Blocking Middle Kicks

[GoatyP]

I've seen so many different contradicting techniques in regards to blocking middle kicks. How do you guys block and why?

 

[TheStrikingGuy]

If you have your arms in correct position you don't often have to worry about it unless you're facing an extremely hard kicker who wants to smash your arm up.

Otherwise, I'm a fan of Bas Rutten's style of Turning and taking it on both forearms as if holding Thai pads, then countering with a punching combo as you come back to face the front.

Most times I prefer catching kicks though. Suppose that's the karate in me.

 

[Discipulus]

Check 'em, catch 'em, or step in and eat 'em to land a counter. I try not to block kicks with my arms, because I'm too wary of having my arm broken someday by a really hard kicker. Don't want to get into the habit.

 

[GoatyP]

I usually check or catch too. Although sometimes, if they are too fast, I just end up block with the outside of my arm and my other hand. Someone told me not to do that since I may break my hand if someone kicks hard enough.

We did these checking exercises this past week:

1) kick your opponent
2) opponent kicks back to the side you kicked from
3) you check with the leg you initially kicked with (without hitting the ground from your first kick)
4) reset then quickly kick your partner again

It's good training but so exhausting!

 

[DivineComedy]

It really depends, if I can't keep up with the speed and power of a very hard kicker to evade, I try to deflect much of his force by countering during an exchange. Counter front kick to a rear leg body kick to divert a lot of power from his rotation.

If I am able, most of time I will just catch the leg after moving and pivoting away from the direct line of force.

Blocking with your arms is one of the worst things you can do against a hard kicker, face someone who does full contact striking from karate/muay thai, and they destroy your arms so you can't even punch let alone keep your guard up.

Driving your elbow into the side of their calf after a round/side kick is mean, but it's quite effective.

Lunging in and cutting off their hips from pivoting will reduce most of the power and you can go in for the shot to the face and unbalance them or knee their inside thigh of the kicking leg with your opposite leg is a very nasty technique, really painful.