Hand placement during kicks

[BlackBeltNow]

I have to swing my right arm if i throw a right kick, b/c i was taught the momentum boost was worth the slight loss of defense

 

[MrMuayThai]

Swinging of the arms amplifies the power, but I've trained to swing one out for power and swing the other in for protection. Repitition has it second hand now.

 

[Temujin007]

Have any of you seen the US K-1 event where Mighty Mo won the event ? (It was the event that gave ppl notice of him).

Anyway he won by timing his overhand right punch when he saw the muay-thai style fighters go for a kick. They dropped their guard to throw their kicks and got ko'ed.

I think in any stand up situation you always have to keep your guard up. You might get a little less power on your kicks but it's more important to have your defence.

 

[Rudy Richter]

4th option: get better at setting up your kicks so that you don't need to worry about the oncoming punch. Granted, some guys are really good counterfighters, but you should be setting up your kicks with distractions and broken rhythm. Counterpunches come from figuring out a system and a pattern. Confuse your opponent, use your hands, and wait for him to be vulnerable to a kick. Then you don't even need to worry about a punch or takedown.

My favorite times to kick:

-Teep to the body or leg to stop an attack from coming in
-Throw a flurry with the hands, get his hands up, throw a kick to the ribs or legs.
-Drive him backwards, and while he's walking backwards, kick to the legs (you cannot fight when you're moving backwards)
-When he's hurt; i.e., when you hit him with a good shot and he's distracted
-When you've maneuvered yourself so that he's facing away from you. My favorite way to do this is by evading a leg kick, and when his leg travels past me, his hamstring is exposed. I catch a lot of people with this. This really aggravates people and without shinguards/full contact a few of these will really lay the hurt on him. It's also good when you add a pivot step to a slip, and you've maneuvered yourself so that you're facing his side. Good shot to the solar plexus should teach him to watch his footwork next time.

Excellent post... there is much wisdom in your post. I do most of the stuff you describe myself.

 

[aaron_mag]

Yeah, that's how we're taught, too. It's kind of goofy sounding, but we were started off by touching our index fingers to our cheeks and leaving them there throughout the kicks. That way, you get in the habit of keeping your hands up.

It doesn't sound that goofy! We did almost the exact same thing.

 

[farmboy]

My instructor said it's a technique boxers use when starting out.

 

[z0nk]

for me it doesnt feel natural to throw a roundhouse with my guard up, nor do i generate as much power. but ideally they should be up, or at least your left hand should (assuming you're roundhousing with the right) to protect from counter crooses and hooks. the only times i get hit with a head roundhouse is when i throw a roundhouse without my hands up.