Training Tool...A Common Cushion
Use a household cushion or an oversize pillow as a training tool can be an effective piece of basic self defense equipment. 
PARTNER DRILL: Don't Go Fast! A "slow" walk through practice to start will help make this technique more of an automatic response. Find an old cushion or pillow to be used as a target for the knee kick. Have your partner grip the pillow/cushion on both sides and hold it away from their body about waist high. Have the partner holding the target/cushion keep their elbows slightly bent to absorb the impact of the knee kick. Grab the pillow as you move into the target and knee kick the cushion. Keep your leg muscles relaxed until just before you strike the target with this self defense move.
Remember the Safety Protocols...
It is helpful to grab the pillow and pull it in as you kick to increase your power. This gives more impact to your kick. Start out kicking the pillow easy, it will take a few kicks on your part to help the other partner learn the best way to hold the pillow and absorb the kick from your household self defense equipment. Take turns holding the target/cushion. Balance, timing, coordination and a sense of the power you can expect from a knee kick will give you more confidence. PARTNER DRILL: Once you have mastered kicking a stationary object, have your partner move back one step after you kick the pillow. You will adjust yourself for the new distance (moving to the target) and kick the cushion. Again, begin slowly at first so both of you can adjust to the change in distance and timing. You can kick and step across the room as you follow the target.
Next, we will work in the section Training Tool |
Knee Kick Training |
Knee Kick Exercise | |
