An Analysis of Tae Kwon Do's Effectiveness

Tae Kwon Do was the first style I had ever learned in my years of experience of various martial arts styles. I came to be very proficient in executing most of Tae Kwon Do's kicking attacks such as the roundhouse kick, front kick, front snap kick, side kick, back kick, back thrust kick, spin kick, jumping roundhouse, jumping front kick, hook kick, and the spinning hook kick.

The kicking attacks makes up most of Tae Kwon Do's curriculum. In application, the kicks are pretty fast and strong. How well you can kick depends on your strength, speed, and flexibility.

You strengthen your legs for a good foundation for your kicking attacks. How much you can lift, press, and curl with your legs affects how strong your kicking potential will be. If you have one bad leg, you won't be able to be an effective in your kicking form. In short, a bad leg will make it impossible to sustain your body weight for at least five seconds when you do a kick.

When executing a kick, one leg is planted on the ground as the foundation. When standing on one leg, your body weight is focused on that one leg. It's important to strengthen your foundation leg as well as your kicking leg. At the same time, it's very important to strengthen both of your legs to be able to kick with them.

I'm very good with my right leg but a lot has to be desired with my right leg. I can leg press up to 1100-1300 pounds. You tend to be able to lift more weight with your legs than any other part of your body. The reason being is that your legs take the most abuse. Your leg muscles are constantly at work when you're running, walking, and even just standing stationary.

Speed is very important. Strong kicks are one thing, effective kicks are another. You can have very destructive kicks but won't mean anything if you can hit anybody with them. Depending on the mass of your leg muscles, it might be difficult to work on your speed. The more muscles you have the more likely they give out when doing anything in regards of improving your speed.