Roundhouse Mechanics Playbook

Mat Manual companion guide to "No Power in the Roundhouse." Print it, work the links in order, and tick the checks as they hold. The chain is the kick: fix the link, not the leg.

Name: ______________________________ Gym: ______________________________ Kru: ______________________________

Date started: ______________ Weaker side: ☐ Lead kick ☐ Rear kick ☐ Both feel fine, both are wrong

Safety First

• Pad work is class work. It belongs in the gym, with your kru present, a holder who knows the feeding patterns, and power agreed before the round starts.
• Bag work follows your stage on the Shin Health and Conditioning Reference ladder. Mechanics drills at slow speed are for every stage. Power sets belong at the stage your shins have earned, never above it.
• Kick air at training speed, not full power. A full power swing that meets nothing wrenches the kicking knee and the standing hip. Save full power for bags and pads.
• Keep a soft bend in the kicking knee through the swing. The Thai kick is not a locked leg swung like a gate.
• Stop and report sharp knee, hip, or ankle pain. Tired thighs and a working sweat are training. Joint pain is a conversation with your kru and, if it persists, a clinician.
• Clear your space for home shadow work. One leg length in every direction, nothing breakable, dry floor, bare feet.