Question For My Kickers?

[FightGuyOpenMind]

this is a good post, as you have mentioned, we end up punching much more than kicking, whether its intentional or not. This is why I dedicate 1 day a week to just kicks. That being said, you shouldnt open a combination with a kick, kicks are generally used to end a combination, that is the body mechanics behind them, specifically when shadow boxing. When hitting the bag, pads, sparring, fighting, you can follow kicks up with punches, but I still would not open a combination with a kick, generally speaking.

So you would kick to end a combination not to begin one?
Which kick do you use as a "jab" or range finder?
Which kick do you use as a power shot?

 

[j123]

So you would kick to end a combination not to begin one?

I'm not Shin but

Which kick do you use as a "jab" or range finder?

teep or quick leg kick as a feeler. Teeps to the front quad I like too

Which kick do you use as a power shot?

round kick at the body

 

[Silver tongue samurai]

how are you doing the alternating round kicks non stop? on a stationary bag? banana bag? are they low kicks? I have hard time marching kicks back and forth on my bag, but they are high kicks and its not a banana bag. I can only get a few before the rhythm falls offs.

On a heavy bag, its a 150lb so its heavy but it swings. I usually get 4 kicks off then have to march and then throw 4 or 6. I throw as many as i can as the bag swings which makes it hard but helps with proper timing. With Power take as long as you want between kicks, rhythm just try to time the bag and speed just get off the 100 kicks as fast as possible

Ill alternate between mid and low kicks just for ease but its more keeping rhythm than marching so it can swing back and forth once or twice. The drill is really all about reps on reps so any way you can get the 900 out is awesome. Hope this helps!

 

[Silver tongue samurai]

teep or quick leg kick as a feeler. Teeps to the front quad I like too

 

[j123]

I used to think that way, but its controlled, and its fine. Besides, it forces you to learn to check, too many guys sit there and take leg kicks like a slut taking it up the ass; Better to learn how to deal with it because someone in competition or gym wars is going to go ham.

 

[Silver tongue samurai]

I used to think that way, but its controlled, and its fine. Besides, it forces you to learn to check, too many guys sit there and take leg kicks like a slut taking it up the ass; Better to learn how to deal with it because someone in competition or gym wars is going to go ham.

Best story is the guy that use to only do body shots and leg kicks at my gym would often use that but not light at all until everyone just starting slamming low kicks in return <Lmaoo>hasn't been back in a while

 

[Hotora86]

Create your own combinations. I like this perspective. Different things work for different people.

 

[Dougall]

I like to mix them up and use them at both the beginning and end of combinations. But there's only certain kicks I use at the start/end etc. For beginning combinations or even just throwing single isolated kicks I really only use the front leg. I find beginning with the back leg is a little slow and I just feel more comfortable throwing single kicks off my lead foot. Off the front foot its almost always a side kick or a round kick, and i find them good for setting up punches because i can use them to slide into boxing range. Kicking to finish combinations I tend to use my rear foot more as theres more power and you can set it up well. The only kick I've ever been able to throw in the middle of combinations is an axe kick because you can land it from pretty close if you've got the flexibility. It doesnt always land clean but it can be good for clearing hands.
This is only from my experience is kickboxing(the "above the waist" wonderboy kind) so this is all from a fairly bladed stance. May not be as beneficial for different rulesets.

 

[FightGuyOpenMind]

I like to mix them up and use them at both the beginning and end of combinations. But there's only certain kicks I use at the start/end etc. For beginning combinations or even just throwing single isolated kicks I really only use the front leg. I find beginning with the back leg is a little slow and I just feel more comfortable throwing single kicks off my lead foot. Off the front foot its almost always a side kick or a round kick, and i find them good for setting up punches because i can use them to slide into boxing range. Kicking to finish combinations I tend to use my rear foot more as theres more power and you can set it up well. The only kick I've ever been able to throw in the middle of combinations is an axe kick because you can land it from pretty close if you've got the flexibility. It doesnt always land clean but it can be good for clearing hands.
This is only from my experience is kickboxing(the "above the waist" wonderboy kind) so this is all from a fairly bladed stance. May not be as beneficial for different rulesets.

I'm gun shy on the axe kick. I just think about possibly hyper extending my knee when it impacts lol. Any tips or workouts you did to build confidence?

 

[aries]

Teep is the front kick? So hips squared off, no angle like chambering a sidekick for what you're suggesting? Thanks for the input. It's giving me something to think about.

Yes generally a teep is a front kick but it doesn't have to be. The thais also throw a version which has the hips turning sideways on for extra extension. The greatest Nak Muay of all time Samart Payakaroon was well known to use this side on teep. He was very effective with it.

And here is a technical examination of the side teep by Lawrence Kenshin.

 

[FightGuyOpenMind]

Yes generally a teep is a front kick but it doesn't have to be. The thais also throw a version which has the hips turning sideways on for extra extension. The greatest Nak Muay of all time Samart Payakaroon was well known to use this side on teep. He was very effective with it.

And here is a technical examination of the side teep by Lawrence Kenshin.

Oh that's great. I like that. It's a hybrid with the side teep. The point of impact is a more vertical foot versus a horizontal one? You can throw it from a more angled stance?

 

[j123]

I'm gun shy on the axe kick. I just think about possibly hyper extending my knee when it impacts lol. Any tips or workouts you did to build confidence?

distance management. Do it on the bag. Mark head range and work there

Obv aim for a head range you'll be fighting at, not some manlet you prob won't face unless you're training for teh streetz

 

[FightGuyOpenMind]

distance management. Do it on the bag. Mark head range and work there

Obv aim for a head range you'll be fighting at, not some manlet you prob won't face unless you're training for teh streetz

What bag do you use, heavy?

 

[j123]

What bag do you use, heavy?

yeah

 

[aries]

Oh that's great. I like that. It's a hybrid with the side teep. The point of impact is a more vertical foot versus a horizontal one? You can throw it from a more angled stance?

The impact is more a diagonal foot halfway between vertical and horizontal. Yes it lends itself well to throwing from a more angled stance and this I believe was why Samart used it a lot, so he could keep an angled stance to throw his exceptionally good hands (for a Nak Muay).

 

[Dougall]

I'm gun shy on the axe kick. I just think about possibly hyper extending my knee when it impacts lol. Any tips or workouts you did to build confidence?

The most important thing I found with the axe kick was flexibility. If you watch Andy Hug throw it he basically ended up doing the splits mid-motion, so i would say make sure youve enough flexibility for full front splits.
Then came the hip flexibility for the full motion, loosing the hips in all directions. Standing square infront of a bag just under arms length away try to swing your leg from inside to outside without touching the bag. kind of like an axe kick motion or like drawing a big rainbow with your foot(if that makes sense). The repeat this motion but go from outside to inside. Then do the other leg, both inside to outside and outside to inside.
Another drill for getting the motion right is hanging a tennis ball/small maize bag just above head height then kick it repeatedly.
It was only after doing these sorts of drills i found i could throw it pretty confidently on the heavy bag. But when hitting the heavybag i find the best way to keep stresses off your knee is to try point your toes straight away from your foot. kind of like how you point them down for a knee. Hitting With the sole of the foot takes even more pressure of the knee but wont hit as hard as with the heel. Hitting with the foot bent at 90 degree angle to the leg seems to hurt the knee the most.
I can upload a video of those drills if i haven't explained them well enough

 

[dudeguyman]

The most important thing I found with the axe kick was flexibility. If you watch Andy Hug throw it he basically ended up doing the splits mid-motion, so i would say make sure youve enough flexibility for full front splits.
Then came the hip flexibility for the full motion, loosing the hips in all directions. Standing square infront of a bag just under arms length away try to swing your leg from inside to outside without touching the bag. kind of like an axe kick motion or like drawing a big rainbow with your foot(if that makes sense). The repeat this motion but go from outside to inside. Then do the other leg, both inside to outside and outside to inside.
Another drill for getting the motion right is hanging a tennis ball/small maize bag just above head height then kick it repeatedly.
It was only after doing these sorts of drills i found i could throw it pretty confidently on the heavy bag. But when hitting the heavybag i find the best way to keep stresses off your knee is to try point your toes straight away from your foot. kind of like how you point them down for a knee. Hitting With the sole of the foot takes even more pressure of the knee but wont hit as hard as with the heel. Hitting with the foot bent at 90 degree angle to the leg seems to hurt the knee the most.
I can upload a video of those drills if i haven't explained them well enough

I feel a good kick to get good at before you have the physical capacity to do the axe kick is the crescent kick.

 

[FightGuyOpenMind]

The most important thing I found with the axe kick was flexibility. If you watch Andy Hug throw it he basically ended up doing the splits mid-motion, so i would say make sure youve enough flexibility for full front splits.
Then came the hip flexibility for the full motion, loosing the hips in all directions. Standing square infront of a bag just under arms length away try to swing your leg from inside to outside without touching the bag. kind of like an axe kick motion or like drawing a big rainbow with your foot(if that makes sense). The repeat this motion but go from outside to inside. Then do the other leg, both inside to outside and outside to inside.
Another drill for getting the motion right is hanging a tennis ball/small maize bag just above head height then kick it repeatedly.
It was only after doing these sorts of drills i found i could throw it pretty confidently on the heavy bag. But when hitting the heavybag i find the best way to keep stresses off your knee is to try point your toes straight away from your foot. kind of like how you point them down for a knee. Hitting With the sole of the foot takes even more pressure of the knee but wont hit as hard as with the heel. Hitting with the foot bent at 90 degree angle to the leg seems to hurt the knee the most.
I can upload a video of those drills if i haven't explained them well enough

Explanation was good. Yeah. If you have videos, that works too. I'm not opposed to watching them. lol

 

[Championstuff]

What style do you practice or compete in? If you mentioned it already I can't recall at the moment.

Do you use kicks to establish your range?

He mentioned a teep so I assume Muay Thai.

I personally use a jab to establish range and kicks to keep them there, it sounds more correct in my head than it probably looks when I type it