TaekwondoDuc DangAward: Top 100
School: west ranch high school This is a "volley" kick- jumping off of one leg, turning 180 degrees in the air, kicking the target with the same leg, and landing on that same leg- it's one of the hardest in all of Taekwondo, and physics can explain what makes this kick so difficult. Three forces are required to jump. Spinning before your jump generates angular momentum to assist in getting enough power for the jump. Once you complete your preliminary spin, you punch your foot into the ground with body strength, adding a downward force in addition to the downward torque generated by your spin. As the ground is acting back up on you due to these forces, you swing your back leg upwards and towards your target, helping you jump higher as the swinging of the leg produces an upward torque on your body. Once you are in the air, gravity will act on you as a projectile, so hopefully you had enough power and angular speed in your jump to complete the kick before you come back down. Now you will need to reduce your angular velocity through rotational inertia by stretching your leg out to kick and your arms ever so slightly, effectively increasing your body's radius- but do this too soon, and you will be going too slow too early; too late, and you will miss the target completely. Finally, you hit the target, spot the landing, and land on one leg. This difficult move requires lots of perseverance and practice. 
|
|