Kicking With the Leg Bent

[CharmingCritic]

I've been lucky to train with some really good Thai people, and they all insisted that you should kick with your leg bent. So instead of striking with a straight leg, you'll have a bend of about 130 degrees or so at the knee upon impact (not exactly of course, but a rough estimate). When I asked them why it was always a bit of a struggle to get a clear answer b/c of the language barrier though.

What is your guys opinion on kicking with a bent leg? What's the rationale for it? I seem to notice an increase in power and ability to really dig my shin in and turn my hip more. I'm liking it. Just looking for opinions.

Here's an example of kicking with noticeable bend:

YouTube - Ekapone training in bag ( Scorpion gym )

 

[BigInJapan]

Funny you say that cause it seems to me that whenever I bend the knee it digs alot less than a straight leg.

 

[Da Speeit]

That seems like it has "Knee Injury" written all over it

I guess maybe if you have a more dutch style and it's more hip swivel it could be effective. I really dont know.

 

[Znap]

I train a more dutch oriented style of muay thai and have always been told to kick with a bent leg, i find it quicker and prefer where it lands on the opponent

 

[Da Speeit]

Sadollah has a dutch style as well, and ive seen him do the same.

I just tried to do it and it doesnt feel right.

Ill start to incoporate it here and there and see how it works out.

 

[CharmingCritic]

That seems like it has "Knee Injury" written all over it

I guess maybe if you have a more dutch style and it's more hip swivel it could be effective. I really dont know.

I'm not following. Why is it so much more perilous than kicking with a straight leg? It shouldn't be.

 

[Da Speeit]

I'm not following. Why is it so much more perilous than kicking with a straight leg? It shouldn't be.

just the balance, your not snapping so youre just throwing STRICTLY your hips and, when i do it, all my weight goes to my base leg.

Im just not used to it, so im just going off of first impresssion.

 

[CharmingCritic]

Another example (this guy always stressed "more bend!" when I would kick. he is a badass trainer and nice dude btw)

YouTube - Mr Bee

 

[ironbismark]

i don't do muay thai but my friend who does showed me the bent leg kick and says he prefers it because it leaves a barrier between you and your opponent and they can't just come in for a clinch.

 

[OHNO]

Looks like a nice thai kick to me. he's just exaggerating the turn over to really dig the shin into the ribs. might look different if he was looking to follow it up.

 

[SAAMAG]

Your leg will never be truly straight/locked out when you kick. It should always have a natural bend to it. Some advocate more of a bend in the leg than others however.

I tell people, it's all in the hips and the leg bend will depend on the range and relative position of your opponent. I show them the Thai kick in varied ways as a means of illustration.

 

[hughes fan]

I find that it's harder to counter a guy who kicks with a bent leg but it doesn't hurt as much.

 

[Connoisseur]

To be honest, the only thing you should worry about as far as the kicking leg is concerned is keeping it relaxed and exploding with your hip swivel. It should follow around like a whip, with the shin/ instep as the point of impact. As long as your leg isn't stiff then you shouldn't be concerned with it, there will be a natural amount of bending & straightening through the course of the kick.

 

[SpineBreaker]

Well, that's the Thai way. If you're leaning that stuff, do it that way.

My Shotokan roundhouse kicks make contact when the leg is straight, so that it's like you're whipping your leg into them. Gives more of a shock.

 

[OHNO]

Don't worry you get plenty of shock from a good Thai kick lol

 

[Ryukyu Damashi]

Another example (this guy always stressed "more bend!" when I would kick. he is a badass trainer and nice dude btw)

YouTube - Mr Bee

Hey that's my video I recorded last summer

Bee kicks Essan style, bent leg, 45 degree step. I have noticed most Southern Thai's kick with more of a straight leg and less of a step.

YouTube - Eyat on Pads

 

[Xodus]

Kicking with a bent leg forces you to put more hip into your kick, but I also think it makes the recovery time between you kicking and getting back into fighting stance slower. I prefer more Karate style snapping kicks when I'm sparring than the bent leg muay thai kick.

 

[lil'ChiPowerArts]

the natural bend of the knee is around a single axis at a right angle, it permits flexion and extension only. Rotational strain on a locked knee sounds like it's going to lead to bad knees later in life. it isn't constructed to endure that sort of strain.

locking your knees long enough can inhibit blood flow enough to where the brain doesn't get enough oxygen causing unconsciousness. ask soldiers who march.

however bending the knee distributes the momentum from angular movements involving the entirety of the body like when you are kicking and punching more evenly across the feet, legs and hips. you are going to feel more of a strain on your hips because you should. your hips are extraordinarily powerful and incorporating it into the strike is going to make it stronger. the strain one feels is a lack of flexibility and that should become a priority in one's training, to open the hips.

a bent knee also lends to be being more strongly grounded, and less likely to being toppled over when grappling.

a bent knee also ensures you are more grounded when get countered.

bent knees ensure you aren't standing up right, squared and in center, where you can get jabbed or combo'd out.

fighting's like dancing, no one dances with locked knees.

also training on your opposite stance will keep you from developing injuries. e.g., if you have a regular stance, train using southpaw or vice versa.

 

[CFGroup]

Never contact with a straight leg. Always have a slight bend. Anyone here ever hyper extend their knee under judging distance? Trust me it sucks, LOL!

Think of yourself like a pendulum the inner circles will be faster the outer will slower but harder because of the distance traveled. Also think of the merry go round effect. in the center you don't feel the centrifugal force like you do on the outside. You body is governed by the same dynamics and at those speeds and power you should be able to feel the difference.

That deep bend is going to allow less power to dissipate out of the leg, but will be quicker and allow you to add core and hip power.

The straighter the leg the more whipping power you add, the more bent the more body power.

I preferred the whip because I can use physics to add power and conserve energy. Plus I'm farther away from my opponent and can snipe from distance. MT doesn't rely on that tactic as much so that tight body driven RH fits into it's gameplan.

That clip looked powerful as foock so no critique other than personal preference...

 

[mikiemike87]

Every one of Samart round house kick instructions has him saying to straighten both legs, but there's a video on Hippy Sangmanee demonstrating and teaching his bent knee kick for power on Patreon. It's all preference much like knee techniques. Try both and see which you prefer.