Love Hate Relationship with the Roundhouse

I love the roundhouse (aka turning) kick. It's fast. It doesn't telegraph much. I can throw it with my back leg or my front leg. I can throw it low to the body or high to the head almost equally easily. One good roundhouse kick to the head will stun or KO a person. And did I mention that it's a really fast kick? All said, it's great kick in my arsenal.

But the roundhouse kick also sucks. One good kick into the other guy's elbow really can really mess up your week. Case in point, I've got a big bruise on my right instep and it hurts like the devil when I walk or put pressure on my foot. Like it or not, the instep is a mighty fragile little thing, very prone to bruises, and extremely vocal when hurt.

I think I'm going to reduce my midsection roundhouse kicks and replace them with side kicks, front push kicks or my second favorite, the axe kick. I'll save my beloved roundhouse kicks for the other guy's face and give his elbows a miss...