JRRMAS Staff members NL, JC and DG practice defensive (not stepping in) Side Kicks in a recent Adult American Karate-Do class. NL is leading the class. All are demonstrating excellent form.Lesson 1:Side Kicks are both a classical and a modern basic techniqueThe kick also crosses over to real life self-defensefrom both a standing and a lying position.It is one of the most powerful techniques in Martial Arts, especially for women. For men the legs are twice as powerful as their arms, but for women the legs are four times as powerful as their arms! So learning to kick is a must for women’s self-protection, especially the side kicking action that uses the joints of the hip and the knee working in unison. The Side Kick is a very powerful kick indeed!Lesson 2:Remember to drive your knee straight up (as in a front kick)and learn to use the momentum of the initial vertical action of the kneechanging it from vertical to horizontalThe ‘secret’ to a quick and powerful Side Kick is keeping the knee up as the initial power of the vertical knee driveturns the ‘corner’ to a horizontal thrusting action using the hip and the knee jointBe very clear about the ‘line of power’ at the end of your kick!!