High Kicks In Wado

Hi everybody!

There is something I would like to know your opinion about:

Where do the kicks to the head in Wado (or in karate in general) come from? There are no such keri in Shindo Yoshin Ryu (as much as I know), and I think in Okinawa Karate there are no kicks above the chest, neither (?).

The motivation for my question is that I'm not sure about the usefulness of kicks at jodan. Why do we have to learn them? I mean, it's far too risky to kick to the head of a standing opponent in a real fight (unless the opponent is half your size, which never would be the case with me cause I'm not fighting children )! Are they only for competition karate, to score points? Or is it just physical workout?


I really would enjoy reading your thoughts about this topic!

I think some kicks work better Jodan than others.

Front kick is very effective at head height as no one would be able to tell where its going. This is obviously the same for any kick if you chamber the kicks properly, but thats not something I am really good at personally.

Side kick and hook kick I find work well at head height, roundhouse for me doesn't unless its off the front foot.

I have seen quite a few MMA fights end from a kick to the head, I realise they would be using probably a MT style rather than Karate, but surely that demonstrates the effect of a Jodan kick?

Andy

Kidflash, just wait until you recieve a mawashigeri jodan against your head
You'll understand their usefullness then i guess

I don't doubt the power of high kicks performed by a skilled fighter. I just don't think I would ever use them in a fight where your opponent is "allowed" to strike your groin area for example, or where he may have a knife you have not realized yet. You are very exposed while performing such a kick and even if you are fast, you stand on one leg only for a relatively long time in an awkward position.
MMA is also a competition with certain rules, otherwise most of the fights would probably end much faster.

Also, there is no high kick in any Wado kata nor in Kihon Kumite... I just thought that maybe kicks at jodan level were introduced into karate for sports competition, with rules? And of course it's impressive...

I realise, though, that martial arts are not equivalent with self defense. But still, I'm not as motivated working on high kicks, than working on good tsukis, for example...

What about Nidan Geri?
The 2nd kick is Jodan and thats in Kata.

Andy

Ok, you got me there. Although nidan geri is not exactly what I had in mind...

Hehe, I know what you mean Kidflash, I just wanted to stick that in to cause trouble.

I have often thought our katas are lacking in kicks, but I do think Jodan kicks shouldn't be dismissed. You could say the same about junzuki no tsukkomi, it's risky, but if you land it, the chances are your opponent wont be getting up.

Andy

lacking kicks?
perhaps lacking visible kicks in omote waza. You could consider hidden movement. look at Mr. Suzuki's Wanshu and Wadokai's.

Groin strikes will be taught, no groin attacks are not allowed in sparring and neither are strikes to female chest areas.and the person that said there instructor used to kick students with a cup on to try and break it that is the biggest load of crap i ever heard.this is martial arts not dreams and fantasies.

I dislocated my knee kicking someone in the head once. I dont recommend high kicks at all.

first post... so be nice (ish)...

I was always taught that in Oyho Gumite Ropponme, the roundhouse kick at the end was always to the open target... so if the defender dropped their blocking right hand a kick to the head would be better...

But I do accept that according to the books etc it is a body level one...

just my tuppance worth..

Welcome HWK.

So far this has been a good place to hang out for all things Wado, long may it continue.

Re. your question:
It makes sense to me to kick where the available target is and is very Wado to go with the flow of the situation rather than get locked into fixed form.

Scaramouche

As I understand it, the roundhouse kick in question use to officially be Jodan level. (as per Suzuki's Karate-do book). It seems to be taught at Chudan level these days for whatever reason but I agree Scaramouche, whichever is the more available target then it would make sense to go for it.

I agree with Scaramouche too, however in Suzuki ha it was chudan, right?
however, when doing ashibarai it would be logic that the body will open at chudan. Well, logic, it may always be different anyway, so I will just stick to the first part of the first sentence of my post then.

AJ.

Hi Shep, there really isn't an 'official' target in ohyo kumite, the target is wherever the opening is created. The technique also may be a hand or foot technique because the aim is flexibility and adaptability in a practical situation.

oneya