September challenge for all students!

Hi everyone

This September, we will all start a one-month challenge – 1,000 turning kicks!

That’s right, its “Dollyo September”!

During September, every student should perform 1,000 turning kicks with each leg. That’s only 34 each leg per day! (We’ll help you out by doing 50 or so in each class, but you’ll need to do some at home.) Track your progress with this spreadsheet (link).

Remember these important pointers:

Turning kick (dollyo chagi)

This is a type of smashing kick, used to attack an opponent to the side front. Usually you kick with the ball of the foot, and you can also use the knee, instep, or toes (wearing shoes). Primary targets are the face, solar plexus, and scrotum. This kick can be low, middle or high.

• Lift your knee and foot on the same plane as the target, while pivoting the supporting foot 45° away from the opponent.
• Extend the attacking tool to the target in an arc, moving the mass of the hip in the same direction, and keeping the body as upright as possible by twisting the shoulders in the opposite direction. Your body will fold into a shallow ‘V’, with your bottom out.
• Retract the attacking tool on the same plane, and use sine wave as you land in a stance.

Top tips

• Lift your knee and foot early, and swing the attacking tool in an arc.
• Point your foot slightly downward at the moment of impact, so your attacking tool is vertical.
• Kick with your arms in front of your body.

Common mistakes

• Don’t kick with your supporting foot forwards, or you cannot utilise your hip.

Here are some great examples.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcRZZBg1FOY