Kicking the forearms is underutilized in MMA

[DatSamboKid]

My thai coach always emphasized on aiming for the forearms when throwing roundhouse kicks. I never really understood how effective it was till I was on the receiving end of them.

In Muay Thai, when someone throws a body kick you can catch, check, counter, dodge or block it. An inexperienced striker will often block a body kick with the elbow/forearm region. An inexperienced kicker can even break his foot landing on an elbow. But the Tibia bone is way bigger and harder than the Radius and the Ulna. Throwing your shin bone full force into your opponent’s arm does damage. You can break an arm pretty easily if landed correctly. I’ve also seen fights where the forearm is so damaged that the fighter has trouble lifting his arm (see video below).

With the calf kick craze going on, I’ve always wondered why we don’t see more fighters aim for the arms. A forearm is like a bitch version of a calf.

Technically speaking, you’re not "aiming" for the forearms. You’re kicking through your opponent, but the kick is targeted at the chest/upper ribs area. It’s an awkward angle, it makes the kick difficult check and catch because it’s high and tricky to dodge cause it’s low. A miscalculated pull back or duck under can lead to a nasty head kick.

Footwork, distance and takedowns make them harder to land in MMA, but I’ve still seen many fights where this kick could’ve been a game changer. It’s very effective for taller fighters and in my opinion, the two best guys to utilize them in MMA is Jones and Adesanya. Honorable mention to Barboza for his nasty switch kick and Darren Till.

See video below for example on how lethal they can be:

 

[drbolony]

Yup, and adjusting would be a bitch. Fighters are still learning to adapt to low leg kicks.

 

[fortheo]

MMA still has a lot of room to grow when it comes to kicking and kicking defense in general.

 

[rear naked ankle pick]

it only works on people with melted pudding body type and no muscle mass

 

[Kvothe_the_kingkiller]

We've seen a few broken arms. Most obviously, Cung Le v Frank Shamrock.

Did Cannonier break his arm blocking a kick from Whittaker? Now I can't remember.

Anyway. It's pretty hard to take 1 aspect of one combat sport with a lot more rules and less variables, and ask why another combat sport with fewest rules and the most variables doesn't use it more.

 

[FIghtxIQ]

My thai coach always emphasized on aiming for the forearms when throwing roundhouse kicks. I never really understood how effective it was till I was on the receiving end of them.

In Muay Thai, when someone throws a body kick you can catch, check, counter, dodge or block it. An inexperienced striker will often block a body kick with the elbow/forearm region. An inexperienced kicker can even break his foot landing on an elbow. But the Tibia bone is way bigger and harder than the Radius and the Ulna. Throwing your shin bone full force into your opponent’s arm does damage. You can break an arm pretty easily if landed correctly. I’ve also seen fights where the forearm is so damaged that the fighter has trouble lifting his arm (see video below).

With the calf kick craze going on, I’ve always wondered why we don’t see more fighters aim for the arms. A forearm is like a bitch version of a calf.

Technically speaking, you’re not "aiming" for the forearms. You’re kicking through your opponent, but the kick is targeted at the chest/upper ribs area. It’s an awkward angle, it makes the kick difficult check and catch because it’s high and tricky to dodge cause it’s low. A miscalculated pull back or duck under can lead to a nasty head kick.

Footwork, distance and takedowns make them harder to land in MMA, but I’ve still seen many fights where this kick could’ve been a game changer. It’s very effective for taller fighters and in my opinion, the two best guys to utilize them in MMA is Jones and Adesanya. Honorable mention to Barboza for his nasty switch kick and Darren Till.

See video below for example on how lethal they can be:

It's effective, Canelo does it in boxing. Other boxes in the past also target arms.

Also Cung Le broke Frank Shamrock's arms with kicks.

People just don't realize there are a lot more targets on the body instead of the just typical ones that everyone learns and targets.

 

[GOAT.]

It happens all the time. Chuck broke Franklin's arm like that then got ktfo shortly after.

 

[13Seconds]

I kicked someones elbow once. Needless to say it hurt right away.

 

[Bumhead]

My thai coach always emphasized on aiming for the forearms when throwing roundhouse kicks. I never really understood how effective it was till I was on the receiving end of them.

In Muay Thai, when someone throws a body kick you can catch, check, counter, dodge or block it. An inexperienced striker will often block a body kick with the elbow/forearm region. An inexperienced kicker can even break his foot landing on an elbow. But the Tibia bone is way bigger and harder than the Radius and the Ulna. Throwing your shin bone full force into your opponent’s arm does damage. You can break an arm pretty easily if landed correctly. I’ve also seen fights where the forearm is so damaged that the fighter has trouble lifting his arm (see video below).

With the calf kick craze going on, I’ve always wondered why we don’t see more fighters aim for the arms. A forearm is like a bitch version of a calf.

Technically speaking, you’re not "aiming" for the forearms. You’re kicking through your opponent, but the kick is targeted at the chest/upper ribs area. It’s an awkward angle, it makes the kick difficult check and catch because it’s high and tricky to dodge cause it’s low. A miscalculated pull back or duck under can lead to a nasty head kick.

Footwork, distance and takedowns make them harder to land in MMA, but I’ve still seen many fights where this kick could’ve been a game changer. It’s very effective for taller fighters and in my opinion, the two best guys to utilize them in MMA is Jones and Adesanya. Honorable mention to Barboza for his nasty switch kick and Darren Till.

See video below for example on how lethal they can be:

Looks quite effective and difficult to block but there is the added risk of getting your leg caught because MMA has open gloves

 

[yougetKTFO]

We've seen a few broken arms. Most obviously, Cung Le v Frank Shamrock.

Did Cannonier break his arm blocking a kick from Whittaker? Now I can't remember.

Anyway. It's pretty hard to take 1 aspect of one combat sport with a lot more rules and less variables, and ask why another combat sport with fewest rules and the most variables doesn't use it more.

Couture broke his arm blocking a gonzaga kick too

 

[Orochimaru 大蛇丸]

Some of you guys don't understand how big the downsides are for kicking in MMA

 

[HaulParris]

My thai coach always emphasized on aiming for the forearms when throwing roundhouse kicks. I never really understood how effective it was till I was on the receiving end of them.

In Muay Thai, when someone throws a body kick you can catch, check, counter, dodge or block it. An inexperienced striker will often block a body kick with the elbow/forearm region. An inexperienced kicker can even break his foot landing on an elbow. But the Tibia bone is way bigger and harder than the Radius and the Ulna. Throwing your shin bone full force into your opponent’s arm does damage. You can break an arm pretty easily if landed correctly. I’ve also seen fights where the forearm is so damaged that the fighter has trouble lifting his arm (see video below).

With the calf kick craze going on, I’ve always wondered why we don’t see more fighters aim for the arms. A forearm is like a bitch version of a calf.

Technically speaking, you’re not "aiming" for the forearms. You’re kicking through your opponent, but the kick is targeted at the chest/upper ribs area. It’s an awkward angle, it makes the kick difficult check and catch because it’s high and tricky to dodge cause it’s low. A miscalculated pull back or duck under can lead to a nasty head kick.

Footwork, distance and takedowns make them harder to land in MMA, but I’ve still seen many fights where this kick could’ve been a game changer. It’s very effective for taller fighters and in my opinion, the two best guys to utilize them in MMA is Jones and Adesanya. Honorable mention to Barboza for his nasty switch kick and Darren Till.

See video below for example on how lethal they can be:

Great video

 

[Deathbycalfkick]

I kicked someones elbow once. Needless to say it hurt right away.

Same. Doing pad work with a newer student they didn't know how to hold it but said they did. I had a nice sized bruise on the top of my foot for a while.

 

[generalyum]

Facts man. My Muay Thai coach taught me to avoid kicking at a 45 degree angle so you can avoid accidentally kicking the elbow. He said it helped to come kick from the side instead of at an angle

 

[kekiss]

While it’s nice to have larger arsenal of tools, but to make this kinda technique effective you need to put a lot power behind it, and without proper setup there is chance of you hitting elbow , or guy can to block/parry style takedown.

 

[puppybird]

There’s no one in the ufc that can kick like Samkor.

There’s not even anyone in Muay Thai they can kick like that dude

 

[Luvhawky]

Some of you guys don't understand how big the downsides are for kicking in MMA

I sure don't, what are some of them and which ones do you think are most concerning when kicking?

 

[Bend NvR Break]

Because fighters know to avoid strikes and not block them.

 

[Orochimaru 大蛇丸]

I sure don't, what are some of them and which ones do you think are most concerning when kicking?

Getting taken down is the biggest one

 

[TheChance]

We've seen a few broken arms. Most obviously, Cung Le v Frank Shamrock.

Did Cannonier break his arm blocking a kick from Whittaker? Now I can't remember.

Anyway. It's pretty hard to take 1 aspect of one combat sport with a lot more rules and less variables, and ask why another combat sport with fewest rules and the most variables doesn't use it more.

Frankin vs Liddell as well