There are many different ways to kick Mae geri (front kick) and some karate Dojo have different ways of teaching, so it’s not for me to judge what’s good or bad in a karate instructor’s front kick, for I have seen several incredibly strong front kicks, delivered using techniques that are very different to the way I kick mae geri. Here is a really good karate exercise that compliments the way I was shown front kick by my Shotokan Sensei.
Mae Geri Exercise
The shotokan karate exercise in the video below is performed slowly, using strong muscle control throughout the exercise. This mae geri exercise can be done on your own, by fixing both ends of a belt securely, or If you are in the Dojo, get yourself partner, as in the video, you can adjust the height of belt, making sure you don’t go to high, so when you extend the kicking leg, you can keep the foot of the supporting leg flat. It takes a little adjusting to get the right belt length, as every karateka has slightly differentleg length.
My Sensei used to say, try not to drag your kicking foot along the floor, or your kick will travel upwards on completion and the power will disperse upwards, instead of into the target. He would say, try and lift the foot immediately, by lifting the knee and kicking foot strongly. At the same time, the leg also starts to travel to the target. Just before impact, drive both hips forward into the target, on impact, straighten the foot and kick with the ball of the foot, then snap back sharply.
