So I'm not near as wise or as powerful as you all in the standup game, and I'm not good at it really at al...in fact my high kick is about liver level on most people my size. Also I'm a southpaw, so what are some good combos to work to open up the body for left kick to the body. I'm a huge fan of body punching in boxing, and think that kicking/kneeing to the body is completely under rated in MMA, so please all knowing sherdog standup fighters pass on your knowledge to me.
jab hook left kick...like the above poster stated an annoying jab will do wonders to open someone up.
You can use the jab as a sort of can-opener that can lead to many wonders... but you already know that, being trained in boxing. The thing about throwing the body kick is all about misdirection, much like every other single shot you wish to throw. It seems to me that you just need to get used to throwing kicks more.
Work a combination you're comfortable with, train it over and over again, until you can throw it without lagging - ie: don't stop in between strikes. One i love is jab, jab, hook, kick. What gets me out of danger of counters, is the head movement while throwing the hook - by the time you're throwing the kick, it should be too far away for him to counter you (unless he has orangutan arms, that is). Also, if you throw the hook like a wimp, you will be countered when you throw the kick.
Uh when I opened this thread I was giong to post something about always trying to end combinations with a kick if it's on the correct side (for me, i cant kick with my rear leg so I'm trying to build left kicks in whenever possible eg after a cross).. and then move onto something else. but Gabicho avatar made me lose my memory. hot damn.:icon_neut
Low kicks at the end of a combination are better then a mid IMO. You can throw hands, throw a low kick and then go back to throwing hands. If you throw a mid or high kick, its harder to keep the flow (the higher the harder it is). Try jab, right hook (being SP) left low kick to the inside of his left leg (if orthadox), right head hook left head kick. If you can pull off a left step forward and to the left after the head kick, you can take out his supporting right leg with your right leg (which after stepping is a rear kick)
Interesting, my instructor went over this with me a few days ago in one of his "let me pull you aside" moments. He echoed the same sentiment that the low kick at the end of the combo generally works better, but he said that if you're looking to finish a guy and he tends to keep his hands high the mid kick might end it for you.
one of my favorites combinations is a simple one two followed by a low kick. If you can throw it fast enough the other guy hardly even has time to notice that your tossing a kick at him and you can blast him real good on the leg.
I agree, the right low kick comes out fast after a cross because your hips are wound up for the kick before the cross even comes back...
I've had to when light sparring watch myself because the kick after the cross can snap reaal hard and if we're going light I don't wanna take out my partner.
Start with a backleg frontkick, give him the jab, cross, hook and plant the foot in his sides while he'd got his hands up.
I usually try and finish all my combos on thai pads with a kick to the body, just to get used to the flow, its a habit I got after watching Bas mixed martial arts tapes
This is my favorite way to throw low kicks as well! I have been working alot on putting together kicks with punch combos and vice versa. It is tough, I find it is alot easier when I use misdirection.... i.e: punch combo then step or angle out during the kick, maybe because of my height. Either way, here is a video that I took a month or two ago working on punch kick combos......... by no means am I saying I am great at it, but maybe it will help. Good luck bro! YouTube - kickboxing/muay thai bag workout
