Recoil Speed Drill Book: Drills for the Second Half of Every Kick
Mat Manual companion guide to "How to Pull Your Kick Back: Hiki-Ashi, the Forgotten Half." Print it. The article explains hiki-ashi mechanics and what a slow return costs. This book drills the return: per-kick maps, cha…
| Art | Shotokan Karate |
|---|---|
| Family | Karate |
| Level | intermediate |
| Format | playbook |
| Topics | kicks, training-plans |
Mat Manual companion guide to "How to Pull Your Kick Back: Hiki-Ashi, the Forgotten Half." Print it. The article explains hiki-ashi mechanics and what a slow return costs. This book drills the return: per-kick maps, chamber work, timing ladders, partner tests, and logs that grade the rechamber beside the kick.
Name: ______________________________ Dojo: ______________________________ Current grade: ______________ School target heights by kick (record): ______________________________
SAFETY, BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE ☐ Kick height stays inside the range the hip controls. Recoil speed is never chased on a kick thrown above control height; the kick is lowered and rebuilt. ☐ Support knee never twists under load. Pivot per school teaching on every kick, in every drill, at every speed. ☐ Partner catch drills are touch catches at agreed speed. No grabbing, holding, or pulling a kicking leg at speed in any drill in this book. A caught leg at slow drill speed is released instantly on any balance loss. ☐ Pad holders brace and agree contact before every set. Kicks to a held pad at full power only where the school practices them and the holder is trained for it. ☐ Hamstring, hip, or knee pain during recoil work stops the set. Tightness that changes the chamber is information for the log and the instructor, not something to kick through. ☐ Tired-state test sets (Part 12) run at modest height by design. Fatigue plus maximum height is outside this system.
Part 1: Per-Kick Retraction Maps
| Kick | Extension path | Retraction standard | Rechamber finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mae geri (front kick) | Knee up front, straight extension | Same straight line back, knee stays high throughout | Full front chamber, foot set, ankle shaped |
| Mawashi geri (roundhouse kick) | Chamber across, hip turns, shin swings in | Shin folds back to the crossed chamber on the same arc | Crossed chamber restored before any reset or landing |
| Yoko geri keage (side snap kick) | Chamber up, foot snaps out with the edge | Snap back at matching speed, full fold | Chamber folded tight, then land |
| Yoko geri kekomi (side thrust kick) | Chamber, leg drives out | Knee folds back against the thrust's momentum under control | Chamber restored before the foot seeks the floor |
| Ushiro geri (back kick) | Turn, chamber, thrust behind | Fold back while the turn unwinds; eyes reacquire the front during the fold | Chamber with the body re-facing, guard set |
| Ura mawashi geri and advanced kicks | Per school teaching | Per school: the return path retraces the taught path | Only where the school teaches the kick; instructor sets inclusion: ______ |
Recoil Speed Drill Book: Drills for the Second Half of Every Kick
Mat Manual companion guide to "How to Pull Your Kick Back: Hiki-Ashi, the Forgotten Half." Print it. The article explains hiki-ashi mechanics and what a slow return costs. This book drills the return: per-kick maps, chamber work, timing ladders, partner tests, and logs that grade the rechamber beside the kick.
What's Inside
- Part 1: Per-Kick Retraction Maps
- Part 2: The Rechamber Freeze Standard
- Part 3: Chamber Isolation Drills (No Full Kicks)
- Part 4: Full-Kick Recoil Ladders
- Part 5: The Three Partner Tests
- Part 6: Per-Kick Drill Menus
- …and 27 more sections
The full guide is a paid Mat Manual product. Checkout is not connected yet — no payment is taken on this page.
Free companion article: How to Pull Your Kick Back: Hiki-Ashi, the Forgotten Half — the full article, free in full.