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Positioning your body for kicks in Sepak Takraw

 

PositioningYourBody 

image credit: Shutterstock.com

Let’s get this straight. Sepak Takraw isn’t all about the legs. Sure, they are important but making use of your body as a whole is the key to a great kick. There are many types of kicks one can use in Sepak Takraw, so here are some basic moves to start with.


Inside Kick
One of the most commonly used kicks out there, the Inside kick is used to set up spikes for the killer and also used as a form of ball control.

Stand shoulder width apart, bend your supporting leg at the knee, toss the ball to yourself and kick the ball. Keep the kicking motion light and don't swing at the ball too hard. Practice till the ball is consistently coming back up with ease.

Header
The contact point for a header should be the mid-section of the forehead.

To practice, toss the ball to yourself. Bend your knees and get low beneath the ball; hit it with your head and then catch it. Try tossing the ball higher and again control it with your head before catching the ball. The pain will be dissipate after sufficient practice.

Front kick/Toe kick
This is a defensive kick. Useful when it comes to saving balls.

This kick can be achieved by placing your foot out for the ball and depending on the degree, lift your foot with your hip or just let the ball bounce off. Try not to do it with too much force because the ball tends to fly off uncontrollably.

Knee/Thigh kick
The knee and thigh kick are good when balls come fast towards the lower mid section of your body. This skill "bumps” or deflects the ball up enough to use an inside kick to control the ball.

Raise your leg and hip while allowing your knee to bend. Keep the ball on your thigh. This provides better control. Let the ball hit the fleshy part of your thigh to "bump" the ball up and. Once you feel comfortable, link it with an inside kick, and catch the ball.


Additional Tips:
-    Remember to always keep an eye on the ball!
-    Once you are familiar with the basic kicking positions, you can begin to try to link some kicks together on alternating feet.
-    Try to focus more on accuracy and placement rather than power.

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