The 3 species of Reverse Roundhouse Kick

Hi, guys and girls! :)

I have realised this week that for a person running a blog about his own style of martial arts I write a lot about other styles.

Sure- I have reasons to do so, but I think it's time that we focus on my style- the style of Wenhsiuquan (Wen Hsiu's Fist) for a change. Even if it is just to discuss one kick...

The idea to write today's post came from a video that got shared on my Facebook timeline. The video explained how the reverse roundhouse kick (I notice that in the US it is called a "Hook Kick") is done. When this Saturday came around the video itself was no longer to be found on my timeline.

Fortunately- Jesse Sensei knows very well about what kick I am talking about since he has his own video showing how it is done.

This is also the first species of this kick that I have learnt as a white belt in Shukokai (yes- I was a white belt, but karate people will tell you that 14 year old white belts get taught cool stuff quicker if they are willing to learn them). Before I joined any dojo my father taught me this particular version impacting with the heel.

Yes- I can still do this kick, but it is not in Wenhsiuquan's arsenal. Why not- you ask? Because it does not fit there. The technique itself is effective enough. So- my leaving it out of my arsenal has nothing to do with whether it works. In fact- I have scored a couple of ippons with this very kick even back when I was not much of a kumite athlete back in the day.

Opponents see the kick starting, get ready to block a mae geri and -whack!- they get slapped on the other side of the face than where a mawashi geri would have hit them...

This kick worked quite well because it is not seen in competitions that often and although the opponent sees that you are kicking the movement itself breaks the norm of how karateka normally kick each other.

Still- the efficacy of this kick stops with its sports application. 

When it comes to sparring and fighting Wenhsiuquan is...well...lazy...

I mean- I don't even bother doing a side kick with my rear leg like what you often see in karate. If I want to do a straight kick with my rear leg a front kick will be enough. Well... I also still like doing the spinning back kick, but I can explain that in another post.

Thing is- Wenhsiuquan uses kicking and striking techniques that travel in one fluid movement. That movement may be an S-curve, a semicircle, circle or a straight line, but still- the technique is executed in one movement. The moment the intent is formed to strike the technique hits its target.

The moment one first has to get into a preparatory movement before the blow can get delivered it is too late. What is the easiest part of a blow to block? The preparatory part!

Now- on to the version used by Wenhsiuquan:

Wenhsiuquan has 7 basic kicks. Each kick has within this number a lead version- like a front jab in boxing- and a rear version- like the rear cross in boxing. The lead side kick has two rear foot versions, though- the front kick and the spinning back kick. That, however, is still not what I am talking about today.

The reverse roundhouse kick is no exception. Its lead foot version- when slowed down- looks like this:

It ideally starts from a sideways facing stance. If a front facing stance was used a lead roundhouse kick would be quicker. The kick can be done without the cross step, but it will then not be augmented by the forward momentum generated by this step.

The kicking leg starts out in front of the body or- as shown here, wrapped around the front of the supporting leg. This creates tension that gets released when the kicking leg unwraps itself from the supporting leg. Even when you hit with the sole of your foot- this kick will slap your opponent silly whether it is a competition bout or a real fight.

Something that I was taught a long time ago about side kicks- which does not seem to feature in any tutorials nowadays- is that your rear hand/ fist must be kept pointed at the opponent as you do the kick. I know Taekwondo people do not feel the need to do this, and with a straight side kick it would not make much of a difference, but with this kick it makes a huge difference.

This kick- if done for maximum power- travels in an arc. As you probably know by now- the best way to counter an attack that travels in an arc is by stepping into that arc. Should you do that against a reverse roundhouse kick you will find yourself in contact with soft parts of the leg like the calf, the back of the knee or the hamstring that can't do you any harm. 

If the kicker's upper body is properly aligned with his rear fist pointed at you, however, you may find yourself running into a punch. Have you ever seen the close range gyakuzuki in Shotokan's Hieian Godan kata?

Yeah, sure- the centre line is facing away from the opponent here, but the punch can connect at this short range.

So- keeping the both hands pointed towards the opponent during this kick is a must...

Then we have the rear foot version which is not the one shown in the first two videos. You may have guessed it by now-

 

When performed at top speed this kick has the tension created by the kicking leg being wrapped around the supporting leg like with the lead version, but not it also has the momentum of the body spin behind it. When doing this kind of spinning technique it is very important to drive the rotation from the feet and hips and to be firmly rooted when the kicking leg is whipped out. When the kicking leg goes out the body rotation should already be complete and the supporting foot firmly rooted into the ground.

The kick does create a huge opening at its beginning- it DOES have your back turned to the opponent at a specific point- and it is very important to waste no time facing the opponent again.

Pull it off- however- and you land one devastating kick...

My old punching bag can attest to that...

This is how the reverse roundhouse kick gets done by Wenhsiuquan. Other styles may have the same or similar method. I DID get it from already existing styles after all. There are also styles preferring different methods which I respect and which I shall not discount as "ineffective".

Thing is- when I developed Wenhsiuquan I was not looking for the best possible technique. Such a thing does not exist. What does exist is the best possible technique to use along with another technique and the best possible technique to execute from a given stance or position. THAT was what I was looking for.

It is simply impossible to tell you everything about Wenshiuquan in this blog- even with the easter eggs that I leave at the end of each post.

If you are interested in learning more you are welcome to contact me at boshoffm3@gmail.com or on my Facebook or QQ profiles where this post appears.

Stay well and train hard! :)