Let Plueys Take you Places

Now, new reasons to celebrate the rain!

Bright Cloud Inc., the first who brought Plueys here in Manila, recently launched its new array of collections at the Rockwell Bazaar last August 15 to 18. With the first set of designs called Plueys Personalities, new designs tagged as "Plueys Destinations" are set to give Filipinos more reasons to enjoy the rain.

These flashy boots or Wellingtons as known in the UK and in the US, are designed to protect the feet from puddles without compromising class and elegance. Set to give the ladies a new sense of fashion during this rainy season, these new set of collections will surely rock the streets.

TOKYO RAIN

Capture the fun and playful sentiments of Japan's Harajuku girls with Tokyo Rain, a colorful upbeat tahe on a cheery rainy day in Tokyo's most animated district.

ARGYLE CRUSH

Evoke the preppy fashion of a wealthy, privately schooled urbanites with
the iconic, three dimensional diamond pattern in the Argyle Crush, typical of Upper East Side style, and reminiscent of vacations at the Hamptons or spring afternoons watching a game of lacrosse.







OOOH LA LACE

Hold hands and sashay down Paris' fashionable streets in Ohhh La Lace. Let this black and white boot with intricate lace and heart prints do the flirting for you, and fall in love over and over again.








MATCH POINT

With this tennis racket prints and cool blue and green palette that gamely reflect palm beach camaraderie, serve up an ace in Match Point and five off that spirited vibe.








CATSTOOTH

Don't judge a boot by its cover. A closer look at this classic reveals a clever take on the popular houndstooth print, neatly fined felines in place of traditional ckecks - -how cheeky!







Plueys has a new and improved website. Visit them at http://www.plueysmanila.com/

Taekwondo Revolution of Kicks

This is a step-by-step tutorial video on how to properly deliver a roundhouse kick. This video also shows a systematic way in exercising the technique. This video is provided by YouTube uploaded by rayqb

Plueys at the Rockwell Urban Bazaar

Catch up with your friends from Plueys at the Rockwell Urban Bazaar this weekend (Aug 15 to 17)--something new might just be waiting for you! Celebrate the Rain!

Taekwondo Tutorials

Have you ever wondered how knockout kicks are delivered? Well, it encompasses rigorous training and patience. Of course no one can ever learn these things overnight. With the videos below, try and see how these precious kicks are delivered...step by step.

Here are the list of the tutorial videos:

1. Axe kick
2. Jumping back kick
3. Spinning hook kick 1
4. Spinning hook kick 2
5. Back kick
6. Brazilian kick and
7. tornado kick/360 degrees roundhouse

Videos courtesy of kyryllo

Axe Kick Tutorial

Video by kyryllo

It's pretty clear that you need pretty good flexibility to perform the kick it is also important to know the propper technique in order to bring some force into it. It's not only rasing the leg and putting it on the target, if you are doing it that way you then can just leave it.

There are multipple ways to make an axe kick: stiff leg or chambered, inside, outside, front.

Stiff leg version(the leg stays straight while raising)is the more physicaly demanding, but produces more force than the chambered version, which is much faster though.

Upward Movement:
Untill the foot reaches it's highest point the hips should be square to the target the head should be upright and the back curved, the foot of the supporting leg should show forward.

In the stiff leg version the leg should be swung up high in a inside/outside curve or to the front. This should be done with the highest velocity and as high as possible. When the leg reaches it's highest point, the muscles and ligamets are tensed and stop the upward movement, this tension forces the muscles to contract which dramaticaly increases the downward velocity later.

In the chambered version the leg goes up chambered (bent) in an inside/outside curve or the front and is exetended above the target (hint: front kick above the target)

Downward Movement:
The key point in both versions is the hip movement. When the foot reaches it's highest point you push your hip on the kicking leg side towards the target, turn your supporting leg outside, and lean slighty backward with your upper body (physicaly you are not leaning back, your upper body stays in place but your hips are going forward).
This initiates the active! downward movement of the leg, the axis is not!!! the knee but the hip joint and the main muscles are the glutei, supporting muscles are the ischio-curales.

Be sure that the movement is downward and not to the side, if this is the case you are turning your hips and or/leaning back too far.

To learn the correct hip movement you should start with a slow kick hip high, and performing a kind of a pushing motion starting from the supporting leg through the hips, then the inside curved stiff leged version with a full curve (crescent), then place your hand where the highest ballistic point should be and perform the hipmovement as soon the foot touches the hand.

The outside curved kick is the most difficult to bring the hip movement in it, because of the alternating movement directions.

Jumping Back Kick Tutorial

Video by kyryllo

The korean term is apbal joogo twio dwi Chagi. Apbal joogo means front foot feinting skipping motion, twio dwi chagi is jump back kick.

The first step is to bring your rear foot to your front leg creating a skipping motion. As you do this, throw your body into the opponent's safety zone. The second step is execute a jumping back kick with the rear leg, without losing your balance. To do so, align your body in the air so that you don't rotate excessively.

The primary target is the middle section. The secondary is the head which may result in a knockout if done correctly and with sufficient force. In competition, you must do this technique confidently. Once you start, there is no way back. Relax your muscles just before you jump and follow through with firm conviction.

Spinning Hook Kick Tutorial version 1

Video by kyryllo

Step by step, basics:
Turn around 180°
bend the supporting leg a little
stick your butt out
watch over the shoulder
the upper body rotates somewhat in the kick direction

hold your kicking leg loose but straight
throw it in an arcuated motion
stretch the supporting leg
the hip leads the motion not the leg!
bend down your upper body
the angle between supporting leg and body should not be under 110°-120°
the shoulder/scapula point to the target

shortly before the foot reaches the target rotate the upper body in the opposite of the kick direction while flexing the gluteus which give the leg the last bit of acceleration

when hitting the target the leg is straight
after hitting the target you can bend the leg or just swing it out

Practice the kicking motion on the wall like it is shown in the video, while doing it make sure both of your hands are on the wall when you do the kick and release them only as soon as you "hit the target", other wise you could over turn the body which would mess up the whole technique. Don't swing the arms too much. If the basic technique works try to begin the kicking motion while turning around as it is shown around sec. 00:40 into the video, faster.

Spinning Hook Kick Tutorial version 2

Video by kyryllo

The kick works the same way, the steps are the same eccept for the path of the foot. Bend the leg and throw a very chambered roundhouse or a spinning side kick so that the foot lands 15-30 cm lateral from the target. Shortly before the leg fully stretches begin to flex the gluteus a make the countermotion with the upper body. Follow through the target with the straight leg bend it as soon you hit the target.

Back Kick tutorial

Video by kyryllo

Two "versions": Basic and Attacking

Step by Step

Basics:
1.Turn around till your back is facing the target

2.Bend your upper body down and bring your wieght on your supporting leg, while sticking your butt in the direction of the target

(The basic technique also incluedes turning the head and looking at the target over the shoulder on the kicking side at this point, however experienced fighters tend not to look at all or just glance with the corner of the eye. In reality the foot goes so fast that you have no oportunity anymore to correct the kick, so looking and aiming becomes obsolete. You aim before you launch the kick!)

3.Chamber the leg by bending the knee as far as you can, the heel should point at the target, the knee MUST point down

4.Straighten your leg in a pushing motion towards the target

5.Impact happens with the flat foot or (better) with the heel.


Advanced, Attacking back kick:
Bounce forward to bring the weight above the front (later supporting) leg, at the same time perform the steps 1.-3. simultaneously

Points 4.+5. are obviously the same as in the basic technique.

You may slide on the supporting leg while performing it to gain distance but make sure to have a solid stand at the point of impact.

Important points:
knee MUST point down, back MUST face the target

head MAY turn around and look over the shoulder

the upper body SHOULD be bent, it improves the stability by bringing the center of gravity down and stops the rotating motion, it also gives you more power since the center of gravity is closer to the force vector and it is simply easier to raise the leg that way. However you can throw the kick standing upright, I wouldn't recomand it though.

Brazilian Kick Tutorial

Video courtesy of kyryllo

Use the kick if the opponent is backing up or is very defensive, also to end a combination. Don't use it if your opponent is known for rushing, shortening the distance or direct countering.

1. Start with a fake front or roundhouse kick (if trying the roundhouse make sure you don't throw the hips in becouse you won't have enough room for the kick later). The fake kick should be fast enough to cause a defensive reaction.

2. The next three things are important and MUST be performed simultaneously: 1)Snap the lower leg back and continue raising the knee; 2)Turn the hips; 3)Turn the supporting foot so that the heel shows to the target. Once again all these things SIMULTANEOUSLY!

3. If the lower leg and the thigh reach the same level begin to straighten your leg as fast as possible, the kicking action is performed in a somewhat down ward motion, achieved by turning your hips further while performing the last phase of the kick.

This is only a variation and not the only way to perform the kick. It's not an easy kick but very practical.