Head-kick targeting with control

Setup

1. Warm up thoroughly first, including leg swings and hip mobility, before any high kicks.
2. Pairs of a kicker and a holder. The holder stands side-on and holds the paddle out at arm's length at their own head height, wrist firm, the paddle well clear of the face.
3. Both wear headgear and a mouthguard throughout. For the partner stage, both wear full sparring gear and are matched by size, age and experience, with the instructor watching every pair.
4. Check your federation's junior rules on head contact before the partner stage. If head contact isn't allowed for the group, stay on paddles.

How it runs

1. Stage 1: ten back-leg dollyeo chagi (roundhouse kicks) to the high paddle on each side. The kicker checks the holder is ready before each kick.
2. Stage 2: naeryeo chagi (axe kick) to a paddle held flat, face up, at the holder's shoulder height, then front-leg dollyeo chagi to the high paddle.
3. Stage 3: the holder steps back and raises the paddle at random; the kicker closes the gap, kicks, and returns to guard.
4. Stage 4, only where your rules allow: in full gear and at walking pace, the kicker brings a dollyeo chagi up to the partner's headgear and stops at a touch.
5. Any knock to the head: stop straight away, take the student out of training and follow your concussion protocol. No return that day.

Coaching points

• Height comes from the chamber: lift the knee high and turn the hip over before the leg extends.
• Control means you could stop the foot anywhere along its path.
• Pivot the standing foot fully and keep the upper body upright enough to see the target.
• Holders keep the paddle beside the head, never in front of the face, with a firm arm.
• Only the feet go to head height: punching to the head is never allowed.

Common mistakes

• Swinging a straight leg up and through the target.
• Leaning so far back that the kicker loses balance and falls.
• The holder flinching or pulling the paddle in towards the face.
• Speeding up during the partner stage.