| The tenth book of Shawn Kovacich's Achieving | | | | sit and read cover to cover for enjoyment. It is a |
| Kicking Excellence series features detailed | | | | tool to be used to assist with your kick skills. I'd |
| instruction on the side kick and ten of its main | | | | encourage the reader to read the book through |
| variations. Bringing this initial series to a conclusion, | | | | one time to know what the book contains, but |
| these ten books are without a doubt the most | | | | then after that to use the book as needed when |
| detailed written work on kicking available. When | | | | training. First one should learn the primary kick and |
| completed, Kovacich's next volumes on | | | | get that down, then you can start practicing the |
| applications and defending against kicks will make | | | | variations. The way Kovacich designed the book, |
| a kicking library like no other. However, I am | | | | you can just pick it up, turn to the chapter on the |
| getting ahead of myself, and must focus only on | | | | variation you are working on, and there it is with |
| "Side Kick" right now and wait till Kovacich's future | | | | detailed descriptions to help you along. |
| kicking series are complete before discussing | | | | One thing I wish Kovacich would have included is a |
| those. | | | | description of the side kick variation that includes |
| This volume is similar with the first nine in its | | | | a different coil. Kovacich describes the traditional |
| format and contents. Like the previous texts, this | | | | coil position very well, but this is not the only way |
| book contains short chapters on anatomy, | | | | to perform this kick. My instructors in Korea |
| warming up, stretching, skill training, strength | | | | teach that the beginning of the front kick, side |
| training, speed training, and power training. These | | | | kick and roundhouse kick all start with the raising |
| are very elementary chapters on these topics. If | | | | of the knee in the same position. It is a bit |
| you are like me, you already have compete texts | | | | different than Kovacich teaches here. It would |
| on these topics, if not numerous texts on each of | | | | have been nice for him to have included this |
| these topics that contain much more information | | | | variation. Otherwise, his instruction is right on for |
| that Kovacich's short chapters. However, if you | | | | what he teaches. |
| don't, Kovacich does offer enough to get you | | | | Kovacich includes the "notes" sections in this |
| started, and my prompt you to learn even more | | | | volume as he did with the first nine. I really enjoy |
| on these subjects. Because his goal was to make | | | | these little notes. Kovacich imparts a lot of useful |
| a complete kicking resource, these chapters are a | | | | information with these and sometimes they are |
| welcome addition just to make it known that | | | | easy to just skim and miss the important details |
| these are important to kicking. | | | | he included. I recommend the reader pay |
| The reason to purchase this book, just like the | | | | attention to these notes to get the full value |
| others in the series, is for the detailed instruction | | | | from this book. |
| on the side kick and ten variations. The ten | | | | When you look at martial art books that only |
| variations Kovacich includes are: Turning Side Kick, | | | | have a page, or sometimes only a paragraph, |
| Step-Behind Side Kick, Hop/Slide Forward Side | | | | describing a kick, it makes you wonder how there |
| Kick, Hop/Slide Backward Side Kick, Front Leg | | | | could be an entire book on just the side kick (as |
| Side Kick, Switch Side Kick, Off-Setting Side Kick, | | | | well as entire books on nine other kicks that this |
| Step-Back Side Kick, Jumping Side Kick, and then | | | | series entails), but when you read "Side Kick" you |
| the Step-Behind Side Kick with the left leg. | | | | realize just how much goes into kicking and how |
| (Kovacich primarily describes all the kicks with the | | | | the technical expertise Kovacich possesses is set |
| right leg, and a person would just have to convert | | | | forth in this book. I appreciate his detail and his |
| the instruction to the other leg, he does advocate | | | | passion for teaching. |
| training with both legs. | | | | This is a great book for anyone who practices a |
| The book contains hundreds of photographs and | | | | kicking art. I highly recommend it, and the entire |
| diagrams to help the reader with the side kick. | | | | series, for all martial artists. They are great |
| Even though the photographs are black and white, | | | | additions to any martial art library, and if you use |
| I feel they are clear enough to get Kovacich's | | | | them as intended, they will help improve your |
| instruction through to the reader. | | | | kicking and achieve kicking excellence. |
| Like the others in the series, this is not a book to | | | | |