How to Do a Flying Side Kick in Martial Arts
The flying side kick is a technique made famous by Bruce Lee. The image of Lee soaring through the air evokes feelings of power, grace and style. The flying side kick not only shows off the flair of martial arts, it also has practical applications. It is a finishing move and can be used to break down doors.
- Difficulty:
- Moderately Challenging
Instructions
-
-
1
Run Up
Start with a run up. The flying side kick requires a significant amount of horizontal speed. The faster you are traveling the more powerful the kick will be. See how fast you can go in three or four large steps.
-
2
Thrust Knee Up
Keep your body facing forward as you thrust a knee in the air. The leg that knee is on will be the leg that does the kicking. As your knee is rising into the air, launch your body upward with the other leg. Focus on jumping up not forward. Your speed from running has already provided you with forward momentum for your flying side kick.
-
3
Roll on to Side
Roll your body on its side while you are flying through the air. Do this in the direction away from your lead leg. Moving your arms in that direction while keeping them in tight to your body will help you roll. Your lead leg should still be in a cocked position.
-
4
Extend Kick
Thrust your cocked leg outward in a side kick while retracting your other leg. This action should be like releasing the energy stored in a spring. You need to time the kick so that you are fully extended at the exact moment you make contact with your target. This will take some practice. You must take into account your horizontal velocity from running, your vertical height in relation to your target, and the timing and reach of your kick. Impact your target with the outside knife edge of your foot or your heel.
-
5
Return to Ready Stance
Transfer all the energy from your run up and flying side kick into your target. At that moment your horizontal velocity will be reduced to zero. Don't keep your kicking leg knee locked or you might jam it. Allow it to bend as you complete your flying side kick. Push off of your target and land on both feet. This should be a soft landing under complete control. Immediately take a fighting stance that prepares you for your next move.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Practice the flying side kick on a heavy bag that swings. The heavy bag is forgiving if you hit it poorly. It will take a while before you get the timing down. There are a lot of variables to consider in a flying side kick, but you will figure them out with practice.
Do not practice the flying side kick on something you know will not move. If you put all your energy into a stone wall, you will be the one who breaks. Be careful to land softly. It is easy to twist an ankle while recovering from a flying side kick.
