This ten article series will deal with the various components that need to be addressed when considering the utilization of a particular kick in a combat or self-defense situation. This particular component is really of no use to the tournament competitor since they are fighting barefoot or with minimal protective padding that does not impede the range of mobility of the foot. Although all of these individual components are important, they are most effective when combined together and utilized correctly when executing a kick.

Although I will only be discussing one of the components in this article, here is the complete list of all ten of them.

1.Your Kicking Ability

2.Your Intended Application

3.The Environment

4.Telegraphing

6.Striking the Correct Target

7.Initial Impact

8.Impact

9.Retraction or Follow Through

10.Return to Fighting Position

In a practice situation in the dojo or gym, the striking implement would be defined as that portion of your foot or leg that is used to make contact with a vital or vulnerable area on your opponent. In a self-defense situation, the striking implement would most generally be defined as that portion of your shoe or leg that is used to make contact with a vital or vulnerable area on your opponent. Always make sure that you strike your intended target with the correct portion (striking implement) of your foot or leg. Remember, that the idea is to inflict pain upon your opponent, not yourself.

Since the only portion of the leg that should ever be used for kicking is the lower portion of the shin just above the ankle, and since most shoes do not cover this area (with the exception of some combat boots) I will be focusing this article on the foot and various types of shoes.

Contrary to what you may or may not have been told, there is a HUGE difference between kicking barefoot and kicking with shoes on. For example:

1.Depending upon the type of shoes you are wearing, you will probably not be able to bring your foot into the exact same foot positions for a particular kick that you could do when barefoot.

2.If you are wearing some type of boot, the toes, heel, and outside edge of the boot should be a lot harder than those same portions of your foot, and they won't be as susceptible to damage as your barefoot would be.

3.If the soles of your shoes are smooth (like dress shoes or cowboy boots) then you won't have anywhere near the traction you would normally have when barefoot or when wearing sneakers or hiking boots.

4.Your shoes are going to have some weight to them and that can effect the speed and movement of your kicks if you haven't had the experience of practicing your kicks while wearing the same shoes you would wear during your normal day-to-day activities.

5.Depending upon your own physical make-up and the type of shoes you are wearing, you will have to adjust your foot positions for delivering almost all of your kicks when wearing shoes. Now this will also vary from shoe type to shoe type.

Generally speaking, you will have a far greater range of movement (and in some

cases 100% range of movement) wearing slipper type shoes that are currently

available from several different martial arts companies.

Tennis shoes or sneakers will also allow you a fairly good range of movement,

although not as much as the previously mentioned slipper type shoe. However,

depending upon the shoe type your range of movement may decrease by 50% or

more.

Hiking or combat boots generally decrease your range of movement by anywhere

from 50 to 75% or more depending upon the style of boot. However, what they

lack in range of movement they more than make up for it their ability for you to

kick harder with minimal chance of injury to yourself. Think of boots as brass

knuckles for your feet.

Cowboy boots are in my opinion the worst shoes to wear if you are going to be

kicking someone. They are very confining and offer very little range of movement

for your feet. The soles are usually smooth and offer no traction and you have an

upraised heel which can prove to be very problematic for the kicker. The one

benefit to kicking with cowboy boots is the small hard pointy toe portion which

can be used to great effect when executing Front Kicks and Roundhouse Kicks.

Now for all you women out there, and those of you who are into cross-dressing,

high heel shoes are without a doubt not the hardest shoes to walk in let alone kick

in. If you are wearing high heels and find yourself in a situation where you

have to kick someone, I strongly recommend stepping out of them if at all

possible and then either running away, or proceed to execute your kicks or

whatever technique that you feel is the appropriate response to that particular

situation.

I strongly recommend that your first learn how to correctly execute your kicks while barefoot and wearing loose fitting clothing before attempting them in your normal everyday clothes and shoes. This way you will have the correct technique down and will be better able to modify it slightly to adjust for the difference in clothing and shoes without sacrificing too much in technique.

Practice executing your kicks wearing every type of shoe that you might wear including; slippers, sneakers, hiking boots, cowboy boots, high heels, and even those big bulky snow boots. Take note of how each kick feels while wearing each shoe type and compare them not only to each other, but also to kicking when barefoot.

Another factor for consideration is how your base leg foot moves and pivots during the execution of each kick.

Although I primarily focused on several different factors to consider when executing your kicks while wearing various types of shoes, there is one other factor that must be at the forefront of your mind when considering the act of kicking while wearing shoes, and that is the end results of what could happen after kicking an opponent while wearing certain types of shoes.

There have been several criminal cases that determined that kicking someone with heavy shoes or boots on constitutes assault with a deadly weapon. Now this varies from state-to-state and you would have to check your own states laws on this, but it is a very real possibility and one that you need to take into consideration before you are called upon to use kicks in a self-defense situation.