Critique my low kicks

[rossc]

Maan, I'm so thankful for all the tips!

but some thing are confusing me... the whole keeping my feet solid on the ground is opposed to pivoting on the ball of my foot, which is what gives me the speed, isn't?

Pivoting on the ball of the foot is the way I learned it too. I must admit I do question the stability of it though.

Take a look at Thiago Alves leg kick to see what people mean by keeping your foot planted...

 

[dat1978]

Maan, I'm so thankful for all the tips!

but some thing are confusing me... the whole keeping my feet solid on the ground is opposed to pivoting on the ball of my foot, which is what gives me the speed, isn't?



ps.: sorry if my english is crap ;p

Its confusing because people are giving you tips on a couple different style kicks. One is fired without a step and you pivot on the ball, the other has a step. When you step you come down with you're foot already turned which is why you don't have to be on the ball. IMO you should mix up and use both. The pivot is fast and doesn't telegraph as much, but with the step you can usually get more power and also get off line better for counters.

 

[ssullivan80]

Cannot echo the sentiments of the 45 step off. Pivoting on the spot leaves you open to punch counters.

I would work on both angles of the kick (chopping or across) as each is situational relative to distance.

Keep up the good work.

Pivot kicking "shouldn't" leave any more open to a counter than would a step off or step at 45. IMO, pivot kicking is less telegraphed and leaves you in a better position to follow up behind your kicks with hands. The trick to pivot kicking is getting your upper body over top your hips.

TS- kick's look good brotha....... try working on getting a little heavier on that post leg and getting your upper body (torso on up) more over the top of your hips vs. leaning back. Imagine doing a crunch as soon as you start to turn that hip over into the low kick. This will keep you farther off the centerline and get more weight into your kick. Getting that upper body over the hips will create a deeper point of impact and you'll get far more power in that kick without sacrificing the speed. The problem with leaning back is that you have to come back forward into your stance, and that leaves you far more open to a counter. If you really get that upper body over top your hips you'll find you end up going back into your stance off the retraction of the kick vs. falling forward into your stance. Good luck, hope that made some sense.

Its confusing because people are giving you tips on a couple different style kicks. One is fired without a step and you pivot on the ball, the other has a step. When you step you come down with you're foot already turned which is why you don't have to be on the ball. IMO you should mix up and use both. The pivot is fast and doesn't telegraph as much, but with the step you can usually get more power and also get off line better for counters.

I agree that both methods of kicking are technically correct and each have their own advantages/disadvantages. Really comes down to preference. I like using that step out and kick method when i am advancing or pursuing an opponent who is backing away. Vs. the pivot kick tends to work much better when in the pocket or in exchanges where I want to follow the kick with my hands. Whether you step or pivot is not the issue, what is important is to make sure your "opening up your hips" and turning them over into that kick. Guys with more "flexibility" in their hips can do this using just the pivot, but if there a little less flexible then the step out is a good method to ensure their getting their hips opened up and turned over into the kick.

 

[Lucas Coradini]

ts has better kicks that me. i cant critique. im guessing you are telling your brother to keep his hands up?

haha yes I am

snap leg backs after kicking

Thanks man, gonna work on this!

IMO you should mix up and use both.

For sure brother, after all the key is to be like water, isn't?!

...

Lot of details to work on! Thanks!

 

[Lucas Coradini]

Take a look at Thiago Alves leg kick to see what people mean by keeping your foot planted...

Funny thing is that I was rewatching my last fight and found out that all the kicks I threw that day were executed with my foot planted!

haha, holy shit, maybe I was tryin to break the leg of the poor guy tisc tisc

 

[ATL]

your speed and power look fine, watch your borthers vid of how he steps off and kicks. hands up a lil bit more and your golden.

solid man you look promising dude......no homo

 

[Lucas Coradini]

...

Thank you! When I win that 125 UFC strap I will remember all you guys hehe

 

[ATL]

Thank you! When I win that 125 UFC strap I will remember all you guys hehe

got any fights? if so wheres your fighter tag?

 

[thirteen]

Thank you! When I win that 125 UFC strap I will remember all you guys hehe

You damn well better lol.

I agree that both methods of kicking are technically correct and each have their own advantages/disadvantages. Really comes down to preference.

That about sums it up imo.

Keep on smashing out those leg kicks Purple Haze.

 

[Ryuu18]

Pretty surprised to see a thread giving legit advise lol.

As prev said, keep your hands up.
Personally I don't pivot on ball of my foot either.
Get your hip into it more.

 

[Lucas Coradini]

got any fights? if so wheres your fighter tag?

I just have 3 amateur Muay Thai fights. The 3rd I've posted here...

The first wasn't filmed, and the second I'll upload someday and post here... the second was held on an octagon, without headgear and elbows and knees to the head!

I'll want to read some opinions about the 2nd one cus I've walked away with the decision, but I aint sure if I deserved it


Don't know how this "fighter tag" works...

 

[Sn3d]

Keep your hands up!

 

[joeakrazo]

@ssulivan80

Pivot kicking "shouldn't" leave any more open to a counter than would a step off or step at 45. IMO, pivot kicking is less telegraphed and leaves you in a better position to follow up behind your kicks with hands. The trick to pivot kicking is getting your upper body over top your hips.

I think the most important part of pivot kicking is making sure your body does not end up 100% square to your opponent. Perhaps this is just my habits from shotokan/kyokushin but at times I end up much more square than I would like after the kick connects leaving me hanging for a counter punch.

The huge disclaimer to pivot kicking is properly setting it up preferably with punches. Drawing a reaction with a feint and then pivot kicking on the spot is another good way. Pivot kicking on the spot requires a lot of timing and speed to be effective.

There is a place for both pivot kicking, stepping 45 and stepping laterally and kicking.

I am unsure what you mean by the above statement regarding upper body over top your hips. Can you please explain?

Thank you in advance.

 

[ssullivan80]

@ssulivan80



I am unsure what you mean by the above statement regarding upper body over top your hips. Can you please explain?

Thank you in advance.

see below, maybe this helps. regardless of whether their pivot kicking or stepping and kicking the placement of the upper body over the hips is what im referring too below in prior post.

Notice in the first two pics the alignment of the upper body with the hips. Imagine a straight line draw upward from the point of the hip on the kicking leg. see how both the pics below take the body weight and shift it back and away from opponent vs. toward opponent. This leaves them more on centerline and when they reset their head will be coming forward into their stance, far more dangerous for being countered.

Now, if you compare these pics to those above and see the difference in the upper body posturing. Their upper bodies are "crunching" forward over the the hip on the kicking leg. This is what gets their head off centerline (especially when pivot kicking). Notice also that when they retract the kick their head will be moving back away from the opponent when they reset into their stance vs. above pics their coming forward on the reset or retraction of the kick. Hope that helps. The pic of Petro is an excellent example. He does pivot kick, and you'll notice how he is up on the ball of the foot on post leg, but still with a good bend in that leg keeping heavy on the post leg and his upper body crunching over top of his hips gets his head off the centerline.

Hope that helps brotha.

 

[joeakrazo]

Thank you ssullivan80 for taking the time for an explanation.

Notice also that when they retract the kick their head will be moving back away from the opponent when they reset into their stance vs. above pics their coming forward on the reset or retraction of the kick.

Interesting tidbit of information. So much to learn in one lifetime....

 

[Lucas Coradini]

I was also getting trouble understanding this, but now with the pics you just nailed it in the head!

Thank you so much ssullivan80 =)

 

[ssullivan80]

I was also getting trouble understanding this, but now with the pics you just nailed it in the head!

Thank you so much ssullivan80 =)

No prob bro, glad to help. You look real good! Keep it up.

A couple vids for you that demonstrate well what I was talking about, I've posted them before in other discussions..... Notice that both Ernesto and Samkor will use both variations of the low kick..... both the step at 45 and the pivot kick, but regardless they really get their upper bodies over the top of their hips when they turn that kick over..... how they generate all that leverage and power. Notice how even though Ernesto is taller and lankier than many of his opponents he can throw that powerful low kick in very close quarters, even throws it with his opponent clinched. He just plants that post foot and violently turns his hips over when pivoting into that kick, keeping his weight over top his hips he really can drive through that kick in very close quarters. If you actually watch Hoost very close, he will sometimes take a small step inward vs. out (at 45) so he can really get that kick in deeper when he pivots into it.

 

[Deleted member 347815]

Great posts Sully, good visuals for people trying to get this down.

 

[peanut66]

one thing all you guys are leaving out or missing is the twist of your torso , the reason you lose power when you kick standing straight up on post leg is that you minimized the whip , its all leg at that point , as sullivan80 pointed out that you lean back , but hunch head forward over the hips this allows your hips to turn over , but the most important thing that does is keep the whip flowing from your foot , up your leg , through your hips and torso twist completes the whipping motion of your kick ,,

watch ernesto again as there is lots of slow motion in that video ,, when he is in close and standing tall his kicks are mostly all leg , no torso twist , but see the whip when he gets his whole body involved ,,, the same principle is used with a left hook (punch ) the torso twists first then the punch follows, bringing all the power from the twist with it ,

hope this helps , its very hard to explain what im trying to say on a keyboard


to the ts ,, you already twist upper body pretty well , you just arent letting the torso go before the kick , work on that timing , also this is how you get power and whip with switch kicks or lead leg kicks , your arms and upper body must be part of it and timed correctly ,, same as a golf swing

 

[Lucas Coradini]

hope this helps , its very hard to explain what im trying to say on a keyboard

Don't worry, in fact you explained it pretty clearly

Gonna try this tomorrow... Today after the regular training I did two three min rounds of jab > low kick working on the upper body over the hips!

To be honest I felt quite uncomfortable, but it should be just a matter of habit