Training for higher kicking

I've been training in Karate (my first MA) for about a year now, and I'm concerned with two aspects of my kicking that I hope someone can advide on.

The first issue is simply one of height, can anyone recomend drills that will improve my ability to kick to the head (I'm comfortable with kicking chudan, or 'elbow' height, but I can't 'stretch' any higher)

The second issue is my tendency to, when aiming for my highest possible kicks, feel my standing foot slip forwards (I presume in response to the momentum of the kicking foot coupled with the lack of 'splits ability' between the two.) This is obviously not a good thing [IMG]http://www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif[/IMG] Any ideas?

I've been following a regular (bi-daily) stretching programme, about 15 mins a day, with little obvious success, but am I right in thinking that this is of little use for training for the 'dynamic stretching' involved in kicking?

It will come. Just keep practicing. I have been training for nearly two years in Karate and I had exactly the same trouble. I find a mixture of Dynamic stretching and static help me. However, you cannot beat kicking to improve kicking.

Also get your instructor to check your technique. Once you have the technique correct it really does get easier. You back foot should not move if you are twisting and balanced correctly.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by philipgh:
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You back foot should not move if you are twisting and balanced correctly.[/QUOTE]

I would have to disagree with this point. If you are throwing the kick correctly, you back/pivot foot should move, and the heel of the back/pivot foot should be faceing the target after the kick has been thrown.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by goldencrane:
I would have to disagree with this point. If you are throwing the kick correctly, you back/pivot foot should move, and the heel of the back/pivot foot should be faceing the target after the kick has been thrown.[/QUOTE]

Actually it depends on what type of kick you want to throw. A snap kick requires you to keep your pivot foot straight ahead. However a roundhouse requires you to move your pivot foot 90 to 180 degrees depending on what style your using. A side kick requires your pivot foot to rotate sometimes but some styles dont require it.