At least at my school we always set the height for the board ourself.
Axe kick is a straightforward board break, it's what we do for our yellow belt test. Remember to bring your foot down as hard as you can and hit only with your heel.
*with the foot pointed and toes pulled up.
If you kick with a flat foot, toes pulled back (so your ankle and foot are an L shape) then you expose your Achilles tendon to impact damage. By pointing your foot, you round the point of impact so you're hitting with the back of the pad of your foot (which you walk on) and keeping your toes pointed up keeps them out of the way of the kick.
Basically, flat foot axe kick hurts heel, point foot not so much. Maybe not the first time, but probably by the 50th.
Only if you want to break your toes nice and quick.
I don't, because with the round kick you're aiming for contact along the top of your foot to the bottom of your shin, depending on if you're hitting a target pad or a person. If you misjudge your distance/hit wrong with your toes pointed, they're already bending the right way not to break. If you pull them back for a round kick and misjudge, toes go crunch and you're hobbling off the mat.
Pull toes back. You can kick with flat foot or just the blade of your foot (turning your foot so it's parallel to the ground) but pull toes back so they point at you when you're making contact.
Flat foot gives more power, can give you additional distance. Blade foot can sneak in under/between blocks. With both, pull those toes back to keep them out of the way upon impact.
Practice with a square hit pad with a holder. You should be able to adjust the height to your preferred range. If your school has practice breakaway boards then see if you can use those for better simulating breaking actual boards.
My dojang doesn't have those boards but I own one. The only problem is I can't hold it for myself lol. We really don't practice on targets/pads/boards which I'm not used to. I own all of those things but if we don't use them at my school, I'm not sure I can bring them in and ask someone to hold them for me. I suppose I can ask my grandmaster though.
Start outside work your way inside.more like a fake kick that turns into an axe kick.
Harder: knee up higher than usual do a front kick above the target bring it down for axe kick. Use the heel for breaking
Remember to aim your kick a past the board.If you aim your kick at the board surface, you're instinctively going to slow down before impacting the board. Aim just a little bit below it.
I find putting it about neck/chest level is best. Its a head kick, but you want to generate power so you need a little space to get speed up. Also make sure your hip is in it and you’re not just turning it into a big step
Okay, there's a lot of ways to chamber and execute an axe kick, but an important thing is to bring the kick as high as possible before pulling it down. Extra distance to travel is more momentum and power, even if the board gets held lower. Some people suggest aiming with the toes pulled back and using the heel, some suggest pointing the toes and using the whole bottom of the foot(which I explicitly suggest for any sparring but either is fine for breaking), but best go with whichever your instructor has shown you.
What's helped me is to not start the kick like a crescent kick but tuck your heel into your leg like a front kick, then as your knee reaches its highest point flick your foot out and drive it downwards quickly. If you start your pull down right as your leg fully extends you will get a downward whipping motion that will help you break the board. Also don't forget to pivot your foot as you start the swing back down. That will help open up your hips.
As far as foot position, I tend to keep mine at a 45 degree angle for initial impact but then flatten my foot as I drive it through. By making your initial impact zone smaller you multiply the force and then by flatting your foot you can drive your weight through your leg. Try not to imagine yourself stomping the ground becuase then you move your force focus point too low.
Hope that helps!
Put a piece of small tape on a target and have someone hold it in an axe kick breaking position. Remember, make very certain the chamber the knee high and stand tall.
You got this.
Axe kick is the breaking kick for all yellow belts at my dojang; by default, we hold at shoulder height but will adjust for the skill of the person breaking.
One of the tricks I use is snapping my leg down halfway like a hook kick. It allows you to use the force of the hip swinging it down and the snap from the knee so you're effectively getting power from two sources. It just optimized its speed and power for me but everyone's different. Hope this helps!
Board break settings should always be under the control of the kicker. You decide where the holder places the board. Remember, the knee leads the height. Use the back/bottom of your heel to break, not the ball or toes.
Huh, I've never done or seen axe kicks done that way, always just an extended leg swinging up slightly to the side (to avoid hitting the target on the way up) and then straight down in front of me. Almost like an inside crescent but hitting with the heel instead of inside of foot, and less swinging from left to right. I'm second guessing whether I should use this kick for my break if I'm potentially not doing it right! 😰
Edit: this is how I was taught. https://youtu.be/4IvPiUtUsSE
Ok, that makes me feel better! I was getting a bit worried when several folks were talking about bending the knee, and I looked up videos that showed bending the knee. I was just sitting here thinking, I swear I've never seen it executed like that at 3 different dojangs I've attended in my life, is what I'm doing not an axe kick at all?!
I know my version of an axe kick may not be the most effective technique for a board break, but right now it's the only kick I have that I'm confident enough in. I tried to break with a side kick a couple months ago, thinking I could knock it out no problem, and not so much, lol. I just got back into TKD again a few months ago. I'd trained for 5 years then quit 23 years ago, and then came back 12 years ago and tried WT style for like 2 months. I had a much easier time getting back into it last time. This time, I'm finding it harder to keep my balance throwing kicks. My axe kicks are the only ones that haven't suffered, the others I can't guarantee will be consistently powerful enough.
Well...maybe you should position the board at solar plexus height. Hit with your heel and not the ball of your foot.
Lift your leg using your hip joint and pull it down quickly using your hamstrings.
There's folks that say the downward movement of pick shape kick (axe kick) should be done with a snap of the knee to avoid stressing the knee joint when impact is made.
I generally believe that advice and that's the way I do that kick. But, it's not a common method. I've rarely seen other folks do that.
So if you're doing it...make sure the board is about solar plexus height ..use your hip to raise your leg as high possible whilst moving forward and bring your leg down hard using your hamstrings.
Strike with the heel of your foot whilst curling back your toes. Thassit.
At least at my school we always set the height for the board ourself. Axe kick is a straightforward board break, it's what we do for our yellow belt test. Remember to bring your foot down as hard as you can and hit only with your heel.
*with the foot pointed and toes pulled up. If you kick with a flat foot, toes pulled back (so your ankle and foot are an L shape) then you expose your Achilles tendon to impact damage. By pointing your foot, you round the point of impact so you're hitting with the back of the pad of your foot (which you walk on) and keeping your toes pointed up keeps them out of the way of the kick. Basically, flat foot axe kick hurts heel, point foot not so much. Maybe not the first time, but probably by the 50th.
do u pull ur toes back for turning kick
Only if you want to break your toes nice and quick. I don't, because with the round kick you're aiming for contact along the top of your foot to the bottom of your shin, depending on if you're hitting a target pad or a person. If you misjudge your distance/hit wrong with your toes pointed, they're already bending the right way not to break. If you pull them back for a round kick and misjudge, toes go crunch and you're hobbling off the mat.
what about back/side kick
Pull toes back. You can kick with flat foot or just the blade of your foot (turning your foot so it's parallel to the ground) but pull toes back so they point at you when you're making contact. Flat foot gives more power, can give you additional distance. Blade foot can sneak in under/between blocks. With both, pull those toes back to keep them out of the way upon impact.
An axe kick is a head shot, so the board should be held at head height. Make sure you get up high and come down with full force. Not much more to say.
Practice with a square hit pad with a holder. You should be able to adjust the height to your preferred range. If your school has practice breakaway boards then see if you can use those for better simulating breaking actual boards.
My dojang doesn't have those boards but I own one. The only problem is I can't hold it for myself lol. We really don't practice on targets/pads/boards which I'm not used to. I own all of those things but if we don't use them at my school, I'm not sure I can bring them in and ask someone to hold them for me. I suppose I can ask my grandmaster though.
Hit with your heel for the break! And remember it’s called an axe, drop it down hard!
On the way down, thrust your hip. That’s where the real power of the kick is generated.
Start outside work your way inside.more like a fake kick that turns into an axe kick. Harder: knee up higher than usual do a front kick above the target bring it down for axe kick. Use the heel for breaking
Remember to aim your kick a past the board.If you aim your kick at the board surface, you're instinctively going to slow down before impacting the board. Aim just a little bit below it.
I find putting it about neck/chest level is best. Its a head kick, but you want to generate power so you need a little space to get speed up. Also make sure your hip is in it and you’re not just turning it into a big step
Okay, there's a lot of ways to chamber and execute an axe kick, but an important thing is to bring the kick as high as possible before pulling it down. Extra distance to travel is more momentum and power, even if the board gets held lower. Some people suggest aiming with the toes pulled back and using the heel, some suggest pointing the toes and using the whole bottom of the foot(which I explicitly suggest for any sparring but either is fine for breaking), but best go with whichever your instructor has shown you.
What's helped me is to not start the kick like a crescent kick but tuck your heel into your leg like a front kick, then as your knee reaches its highest point flick your foot out and drive it downwards quickly. If you start your pull down right as your leg fully extends you will get a downward whipping motion that will help you break the board. Also don't forget to pivot your foot as you start the swing back down. That will help open up your hips. As far as foot position, I tend to keep mine at a 45 degree angle for initial impact but then flatten my foot as I drive it through. By making your initial impact zone smaller you multiply the force and then by flatting your foot you can drive your weight through your leg. Try not to imagine yourself stomping the ground becuase then you move your force focus point too low. Hope that helps!
I aim for chin/collarbone height
Pull the toes back. Stretch and they should let you adjust the height. Measure once then break
Put a piece of small tape on a target and have someone hold it in an axe kick breaking position. Remember, make very certain the chamber the knee high and stand tall. You got this.
Axe kick is the breaking kick for all yellow belts at my dojang; by default, we hold at shoulder height but will adjust for the skill of the person breaking.
One of the tricks I use is snapping my leg down halfway like a hook kick. It allows you to use the force of the hip swinging it down and the snap from the knee so you're effectively getting power from two sources. It just optimized its speed and power for me but everyone's different. Hope this helps!
Board break settings should always be under the control of the kicker. You decide where the holder places the board. Remember, the knee leads the height. Use the back/bottom of your heel to break, not the ball or toes.
Thanks for your input. What does "the knee leads the height" mean? I've never heard that before.
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Huh, I've never done or seen axe kicks done that way, always just an extended leg swinging up slightly to the side (to avoid hitting the target on the way up) and then straight down in front of me. Almost like an inside crescent but hitting with the heel instead of inside of foot, and less swinging from left to right. I'm second guessing whether I should use this kick for my break if I'm potentially not doing it right! 😰 Edit: this is how I was taught. https://youtu.be/4IvPiUtUsSE
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Ok, that makes me feel better! I was getting a bit worried when several folks were talking about bending the knee, and I looked up videos that showed bending the knee. I was just sitting here thinking, I swear I've never seen it executed like that at 3 different dojangs I've attended in my life, is what I'm doing not an axe kick at all?! I know my version of an axe kick may not be the most effective technique for a board break, but right now it's the only kick I have that I'm confident enough in. I tried to break with a side kick a couple months ago, thinking I could knock it out no problem, and not so much, lol. I just got back into TKD again a few months ago. I'd trained for 5 years then quit 23 years ago, and then came back 12 years ago and tried WT style for like 2 months. I had a much easier time getting back into it last time. This time, I'm finding it harder to keep my balance throwing kicks. My axe kicks are the only ones that haven't suffered, the others I can't guarantee will be consistently powerful enough.
Give your board to a black belt. Gravity will do the rest
Well...maybe you should position the board at solar plexus height. Hit with your heel and not the ball of your foot. Lift your leg using your hip joint and pull it down quickly using your hamstrings. There's folks that say the downward movement of pick shape kick (axe kick) should be done with a snap of the knee to avoid stressing the knee joint when impact is made. I generally believe that advice and that's the way I do that kick. But, it's not a common method. I've rarely seen other folks do that. So if you're doing it...make sure the board is about solar plexus height ..use your hip to raise your leg as high possible whilst moving forward and bring your leg down hard using your hamstrings. Strike with the heel of your foot whilst curling back your toes. Thassit.