Aspects of Toe Kicks from my experience

 

I had been doing Naifanchi for over 9 years when my private training with Ernest Rothrock went around to my studying the Chin Wo version of Tam Tuie used by Northern Eagle Claw. 

There are many versions of that form in many Chinese systems. 

This version was a 10 row one. 

Tam Tuie was performed wearing footwear, and I immediately realized it mad the toe kicks of the form more practical when kicking with the toes. 

Or one thing I made toe kicks work in our reality. 

Different versions of the form use high toe kicks or very low ankle height toe kicks and all ranges in between. 

Here is I doing the form slow to have a reference for the future.

There of course is a 2^nd version of the kick execution to generate even more power that I was once shown. 

I do not believe, as some have claimed, that Tam Tuie was inspiration for Naifanchi or the various Okinawan toe kicks. 

Of course with the shoe use the conditioning of toes to take impact is not required. But consider how strengthening the ankles does make sense with shoe kicks.

 

In a different light I was taught by Sherman Harrill, a different use of Naifanchi footwork against the legs of an opponent, which included shin toe kicks, inside and outside sweeps using Naifanchi footwork, and the use of a Naifanchi toe kick on the outside of the thigh among other uses.