Forming Your Feet

 Forming your feet into the correct shape so you hit with the exact part of the foot is not a natural thing to do and takes a lot of practice. Beginners especially tend not to think about the formation of their feet as they already have many things to concentrate on. Ensure that you know exactly which part of the foot you are making contact with and make an effort to form it strongly otherwise if you ever make contact with anything the consequences may be painful.

Remember: A good tip for practicing your foot formation is simply to form your feet at every opportunity you get. E.g. Under your desk whilst at work or while watching the television.

In any martial art you should NEVER EVER kick with your toes. They should either be pulled back towards your shin or pushed forward to stop them getting in the way.

Main weapon formations (look at photos on website for visual)

Ball of Foot The ankle should be pushed straight and the toes should be pulled back strongly so that the ball of the foot can hit the target. (examples of kicks; front snap kick, scissor kick)

Instep Point your toes and foot towards the floor and keep the foot strong. The instep is the top part of your foot mostly used when executing bandal chagi, (45 degree kick) and turning kick.

Heel This can also be used for the majority of kicks when maximum damage wants to be caused. Pull your foot and toes towards your shin and aim on the paddle or target with your heel. Can be used for axe kick, reverse turning kick, hook kick, reverse hook kick and back kick.

Blade of Foot This is the most difficult formation to try and perfect as it is not a natural angle of your foot. The blade of your foot should be pushed over towards the target and your toes should be curled back. Ensure that the sole of the foot is parallel with the floor. Used for side kick, spin side kick and flying side kick.

Sole Of Foot This is the same basic formation as the instep but the contact is made with sole of the foot as opposed to the instep. Examples of kicks that use the sole are; reverse turning kick, hook kick, reverse hook kick and high rising kick.