When you throw a side-kick, should you hit with the blade of your foot or with the flat bottom of your foot?

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There are two different types of side kicks.......

A) Side snap kicks strike using the blade edge of the foot. A snap kick never extends the leg until the knee locks.

B) Side thrust kicks extend like a sideways stomp and strike using the heel of the foot. The toes and ball of the foot are pulled back to extend the heel as much as possible.

NOTE: the Side thrust kick is seen more often. Not all styles use the side snap kick. The side thrust kick is usually stronger, but the side snap kick is usually faster. both if dine correctly are very useful kicks. The situation determines which should be used.

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Different styles - and stylists - are taught and/or prefer one way or the other. I teach the heel to beginners, because I find that if teaching them they can hit with the blade, they'll get lazy and kick with the ball of toes. This is one of the hardest things to correct in students for this kick. The blade requires absolute precise foot positioning; too much ankle bend and the heel sticks out (and since you were intending to use the blade, your aim is already off); and not enough bend, and the ball of toes will be striking. Also, there are other kicks that are a derivative of the simple side kick. There's a reverse side kick, and here, there are also a few variations. Some will have you point the toes downward (meaning, only the heel can strike). I've seen this only in WTF, and my ITF friends call it a "donkey kick". The thing about the donkey kick is that it does not require a full rotation of the body to land the kick. As a result, this can be a bad method to teach beginners, ironically, because a full rotation is generally preferred for power and accuracy (since it's harder to see the target without a fuller rotation). However, because it doesn't require full rotation, it's a faster kick. A much faster kick, it turns out. But the reverse side kick can also be done using the heel (horizontally or vertically) or blade. So... I prefer to have beginners of the simple side kick learn to use the heel. As they get better and I introduce the reverse side kick, I tell them to switch to the blade (which forces more of a turn, which can improve accuracy). And when they get more proficient in both, I tell them they can use either heel/blade for either kick.

One of the most basic concepts of martial arts is the concentration of force or energy down on the smallest point but yet one that is strong enough to absorb the shock and impact. Hitting someone with a side kick and making contact with the flat of your foot will spread out the force or power of the kick and not have near the impact than if you hit them with the side edge of the foot or the heel which are the two striking surfaces you should be using for side kicks.

Concentration of force or energy is one of the reasons why martial arts works like it does and why those smaller Asian people could hit and kick so much harder like they could if trained in martial arts.

Your ankle should be locked into place so that it does not give and parallel to the floor and also the target, toes curled up, and you should be making primary and initial contact with the side edge of the foot from behind the first knuckle of the little toe to the middle of the heel or making direct contact instead by cocking your ankle and foot so that you only make contact with the heel with your ankle locked into place. A well executed one delivered with good speed and power together with the strength of the hip and lower back behind it and the energy concentrated down on the edge or heel will have the affect of making it even more powerful than if you just make contact with the flat of the foot.

Depends on the type of kick.

The keage (snap) is meant to strike with the blade. It's main purpose is for striking at the hand holding the knife, or up under the armpit, or into the floating ribs. It's the kicking equivalent of urakan. It's a shock weapon, not a finishing technique which leads into your finishing technique.

The kekomi (thrust kick) should hit with the heel and the foot should be a blade, but on an angle so you don't snap your ankle. A typical target would be the stomach region up to the solar plexus. Any higher would be rather risky.

Good question. You will find many masters using the blade. But this is not an easy concept to teach students, even experienced ones.

When you throw a side kick, your intent is either pushing or breaking (or knock-out, but this application is the same as for breaking).

If pushing, you want the greatest reach possible, and that means blade of foot. However, it is very easy, especially for beginners, to fall into the trap of using the ball of foot - which is NEVER ok.

Using the ball of foot or the blade requires super-human ankle strength so that the ankle doesn't give under the strike; otherwise, it'd be like hitting someone with a pillow. (well, not quite, but hopefully you understand the analogy)

Ok, so using the ball of toe means loss of power; what about the blade, sole, or the heel?

The sole suffers also, because it is too easy to fall into the ball-of-foot (which saps power), and because of the larger surface area, which requires a huge amount of force to cause damage (or break, if using in breaking applications). So the sole is bad, either because it is easy to fall into ball-of-foot, and because it requires more power, and because it requires strong ankle support to maintain during the strike so that it doesn't collapse.

What about the blade or heel?

The blade suffers from similar problems as the sole - it is easy to fall into the ball-of-foot, and also, has a larger surface area than the heel, and requires strong ankle support.

That leaves the heel as as the clear winner. It's got the smallest surface area, so doesn't require as much force to exert the same power; and it does not require super-human ankle strength.

But, the heel IS suceptable to injury more than the blade. So experienced practitioners will use the blade for sparring and the heel for breaking. Strong students will use the blade exclusively, and that's ok if they are not power breaking.

Well, in tae kwon do it is supposed to be with the blade. It looks a lot better. However i personally prefer to hit with the bottom of the foot because of the larger surface area, and due to the fact that a side kick is a pushing kick it seems more logical. And it is A LOT easier to kick with the bottom of the foot.

Side kick should never be used with flat bottom. Blade is harder to execute than the heel. And the heel has less surface area, and easier to aim. Our style allows us to use the blade or heel, but I prefer the heel.

either blade of foot or heel. if you aim at hitting with the flat bottom of your hit you might end up hitting with the ball of your foot which would cause a lot of damage to your ankle as it would push your foot back a lot.

This would depend on your style and dojo.

In the style that I practice we do not use the side snap kick. We use the side thrust kick. We teach our students to hit with the blade.

the blade if you are hitting the legs, the heel for the stomach.

Heel for breaking boards, blade for breaking concrete.