I'm in kung fu called Wushu, we have the same weaknesses. Good Luck!

Answer 7

Trust me im a black belt , seriously. I know all this crap hook kick,
1. look over your shoulder and just hook kick
spinning like that ,
look over shoulder an dpiviot and junp when u do your hook kick,
Learn it from the master, im a eexperinsed black belt,ive benn in taekwondo 3 going on 4 years!good luck youll get !

Answer 8

You should stretch before you start training, then you should practice the kicks very slowly on a target, after you fell comfortable with them, start kicking harder and faster.

Answer 9

i find that it requires a lot of hip flexibility, so stretch it up and practice