Relax into tension

[MMX]

I have been tweaking certain techniques of mine.

Paying attention to how much tension to create at impact.

This has actually improved my Mawashi Geri quite a bit. I think I was over thinking it. Now it is more like a whip and I tense right when I hit. That is what I always intended but until lately it was a bit slower that it is now.

Is this just a gradual maturation of technique or was I just overdoing it?

[curlbroscience]

I focused more on a whipping action in Muay Thai. Instead of leg up, extend kick it's more of a uncoiling of the leg upon impact.

I still think that my migi mawashi geri is a bit tighter in the upper body, there seems to be a disconnect between the hip drive and the upper body counter rotation.

Or it's all in my head, but the hidari mawashi geri feels much faster.

[meguro]

Are you guys talking about air kicking? I understand the uncoiling. It works well when you are uncoiling into a pad or bag, uncoiling also works when you spin through the target. Traditional karate, ie. snapping the mawashi geri, requires me to tense just before impact. If I'm kicking through, I'm not focusing on tensing, just going through the target.

[MMX]

Yes I would say the thought came as I was working the heavy bag.

[curlbroscience]

Meguro you make a good point regarding tensing.

You expect a heavy bag to stop you so there is not pull back of the kick. For shadowboxing, kata and sparring you have to be a little tense much sooner to stop yourself and maintain balance in case of a missed kick.

[MMX]

True but I find tensing right as I hit the bag is generating more power.

I mean literally at the very second you connect and only for that moment. After that immediately relax and move again.

Like RKC KB Swings.

[curlbroscience]

IMHO I think the RKC KB Swing is much better translated into the MT roundhouse rather than the traditional Karate mawashi geri.

Just my opinion though, but I do agree that the tension/relaxation adds umph to the kick.

When people start talking about creating waves of pain from the retraction of punches/kicks and the like is when I just nod and listen.

[MMX]

Yeah I hear ya. I guess what I am getting at is Kime as they say it in Karate.

[chakuriki]

You may want to think about applying that technique to tsuki, uke..etc....