- One of the biggest mistakes beginners make when throwing a roundhouse kick is that they perform it, and then just stand there or take their time to pull back their leg to their original stance
- This leaves you wide open for counterstrikes
The Fix: Kick and Return To Stance
- Just as you do when throwing a punch, after you throw a kick, you have to return to your proper defensive stance
- This is almost as important as the initial strike itself
- Gets you in the optimal position to slip, roll, check, or counter your opponent's strikes
- Helps you come back to balance properly
Practice Tip: After kicking and coming back to your stance, make sure you are properly balanced: your lead foot toe is in line with the heel of your rear foot. An imaginary line should run down the midline of your body.