Sorry but I got another question regarding the roundhosue kick, the other topic is dead and the forum here doesn't update according to latest reply.

I do the roundhouse sort of like a tkd-thai mix. my kick is not like the traditional, chamber like a front kick, turn hip until knee points 90 degrees, then snap[including rechamber] and put back down. [a clubmate in my coujntry's national squad said that is for white belts -.-, they're taught to do something faster] Mine is like my chamber is at about 30 deg[and when i chamber i dont chamber all the way in tightly], then i twist in, my kick is more of an arc up, rather than lift up and snap like a compact kick. I don't know if this is effective, but it feels rather slow, altohgh I havnt tried it against a live opponent to know how fast or slow it is against a moving target.

Anyway, if i practice against a heavy bag i should rechamber? coz my bad habit is that when i rechamber i tend to get "stunned" at the "cool pose" (-.-) for a second. what i'm worried about is that if i get used to rechambering ill do the same when sparring =| So far I havn't got a chance to actually kick a live target with the hogu on, [my class doesn't do it until brown or black] and when i kick the heavy bag at full power it feels like my leg is stuck there for a second.

I dont know I just feel that my kick is slow. I'm trying to muscle-memorize chambering up straight then twist, rather than at 30 deg. Don't know how to describe exactly how I feel but it just sucks. Feel like my progess is stagnated somehow. I don't even know if I've been doing the correct thing all this while. [as in the method of kicking for wtf sparring]

Slightly on topic, if you want to speed up your kicks in general training with ankles weights is always good. I find for me about 10lb weights work well.

Even if I'm overweight by like -.- i think my height-weight ratio is like 150% . =X Plus my knees are kinda screwed up by weightless legs O.O

Practice,practice,practice. Do your round kicks slowly. It helps build up strength in your legs. Even practicing raising your knee off the floor helps.

When training, first practice for technique, then practice for speed, then practice for strength/power.  Without speed, one can not apply power.  Without technique, speed is useless.

With regards to rechambering, much of this depends on your style of combat.  If you are more agressive and prefer to put your opposition on the defense, after your techniques, rechamber only as necessary as you must to continue your advance forward.  However (and what I would consider for a real-life self defense situiation) always rechamber your leg and retract it from contact quickly.  In the real world, there are no rules that stop an assaliant from grabbing your leg and throwing you down--from there, many Taekwon Do students are at an extreme disadvantage. 

And, brashness being stuck in a "cool pose" is a downfall.  Train hard in your skills, but be humble to use them.

I mean it just feels weird to rechamber and put down, it kinda ruins the momentum to continue with the next atk. and it feels very forceful for me to put down after rechambering. I don't know why..

Turning 90 degrees, or table-topping the kick is how it was in traditional karate and how we are instructed at my dojang.  Most of the TKD kicks I actually see, both at my own dojang, other dojangs, and on the vids of the Lopez fights, are closer to what you describe.  For the record, I try to tabletop my kicks as much as possible, with varying degrees of success. 

I don't know why your clubmate said that rechambering is for white belts; the purpose of the rechamber is to get your foot away from the opponent after the kick to prevent him or her from grabbing it as easily, as Stone Tiger already mentioned. 

In Olympic style sparring at your club, rechambering isn't an issue because its against the rules to grab, but in a real fight, you want your foot or hand hanging out there for as little time as possible.  If your main goal is to do WTF/Olympic style, that is fine, but your training should have applicablility in an actual SD situation. 

Another thing with the rechamber is that it can also transition into a step down for a jump kick with the other foot, or for a rapid kick with the other foot.

Rather than worrying about overall speed, focus on the freezing in the 'cool posisition' instead, as any freezing not only slows you down, but can get you either scored on in sparring or killed in a real SD scenario.  Hip twist should come first, then the kick, then rechamber and get the foot back down as quickly as possible.

TKDHermit wrote: Don't know how to describe exactly how I feel but it just sucks. Feel like my progess is stagnated somehow. I don't even know if I've been doing the correct thing all this while. [as in the method of kicking for wtf sparring]

Actually, you describe it quite well.  Just keep working at it.  You will have periods of stagnation punctuated by smaller periods of intense progress.  But slow and steady wins the race, and it is the work you do during the stagnant periods that brings you the rapid progress. 

Pooky's suggestion of slow kicks is a very good one.  I would very strongly advise against ankle weights when practicing kicks at speed, at least if you don't want knee problems later on.  Weights with slow kicks shouldn't be a problem.  Work to make the motion as smooth as possible, rather than stacato.  Use as much hip twist as you can when executing the kick, and the hips should be in motion before the kick is thrown from the chamber, as this is where the bulk of your power will come from. 

The big thing about turning 90 degrees is that you are getting greater range of motion in the hip movement, thus more power.  Kicking from more of an angle will quicken up your kicks and for those who can't split as well, it enables you to get a roundhouse kick up a bit higher, or head level.

Hope that helps, and I hope I'm not overly wordy in my response.

Daniel

This may sound odd but I used to love practicing in the swimming pool of a local health club. 

Actually, it doesn't sound odd at all; I've done that and it is great for kicks.

Daniel

Give it a go sometime and see what you think.  Practicing in the pool is a lot of fun and afterwards you may not feel it, however wait until you wake up after sleeping that night.  You will certainly feel it then no matter what type of shape you are in.

I started this practice after I got injuried and could not put much pressure on my knees.  My instructer thought it was funny until he tried it.