getting my kicks to connect?

[shagy]

ok first off, im a total standup newb when it comes to hitting anything but a bag.

yesterday in class we started some "30%" sparring
everytime i went for a RH kick i'd either miss or kick there leg with my foot. now that i woke up my foot hurts like a motherfucker whenever i step on it or try to rotate it.

is there anything i can do to make my kicks land with my shin/instep instead of my feet? i think it would be a little easier to connect correctly when going full power/speed. but right now since im new im still getting used to controlling my power, i either go full power or slow motion. i can't seem to find that middle ground where i can effectively practice my techniques without kicking people hard as hell.

i was thinking of stepping in with my left foot before firing to close the distance, but that may telegraph my kick a lot.

any suggestions?

i'm just going to keep at it and should get better with time.

btw i go to a juijitsu school that has mma classes twice a week, my teacher is more of a juijitsu guy than anything else.

 

[2swole]

that pain is normal i think. it goes away quickly.

set your kicks up better, maybe you're telegraphing them. if u wanna kick with the shin, move in closer and kick

 

[TapSD]

Take a small forty five degree step in..also you should be setting up your kicks with punches..The mistake I see guys making in sparring is throwning nothing but kicks and getting taken apart by good punchers

 

[Sims]

I'm only about a month into Muay Thai myself and find it harder to "pull" my punches and kicks rather than just going at it like on the Thai Pads.. But it does get easier and really works your balance/coordination to slow down and really exxagerate your movements. Just keep at it and you'll be fine!

 

[krellik]

Find a willing partner and just practise moving around throwing extremely light lowkicks at eachother. Dont block it and dont hurt eachother. When you get the hang of it use quicker footwork in and out.

Help and tell eachother when they are kicking the right and wrong part of the leg and be careful hiting with the shin every time.

Eventually just sparring most quirks will get sorted out but that lil drill done a few times may help a bit.

 

[Centaur]

Take a small forty five degree step in..also you should be setting up your kicks with punches..The mistake I see guys making in sparring is throwning nothing but kicks and getting taken apart by good punchers

Both of these are really good tips. Should help ALOT.

Find a willing partner and just practise moving around throwing extremely light lowkicks at eachother. Dont block it and dont hurt eachother. When you get the hang of it use quicker footwork in and out.

Help and tell eachother when they are kicking the right and wrong part of the leg and be careful hiting with the shin every time.

Eventually just sparring most quirks will get sorted out but that lil drill done a few times may help a bit.

Some really good tips here, aswell. Between TapSD and krelliks' advice that should be enough. If you are already doin this, or it doesn't help, ask your trainer ASAP, because somethings wrong (probably) that needs to be fixed before it becomes a bad habit.

Keep it up!!

 

[Ian Coe]

practise practise practise.

Break it down and get the range right before upping the speed and intent (intent, not power).

Never throw low kicks by themselves. Very easy to step back from or plain old check

 

[ScottAM]

everything I wanted to say has already been said.

 

[shagy]

thx guys, lotta good info here im going to apply

 

[IkkussSpikkuss]

Practice is the only thing that will make you land more of anything, including kicks. No matter how good you get you'll always end up kicking someone with your foot sometimes, or get them checking the kick with their knee or the tip of their elbow (in the case of a high kick or body kick). Its true that your nerves deaden some, but they will always hurt. Pain is part of the game. There is a difference between injured and hurt. And you'll find that 99% of the time its just hurt. I've been hurt so bad that I could swear that something is broken, and a week later I am almost back to normal. We just learn to live with it.

P.S. I find that when I hurt my leg/foot in a kick the best thing I can do is immediately kick with the same leg again. It helps me deal with it. But don't quit the sparring session when you feel pain like that or you'll never get used to pushing through it. Also, to help deaden the nurves start off with 50 kicks from each leg to the heavy bag as hard as you can with no shin gaurds of any kind once a week. Pain and bruises are to be expected. Then move up to 50 with each leg every other day. I've been doing MT for years and years and still do 100 kicks with each leg every other day. I mix it up, leg, body and head, height. Happy training.

 

[Centaur]

I've been hurt so bad that I could swear that something is broken, and a week later I am almost back to normal. .

HAHA, I know this all too well!! Though it might be a bit more than a week.

 

[IkkussSpikkuss]

HAHA, I know this all too well!! Though it might be a bit more than a week.

Good point, sometimes it seems like forever, but by the end of a week I usually know that it'll be ok in the long run.

 

[AIRTIGHT]

work on your flexibility as well. Practice kicks sometimes with a slow steady form to work on your balance and integrity esp for high kicks. Then of couse have sessions where you exclusively work on speed while hitting the same point over an over.

For the sparring however there are two components to good striking--- your technique, and your timing. Also look to notice an create the openings with your hands, pivoting, and as counter strikes. Become proficient at quickly spotting these oppenings and what type strike is opening up.

 

[shagy]

work on your flexibility as well. Practice kicks sometimes with a slow steady form to work on your balance and integrity esp for high kicks. Then of couse have sessions where you exclusively work on speed while hitting the same point over an over.

For the sparring however there are two components to good striking--- your technique, and your timing. Also look to notice an create the openings with your hands, pivoting, and as counter strikes. Become proficient at quickly spotting these oppenings and what type strike is opening up.

thanks man, good advice. you hit on most all things i need to work on