Page 15 - Martial Science Magazine 2019 SEPT DIG

acrobatic kicks – these kicks in- what is their real purpose are ques-
clude moVements such as flips, hori- tions that are often asked. some be-
zontal spins, multiple spins and Jump lieVe that performing a Jump (flying)
kicks with three or more separate kick in combat is useless and eVen
kicks in one. acrobatic kicks are dangerous for the fighter who uses
rarely performed with a standing such a technique. those who think
Jump (as in, for example, when per- of it as nonsense haVe proVided us
forming an butterfly kick in the wu with legitimate reasons why they
shu style), but usually use a small- think that way. they belieVe that
er or bigger running start. also, such a technique is too risky and in-
acrobatic kicks are much rarely effectiVe in sports competitions as
performed in martial arts because well as in street fights. the fact is
their real use in martial arts is neg- that the fighter performs the Jump
ligible. their performance is usual- (flying) kicks in the air and has no
ly reduced to a mere Visual attrac- real support. so, it is much easier to
tion where an athlete wants to knock him down on the floor. also,
show off his acrobatic skills. many ask themselVes what is the
real effectiVeness, i.e. the strength
in order to perform Jump (flying) of those punches. in contrast to
kicks correctly, the athlete needs their Viewpoints, there are numer-
to haVe a strong take off, good flex- ous people who disagree and who
ibility and a controlled coordina- consider Jump (flying) kicks to be
tion of his moVements. additional- Very useful.
ly, when practicing acrobatic kicks
he must haVe good acrobatic skills. from the Very beginning of deVel-
a person who wants to perform opment of certain styles, many dif-
Jump (flying) kicks needs to practice ferent martial arts styles use dif-
Various types of Jumps regularly as ferent Jump (flying) kicks. in order
well as implement explosiVe train- to understand the reason better,
ing and plyometrics into his rou- we need to traVel back to distant
tine (lat. plyo + metric= measurable past when martial arts were first
increase or growth). created. the story about its be-
ginnings is familiar and known to
a martial arts master need to eVeryone. the story about the leg-
haVe well deVeloped stomach and endary shaolin temple talks about
leg muscles if he wants to per- its martial arts masters who deVel-
form Jump (flying) kicks. for exam- oped Various martial arts styles by
ple, the stomach muscles that the obserVing and, later, imitating dif-
athlete needs to strengthen are ferent animals in combat. the fact
the following- rectus abdominis, is that many domestic as well as fe-
transVersus abdominis , umbilicus ral animals used Jumps in combat or
and adductor lumbar as well as in defense instinctiVely. for exam-
strong leg and glute muscles- glu- ple, a cat, dog, rooster or a goose
teus maximus, gluteus medius and may hit the attacker while Jumping.
gluteus minimus. also, lower leg also, Various feral animals such
and shin muscles are of great im- as a wolf, fox, deer, tiger, leopard,
portance- gastrocnemius and so- monkey, kangaroo will hit the at-
leus as well as well deVeloped foot tacker by using a Jump. eVen animals
muscles. one of the most important such as a bear, some birds or snakes
muscles that helps with the perfor- will sometimes instinctiVely Jump on
mance of Jump kicks is the external their attacker. the number of such
oblique muscle. animals is too great to think of it
as coincidence. obViously, many an-
is there any point in performing a imals instinctiVely use defensiVe or
Jump (flying) kick in combat and offensiVe Jumps in order to surViVe.

SEPTEMBER/2019 15