Technique Follow Along Video – White, Yellow, Yellow-Black Drills
Perform a quick warm up or some light stretching before beginning this video. The drills shown are only a small portion of the kicks and combinations you will learn in class.
This series allows you to recall what you learned in class to help you practice correctly at home. These videos are meant to be demonstrative and easy to follow along, rather than performances. Add height, acceleration, or power to your techniques as you are able.
If you found our video and you aren’t a current student of ours, note that different dojangs will have different requirements for their ranks. We’d love to meet you if you’re in our area! If not, we hope these are helpful to reinforce your fundamentals!
In the following video, you can practice along with Stevens Family instructors Jack Stevens III, and Jenna Davis. Master Jack Stevens calls out each technique, so you can practice with video assistance, or just listen for cues.
Basic Stances
Middle Stance (horse stance) – legs wide, toes forward, knees pushed out. Drop your hips low, keeping the torso upright. Weight distribution 50/50
Front Stance – feet two shoulder widths long, one shoulder width wide. Front knee bent, with front toes pointed forward. Back knee straight, with foot turned out no more than 30 degrees. Hips and shoulders squared off. Weight distribution 70/30, front to back.
L Stance (Back stance, fight stance) – front foot pointed forward, back foot perpendicular. Front foot slightly wider than the heel of the back foot. Both knees bent, hips at a 45 degree angle from the opponent. Weight distribution 60/40, with most of the weight on the back leg.
Drill, Drill, Drill!
White Belt Drill Work
Advancing (stepping forward) front stances, high blocks. Check to make sure that your high block comes across the torso, then rises to a 120 degree angle overhead. Other hand goes to a ready fist. The foot that steps is the hand that high blocks (i.e. if the left foot steps forward, the left hand should be in a high block).
Retreat, facing the same direction.
Advancing front stance, high block. With feet stationary, add two punches. Be sure to switch hands each time (i.e. if the left foot steps forward, the left hand will high block, followed by a right punch, then ending in a left punch).
Retreat, facing the same direction.
Advancing front snap kick (rear leg), land in a front stance with a high block, then double punch. We are looking for the knee to rise up (chamber), a fully extended kick, and for the knee to bend again (rechamber) before setting to the floor. You should not feel as though you are “falling forward”, rather, placing your foot in front of you.
Double step turn – the front foot will take a small step to the inside, then the other foot will step out to your next stance. If your right foot is in front, you will step it over, then step to the back of the room with your left foot. Your left foot is now your lead leg.
Advancing knife hand strike from a middle stance. A knife hand will pull back to chamber, elbow up high, in alignment with your shoulder. Fingers are pressed together and tensed.
Advancing (step up) side kick, knife hand strike from a middle stance. Be sure to pivot your base foot, which beginners may do during the “step up” phase. Chamber the knife hand as the side kick rechambers, ideally landing the foot and the strike simultaneously.
Turning round kick, land with double guarding blocks. As the rear leg pushes off the floor, your base foot should pivot. This allows the knee to come around to the target by opening up the hips. The leg then extends for the kick (striking horizontally through the target), then rechambers in the same direction it came from before setting to the floor.
Yellow and Yellow-Black Belt Drill Work
These can be practiced alone, or with a partner. As you become more proficient, add acceleration without sacrificing technique.
All yellow and yellow-black drill work will begin from a middle stance, double guarding blocks position. The back foot still step up, the kick will be thrown with the front leg, then the back foot will return to its original position. This footwork teaches advancing and retreating with the same side forward.
Yellow
Step up side kick – be sure to pivot your base foot, pull your knee to a tight chamber, and strike with the heel of the foot (ankle and toes pulled back into a bladed foot position).
Step up hook kick – straight leg raise on one side of your opponent, then “wipe” the bottom of your foot across the target as you bend your knee. This is a horizontal strike.
Step up round kick – begin by lifting and pointing your knee at the target (heel back towards your bottom). Extend the kick, then rechamber by bringing your heel back to its original position. This is a horizontal strike, and beginners will hit with their instep.
Step up reverse punch – punch and land in a front stance to practice shifting hips, then retreat back into a sideways middle stance
Yellow-Black
Step up double round kick – be sure to pivot your base foot for both strikes. Fully chamber and rechamber each technique. Ideally, you will throw one high and one low.
Step up hook kick, round kick – this simple double kick lets you strike from two different directions.
Step up side kick, reverse punch – fully rechamber the side kick, before landing in your front stance and punch
Step up hook kick, spin side kick, spin side kick, reverse punch – this quick combination introduces you to spin kicks and changing directions. Be sure to look and find your target before you side kick.
Step up side kick, spin heel, step up reverse punch, pick up round kick – take note of your beginning position in the middle stance. After landing the side kick, the foot you spin heel kick with should land in the same spot where it started. After the reverse punch, there is no additional step before picking up your lead leg (front leg) round kick.