Your thoughts on Side Kicks?

[411dd]

I think they would work alot better if your opponent's back is against the cage so that his movement is limited. It would be a very powerful weapon.

 

[kickboxing_fan1]

I think they would work alot better if your opponent's back is against the cage so that his movement is limited. It would be a very powerful weapon.

I agree, Dan hardy used one against akhiro gono in that scenario I guess in general they are more of a ring move where you can trap people in corners more often.

 

[Ron Powell Jr]

Muay Thai fighters employ a makeshift side kick after a missed kick sometimes, it's not a complete sidekick, it's exactly what you were talking about, like a 45 degree kick.

 

[Doughbelly]

Side kick is way above border line.

I wouldn't waste years and years perfecting my inside crescent kick though

LOL, that's actually a much better example. From an old post I made years ago:

A crescent kick is roundhouse kick's short, ugly, flat, flat chest, retarded little sister. It might work if the guy you're trying to hit can't see, but anyone who isn't blind is going to laugh. Also, you don't want to be seen in public with one.

For me, the side kick has borderline utility. I've been doing side kicks since I was five years old and mine are pretty good. I can bend a heavy bag with a back leg and I prefer the cut kick (a somewhat common moniker for the front leg 45 degree side kick in a few full contact kicking orient arts) over the teep as a range finder/jab kick and a forward momentum breaker because my kickboxing stance isn't as squared off as the traditional thai boxer's.

That said, all the crap I've been laying on side kicks stands. It's not the most efficient use of your time and energy. No one's stopping you and there's nothing wrong with developing a good side kick if you have that time and energy, though. Let's just not pretend that they're in the same league as roundhouse, front and back kicks in terms of utility.

 

[Kulspruta]

A crescent kick is what makes Kikuno so dangerous, he has hit plenty livers with it. For every kick you guys try to play down we'll find a fighter who has been able to use it effectively. But of course not everyone can be Andy Hug and Kenji Midori.

 

[kickboxing_fan1]

Who's kenji midori and what's he famous for?

Sometimes the stuff that works for people just goes against all logic you might be able to ascribe some things to reach, power, speed etc. but then sometimes it just works.

Cung Le's side kicks worked against 2nd rate mma fighters with lesser risk of a takedown than malaipet's roundhouse kicks.

 

[Kulspruta]

Who's kenji midori and what's he famous for?

Sometimes the stuff that works for people just goes against all logic you might be able to ascribe some things to reach, power, speed etc. but then sometimes it just works.

Cung Le's side kicks worked against 2nd rate mma fighters with lesser risk of a takedown than malaipet's roundhouse kicks.

Kenji Midori is a Kyokushin World Champion, nicknamed "Little Giant". Here's an image of him pulling one of his crazy kicks:

Back to the side kick, in the near future, when we get to see some more fighters in MMA coming from Sanda backgrounds, I'm sure we'll get to see some sweet side kicks.

 

[TigerArm]

I started in TKD and the side kick is still my hardest hitting kick. You can seriously wallop one with the sliding/steping side kick. That said, i dont throw them often anymore. When i do i usually fake a lazy leg kick and turn it into a side kick when my opponent tries to come in on me.

 

[xArsenicx]

I think the side kick is a very devastating kick, if used properly of course. You can't really be offensive with it. A lot of times, your opponent will see it coming, but I agree if it's used as a defensive kick, to keep people away from you, it'd work. I've seen plenty of broken ribs from half power side kicks.

 

[quikkick]

one of my instructors has a wicked side kick, but he has spent his entire career to perfect it.

IMHO, you are handicapping yourself if you do not try to gain a proficiency in every type of kick/strike. Every opponent is different, you never know when a "useless" kick can turn a fight

Exactly!!! Exactly!!! This is the most useful, underutilized kick in the sport. Every fighter needs a straight kick, roundhouse is circular and can largely be negated by an aggresive, square-stanced puncher. Especially if he has a longer reach. Anyone who will train this technique three times a week for 1-2 years can get good at it.

 

[Jeff Roy]

i like side kicks when your opponent is coming in on you

 

[Ron Powell Jr]

Exactly!!! Exactly!!! This is the most useful, underutilized kick in the sport. Every fighter needs a straight kick, roundhouse is circular and can largely be negated by an aggresive, square-stanced puncher. Especially if he has a longer reach. Anyone who will train this technique three times a week for 1-2 years can get good at it.

It's called a "teep" lol.

 

[Karysk]

It's called a "teep" lol.

I have never been taught a "teep" but it just seems like a variant of a Mae Gari (front kick) or any "push" kick. Yes, side kicks can be considered a "push kick" (one of my instructors "pushed" me into the air, followed by a hard landing :icon_sad They can also be used to hit face or head (not common) and solar plexis.

 

[JoshGrrrr]

I think they suck the most when they land in the belly.

 

[Davis "Badzooka" Badzik]

powerful and underrated

 

[Ron Powell Jr]

So the other day there was this new guy in the gym, an really small fiesty looking older guy, this little fucker kept sidekicking me over and over during "attack and defense drills", they hurt too. You could tell he might've had some TKD or Karate background.

I told him, you realize this is attack and defense right? Then he was like "are you sure?, i'm pretty certain the instructor told us to spar." This guy was the stubborn type, I didn't wanna argue with him, so i asked him to ease up a bit regardless.

I kept my cool though, if he kept kicking me hard i would've sidestepped, caught that fucking leg of his and decked him hard with a knee or a sweeping kick, but that would just make me look bad for beating up on an older guy lol. Stupid spazzy new guys always trying to prove something.

I got a little angry and started preemptively stuffing the sidekicks with hard push kicks to the rib/hip area to match how hard he was hitting me. Fucking guy.

Ok i'm just venting, it's annoying when you know full well that it isn't sparring and the other guy is throwing like it's a padded sparring session. I guess patience with the new guys comes with the territory when you're an established student.

might be an ego thing too.

Maybe i was just mad/frustrated that he kept tagging me with it, if i had known we were doing sparring, i would've been more prepared.

Goes to show the sidekick is useful, if you're willing to compromise your stance, well, unless you already stand sideways...

Personally i wouldn't use it, but that's just me of course, i'd rather keep my stance strong, i might do an "almost sidekick" here and there though.