Mawashi geri, which is more commonly known as ’round house kick’, is an extremely powerful karate technique.
There are many different versions of mawashi geri.
1. Leg coming around parallel with the floor
2. leg starting high, then cutting down.
3. Leg starting low, then rising at an angle.
4. Kicking with the ball of the foot (Koshi), the shin and the instep.
5. Snapping the kick back after impact.
6. Going straight through the target, without snapping back.
When someone can deliver Mawashi geri correctly, it is extremely powerful and hard to block. But if performed incorrectly, it can be disasterous!
1. From front stance (left leg in front), keeping the left foot still, lift the right knee to the side of the body, with the knee slightly higher than the right kicking foot. Try not to let the knee go past the front of the body and keep the body as upright as possible.
2. Start to pivot the left leg counter clockwise while at the same time, bringing the kicking leg around to the front of the body, while keeping the right leg bent and knee high.
3. When fast, the kick hits the target, the same time as the knee stops in front of the body. But when practicing slowly, it is fine to pivot on the left foot and bring the right knee around to the front of the body.
4. Now extend the kicking leg, parallel with the floor, keep the body as upright as possible and try not to lean to the side. Hit the target with the ball of the foot, shin or instep.
When kicking with mawashi geri, the whole body should play a part, not just the kicking leg. A strong supporting leg is essential, make sure you are hitting with the body and hip, not just the leg.
Obviously, there is a lot more to mawashi geri than just the technique. But first get the basic karate fundamentals correct, then you can start to experiment with different types of round house kick.
There are going to be some great training videos in the karate dojo, for developing the legs for strong kicking. Here’s one below covering the front leg roundhouse kick or Kizami Mawashi Geri.
Kizami Mawashi Geri or Front Leg Roundhouse Kick
A training exercise, covering close, medium and long range. This karate kicking exercise can be practiced with or without a partner, or on a punchbag. If practiced correctly, kicking with the front leg can build extremely strong supporting legs, which is one of the most important ingredients, in all kicks.
VIDEO HERE
