The Shinobi Stop

The teep, also called the front kick depending on what style of striking you come from, is one of the most basic and effective kicks in all of martial arts. While this kick is simple in principle, there are several common mistakes that people make when throwing it, that take away from the effectiveness of the kick.

The first mistake being lack of balance. If I find myself falling forward after I kick that means my weight is too far in front of me. Falling forward post kick will put your face right into harms way. If I find myself falling backwards after I kick that means I’m pulling my weight behind me. This will essentially take all of the power out of the technique. Ideally your weight should fell centered underneath you, leading to a more sturdy and powerful kick.

Second on the list is the position of your knee on the kicking leg. Your kick will only go as high as your bring your knee before you actually fire the kick. For example, if my knee comes up under my chin chances are my kick will fire under my opponents chin. Where the knee goes, the foot will follow.

Lastly is the retraction of the kick. It is extremely important that we bring our foot back to our body before it hits the ground again. Not only is this important so that it is harder for your opponent to catch your kick, but it also helps to generate power in the technique. Think of throwing a teep like snapping a towel. The sting doesn’t come from throwing the towel out, but rather when you pull the towel back into yourself. Same idea. This will also help you to reset yourself and be able to continue our attack or be ready to counter.

For visuals on these tips check out my YouTube video linked below.

I hope this helps! Until next time.