Wushu Slapkick

Wushu Slapkick

The slapkick (dan pai jiao - lit: "single slap leg") is the last of the 5 basic wushu kicks and should be practiced in every training session. Wushu slapkicks are only done with the right leg and are often seen in freestyle longfist and wushu ditang forms. Typical combinations are slapkicks followed by smash punches or arm circles. Learn the wushu slapkick before you try your first flying wushu frontkick. Find more wushu instructions at wushu main.

Execution

  • Stand upright with your left foot a bit more than one shoulder width in front of the right foot. The right leg is extended and the left leg is bent slightly. Extend your right arm almost horizontal in front of you and let the fingers point slightly down. Both hands form palms. The left hand is held upright about one inch next to the right elbow. Look straight forward and keep your upper body extended and vertical.
  • Swing your extended right arm back and watch the right hand for a moment (turn the head short moment). The left hand sinks down slowly until the arm is extended and both arms are in one line. At the same time make a hop to switch legs. This hop should not be high but fast. Instead of doing this hop you can also walk forward fast.
  • Land on your right leg. Now the left foot is one shoulder width behind the right foot. The left knee is extended and the left foot "can" touch the floor slightly. Look straight forward again before the right hand passes horizontal level. Keep swinging your extended, lined up arms forward up, until the left arm reaches head height.
  • Step forward with your left foot and stop swinging the left hand at head height. The right arm still moves. So the arms are not lined up anymore !
  • Swing up your extended right leg (with the ankle extended totally) and clap your hands together in front of your head, as short as possible before you will slap your foot. It is very important that you keep your right leg and your upper body extended (upper body vertical), that your right heel stays on the floor during the whole kick and that you don't look down or up as you kick. Also don't extend the hips to kick higher. The kick has to be fast, not high!
  • Clap your right foot and your right hand together shortly after the hand-clap. At the same time, move your left back.
  • Snap down you right leg even faster than you kicked up. Extend the right arm in front of you and the left arm behind you. Look straight forward and keep your head as high as possible without lifting the left heel (extend upper body). Both elbows and both knees have to be extended totally.

Advice

  • Try to do your wushu slapkicks as fast as you can.
  • Don't open your hips as you kicks.
  • The time between hand and foot slap should be as short as possible.
  • The wushu kick should be part of your daily warm-up routine.