Ap Chagi (front Kick)

Chagi

A chagi is a technique to overpower the opponent by making use of the foot manipulated by the motion of leg. The chagi can be performed by using the force at the time of extending the bent and folded knee or the flexion force of the extened leg, making use of the body's turning force. The chagi techniques are classified by the motion of leg and foot, and the kicking power diggers according to the applicable parts of the body. There are also other classification methods according to the way of kicking either by holding the opponent or using the impellent force. 

Ap Chagi (front kick)

1. First, raise the folded knee of the kicking leg up to the breast and immediately push the foot forward, fully stretching the leg. The track of foot must be on a straight line toward the target.
2. The target must be kicked by the fore sole, the toes bending outward. The groin, lower part of abdomen, solar plexus, chin, etc, are the targets.
3. The kicking foot is drawn back by reaction to its original position. However, the foot may be placed where the attacker can easily make a next movement. If the attacker keeps himself or herself out of balance while he or she executes a kicking or he or she retreats the kicking foot, the chagi was not perfect.
4. The supporting leg on the ground should not stretch the knee fully before or during the kicking because the upright standing is more likely to cause falling down of the attacker or weakening of the kicking force. Nor is easy to make next movement.
5. If the standing leg is supported by the entire sole of foot, the weight is laid on the hip joint and the knee joint, in which case the kicking is less speedy and powerful of impulsive force. Sometimes, the knee joint or the hip joint breaks away. Therefore, it is necessary to lift the heel slightly by stretching the ankle so that the fore sole may pivot at the moment of a kick and then the back sole will touch the ground again after the kick. However, one should be careful not to stretch the ankle too much, because it would lift up the center of weight.

• The fore sole is generally used in the apchagi but occasionally the toes are also used when such vital parts as groin and solar plexus are to be targeted. The foot back also can be used in the apchagi uniquely for an attack of groin, which is called "ap ollyeo chagi" (front lift up kick).