I have a lifelong background in ballet, and I'm now a modern dancer, but I aspire to be a stuntwoman in movies. I'd like to study a MA, and I'm leaning towards Karate, but I'm worried that the style could create knee problems for me. I am very flexible, and my knees hyperextend. In the one trial Karate class I took my knees hurt a little bit the next day. I've also taken trial classes in Aikido and Shaolin style Kung Fu, but I liked Karate the most. I'm only hesitating because of the knee thing. Any advice on which style to choose and/or how to protect my knees during kicks?

A lot of people who are learning to kick (and some who have been doing it a long time) throw the kick out there at high speed with a relaxed leg-- this is a good start, BUT...

You need to focus your kick, and by that I mean when the kick hits its target, the muscles of the leg and the rest of the body tense, bringing everything to a sudden, definable stop. Where that stop happens determines how much stress your knee takes-- it should always happen before your leg reaches full extension. The same thing applies to punches and the elbow-- if you let it snap all the way out, you will injure yourself over time.

Your knee flexibility is a good thing, as long as you build up your supporting muscles, are careful with your footwork, and take things slow, you should be fine.

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