Kicking the arms strategy?

I saw a Firas Zahabi video where he kicked at the arms against a tall southpaw opponent. IIRC, it was to stop him from pressuring with punches. Seems like a good tool when used strategically
 
found a related thread:
http://forums.sherdog.com/threads/kicking-the-arms-in-muay-thai.1767511/

"t's not just a tactic to wear down the opponent, kicks to the arms in Muay Thai is a scoring technique. You're still taking damage to your arms. Only a proper block with the shin negates the kick. Non blocking ways to negate the kick would be a parry, catch, counter, or if you immediately land a harder kick in return"

"if you blast him with a kick as absolutely hard as you possibly can, and he catches it straight on with his arms, even as an X block, it's going to get him to respect the kick from that leg. after a few, he'll start being jumpy about it, and trying to circle away. that's when it will be time to feint the kick and throw the hook/straight combo"
 
You could try catching them after a double forearm block, grabbing with the opposite hand but you probably will take some damage. Still much safer than exposing the ribs trying to catch them as if they were 45 degree angle kicks. Most thais just prefer to check them from what Ive seen, or if they go high just fade them, it might have something to do with the scoring too, Im sure a good kick to the arms scores points in thailand.

You talking about blocking and then underhooking (don't have a better word) with the far side arm? Yeah, you can then swing their leg over to the other side and sweep or just plain off balance them.

Still...with no shinguards, not sure how many times you'd want to block heavy kicks to the arms. I need to work more on fading higher kicks but that takes balls also lol.

Why are people citing breaking a shin as a thing? The small joint will snap before large solid bones.

I will happily shin kick your elbow all day long, you tell me how many years you can't use that arm.

Seriously...the only time the elbow really poses a threat is if you get spiked with one but that's a very specific angle (usually that 45 degree kick) and it's a dangerous angle for the guy defending to place his elbows if the kick is coming more horizontally.

Big bone usually beats small one...
 
kicking the arms are primarily used for points in MT. In other kickfight (kickboxing, knockdown karate etc etc) sports it does not. If kicking the arms causes a lot of damage, it is not immediately apparent in those sports. I mean, sure, SOME damage, but no breaking forearms (except for rare freak accidents) or complete loss of punching power after taking 3-4 kicks. IMO kicking the arms are overrated by MT fans who wants an excuse for the scoring system
 
@shinkyoku

I don't know man... We are not talking about 3-4 kicks. We are talking about 15 minutes been constantly kicked to the arms. Obviously a lot better than to block with your ribs, and it shouldn't score as high, but it does a lot of damage...
 
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kicking the arms are primarily used for points in MT. In other kickfight (kickboxing, knockdown karate etc etc) sports it does not. If kicking the arms causes a lot of damage, it is not immediately apparent in those sports. I mean, sure, SOME damage, but no breaking forearms (except for rare freak accidents) or complete loss of punching power after taking 3-4 kicks. IMO kicking the arms are overrated by MT fans who wants an excuse for the scoring system

Not at all. The idea behind it aside from shutting down punches is that it sets up a kick to the ribs. Kick to the arm, kick to the ribs is literally Yodsanklai's career in a nutshell. Good fighter's don't just spam kicks to the arm and hope that it causes a break.
 
Not at all. The idea behind it aside from shutting down punches is that it sets up a kick to the ribs. Kick to the arm, kick to the ribs is literally Yodsanklai's career in a nutshell. Good fighter's don't just spam kicks to the arm and hope that it causes a break.
So then the kick that actually does damage is not the kick to the arm, but the technique it is a set up for. Fine, sounds right! Then why are we talking scoring and the deadliness of the armkick?
 
@shinkyoku

I don't know man... We are not talking about 3-4 kicks. We are talking about 15 minutes been constantly kick to the arms. Obviously a lot better than to block with your ribs, and it shouldn't score as high, but it does a lot of damage...
If we are talking receiving constant hits for 15 minutes, I would not like it even if it was a slap on the face. Still not a reason to talk about how dangerous it is.
 
So then the kick that actually does damage is not the kick to the arm, but the technique it is a set up for. Fine, sounds right! Then why are we talking scoring and the deadliness of the armkick?

The reason it scores in muay thai is because the officials know how much is sucks to get kicked in the arm. Bare in mind Thais are not low kickers like so many think but are dedicated mid kickers. I prefer it as a set up for a body kick, but the reason it works is because of how damaging the kick can be. Generally you find it gets people to draw their arms upwards on instinct. Yod vs Chike Lindsay is a good example.

Not only that, but getting your arm fucked up reduces your effectiveness at not only punching but clinching too, it can completely throw off your game, assuming it doesn't break your arm, which can happen, although not as frequently as some would have you believe, although its worth noting that it usually does more damage to the upper arm than the forearm too. Thai's dont aim for the forearm, they aim for where your shoulder connects to the rest of your arm.
 
I use this tactic effectively against heavy handed southpaws. First of all I don't aim it to the head because it takes a lot of energy and you sacrifice speed and power by kicking too high. I aim just below the shoulder where the forearm (not the elbow) naturally goes when blocking head and body kicks.

Its especially effective because if you land enough you take away punching power. Also, it keeps your opponent's power hand occupied and discourages them from punching with it because they'll be worried about exposing their ribs or head for an incoming kick, especially if they're fast. This forces punchers to start trying to kick you, which is playing right into your game. Easy counters follow.

Pretty much what Buakaw did vs Zambidis but in opposite stance (even better).
 
muay thai yes, mma no. mma catch and take you down.

Maybe, maybe not. David Teymur has been making a career of kicking into his opponents' arms & body in the UFC. He's gone up against a couple State champion wrestlers and they weren't able to make him pay for his middle kick spam.
 
Why isn't this done more by strikers against grapplers in MMA?

He's not targeting the arms, but the liver, which is serious damage if he lands. In this config. with southpaw vs. orthodox, southpaw has the advantage as the power rear leg is lined up with the liver in an open guard config......so he's spamming the hell out of it. It's a lot worse and will hurt/damage quickly if he doesn't block them with his arms.
 
In MMA, or Sanshou, or Combat sambo, if you give the opponent your leg, they can catch, and go for a takedown. But there is still a place for it I think. You must pick and choose. But you cannot spam them. Eventually someone will figure out to catch your kick.
 
In MMA, or Sanshou, or Combat sambo, if you give the opponent your leg, they can catch, and go for a takedown.

You didn't know that they catch kicks and sweep in Muay Thai also?

But there is still a place for it I think. You must pick and choose. But you cannot spam them. Eventually someone will figure out to catch your kick.

Well he's spamming it right here in this video. No kidding that there are counters to mid kicks. There are counters to everything, otherwise it'll be a perfect technique.
 
You didn't know that they catch kicks and sweep in Muay Thai also?



Well he's spamming it right here in this video. No kidding that there are counters to mid kicks. There are counters to everything, otherwise it'll be a perfect technique.

Do you get points for it in MT as much as sanshou, and is it as much a disadvantage as in MMA or combat sambo with which the fights continue on the ground?
 

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