2007-08-14 01:49:15 · 6 answers · asked by R. Lee 3 in Sports ➔ Martial Arts
Majorily, I had found, that styles with high kicks are not as effective for street self defense. The older you get the harder it is going to be to maintain the high kicks- and they are, however you want to argue it, very uneconomical actions. Every movement in a fight should be the least amount of effort for the maximum effect. The screming flying side kick is the ferrari f150 of martial arts. Fast and gaudy but not necessary. Shorin-Ryu has enough core techniques to not need the flashy kicking. I'm sure you will find a powerful strike to the knees of an opponent more effective in subduing them. It only takes 15 pounds of pressure to pop a kneecap... TaeKwonDo is mostly for sport- hence the high kicks everywhere. Asthetically nice to look at- but terribly wasteful. The high kicks are primarily a western spin on fighting techniques. Thank the movies for that. If you look at Jeet Kune Do- it's actually a pretty ugly style but very, very economical. The stuff Bruce Lee did in his movies was for simply that- the movies. Hope all this helps- good luck with your training. :)
2007-08-14 03:06:13 · answer #1 · answered by phrenitus 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I wouldn't say none, but probably only 5% were above the waist. Those were mostly grabbing/push kicks, or stomps to the head when the opponent is knocked down. Shorin-ryu was the martial style of the Sho King's guards. They fought to kill, quickly. high kicks are not a part of that tradition, but were added when Karate was added to high school curriculi. (by Anko Itosu first in the early 20th century, after the last Sho King died/outcast in Tokyo)
2007-08-14 16:04:53 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have to agree with some of the others here. High kicks were very much discouraged and still often are since they have to travel farther, you lose half your power when you kick above the chest, and there are more efficient techniques. Occasionally you will see a round house to the head but very seldom and everything else to the chest or lower with respect to kicks. Also the angle if it is a front kick or side kick is wrong and ineffective if it is thrown at a person directly in front of you if they are ready and in a fighting stance. Since both are straight line techniques you are literally kicking straight into someones arms and guard more often than not if you throw them much higher than the waist.
2007-08-14 10:59:12 · answer #3 · answered by samuraiwarrior_98 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Mostly you are correct. I have a 4th dan in Shorin-ryu and generally do not kick above the waist, unless we are working a specific pinciple or exercise. All of our kata have low kicks. There are a few instances where we ould kick above the waist, but these are rare.
2007-08-14 14:43:48 · answer #4 · answered by seiryudo 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Most karate forms have just low kicks and sweeps to knock the opponent off-balance. The principles of karate are to end a fight with the simplest and quickest techniques
2007-08-14 10:02:22 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Most of the Okinawan styles did not have high kicks.
2007-08-14 09:07:04 · answer #6 · answered by Ray H 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋