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Hip rotation is the driving force behind hand and leg techniques, but it is especially true for kicks. Many kicks, such as the crescent kick, are useless if the hips do not drive them. Always concentrate on hip movement during kicks and strikes.

In the Theory of Power section of his manual, Encyclopedia of Taekwon-Do, General Choi Hong states that maximum kinetic energy of force is obtained from maximum mass and speed and it is all important that the body mass be increased during the execution of a blow. He thinks that this may be accomplished by combining two methods, hip rotation and the sine wave principle. As will be explained below, hip rotation adds to power, while the sine wave principle is based on false logic and is wasted motion.

How to Perform Hip Snap

When performing hip snap, think of the motion more as a delayed hip movement than as a rotation around the vertical axis of the body. For example, when stepping forward in a front stance with a straight punch, instead of thinking about hip snap as a rotation of the hip during the punch, think about the hip lagging behind the leg during the step and then snapping back into position just as the foot touches the floor.

Hip Snap/Hip Vibration

Hip snap occurs as the hip of side executing the technique snaps toward the target and then recovers. This occurs as the hips are relaxed, snapped into the technique, tensed on impact, and then relaxed as allowed to return to the normal position. Sometimes there is a cocking of the hip before it snaps.

Hip vibration is a term used to describe the movement of the hip during hip snap. The hip cocks, snaps forward, and recoils in short quick vibrating motion. The recoil part of the vibration serves as a counter balancing motion, helping you maintain balance without shifting the center of mass in the direction of the strike. Hip vibration is subtle movement that takes hours and hours of training to perfect. The most common errors in the use of hip vibration are throwing the shoulders forward, not coordinating the timing of the hips and hands, and moving the hips too slowly.

Hip Snap versus Winding

What is winding? Winding is a technique used when in International Taekwondo Federation (ITF) style punching. According to the ITF Theory of Power, to obtain maximum power there should be a forward and then downward momentum associated with a punch (Encyclopedia of Taekwon-Do, Vol. 2, p. 33, 38). Winding involves lifting the punching side heel prior to the punch (forward motion) and then dropping it (backward motion) as the punch is executed (winding is also known as knee spring) (Encyclopedia of Taekwon-Do, Vol. 3, p.16). The motion is sometimes accompanied by upward circling of the punching arm as it is pulled back and thrust forward. When winding, the body moves slightly forward and then drops backward as a technique is fired.

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