Kyoukushin's low kicks

[Hatake88]

Hi guys

I was recently shown several low kicks that I have never seen before. These low kicks were taught by a karateka and I was surprised at the amount of force they had. If possible, it would be great if someone can find me a video of each of them and confirm if my understanding of each of them is correct.

First low kick involved:
- lifting the kicking leg above its intended target and then diagonally bringing it down towards the target (this is common)
- upon impact, the kicking leg is bent (this is also not uncommon)
- (what makes this kick unique is that) after the kick has landed, the leg is extended straight and the kicker drives their weight through the leg into the opponent.

Second low kick involved:
- chambering the leg
- 'flicking' it out while pivoting on the supporting leg (but not necessarily twisting the hips/shoulders)

Third low kick involved:
- somehow hitting your opponent's thigh with your heel

In terms of using these low kicks, the first and third kicks seem like they would cause a lot of pain. These seem good to use early in a fight/for self defence to wear the opponent down/make them wary,. The second seems to be quicker than the traditional MT roundhouse and could be more useful in the pocket? <=== just trying to find applications for them is all.

Thanks guys!

 

[LeonardoBjj]

Hi guys

I was recently shown several low kicks that I have never seen before. These low kicks were taught by a karateka and I was surprised at the amount of force they had. If possible, it would be great if someone can find me a video of each of them and confirm if my understanding of each of them is correct.

First low kick involved:
- lifting the kicking leg above its intended target and then diagonally bringing it down towards the target (this is common)
- upon impact, the kicking leg is bent (this is also not uncommon)
- (what makes this kick unique is that) after the kick has landed, the leg is extended straight and the kicker drives their weight through the leg into the opponent.



Second low kick involved:
- chambering the leg
- 'flicking' it out while pivoting on the supporting leg (but not necessarily twisting the hips/shoulders)

Third low kick involved:
- somehow hitting your opponent's thigh with your heel

- Kansetsu geri:

In terms of using these low kicks, the first and third kicks seem like they would cause a lot of pain. These seem good to use early in a fight/for self defence to wear the opponent down/make them wary,. The second seems to be quicker than the traditional MT roundhouse and could be more useful in the pocket? <=== just trying to find applications for them is all.



Thanks guys!

 

[SHAOLINMONK420]

You can call a martial art whatever you want it is still fighting. Same as it has been since prehistory. It isn't a kyokushin technique.
muay thai has a huge influence on Kyokushin. Hence the leg kicks. Or vice versa who knows.

 

[The Green-eyed Kenshiro]

I don't know if this is a TMA technique

But I love throwing wheel kicks to the knee and thigh

Basically the same as a normal spinning heel kick, but throw it low. I saw Conor McGregor do it against Max Holloway and I've been hooked on practicing that ever since. I can't throw a wheel kick to the leg if I switch stances but a wheel kick to the legs, I can do ambidextrously

 

[JohnMc]

You can call a martial art whatever you want it is still fighting. Same as it has been since prehistory. It isn't a kyokushin technique.
muay thai has a huge influence on Kyokushin. Hence the leg kicks. Or vice versa who knows.

Kyokushin vs Muay Thai matches were very common in the 60s and 70s iirc. Its no secret that Mas Oyama adopted the Thai techniques into Kyokushin's arsenal. Mas Oyama was very much like Bruce Lee in being ahead of the curve and taking what was useful and incorporating it into your style.

 

[Jimmy Jazz]

You can call a martial art whatever you want it is still fighting. Same as it has been since prehistory. It isn't a kyokushin technique.
muay thai has a huge influence on Kyokushin. Hence the leg kicks. Or vice versa who knows.

leg kicks were allready in kyokushin at that point.

 

[SHAOLINMONK420]

Kyokushin vs Muay Thai matches were very common in the 60s and 70s iirc. Its no secret that Mas Oyama adopted the Thai techniques into Kyokushin's arsenal. Mas Oyama was very much like Bruce Lee in being ahead of the curve and taking what was useful and incorporating it into your style.

The point of the post was that leg kicks existed before muay thai was even thought of. Karate didn't exist. Leg kicks probably predate human history.

 

[j123]

You can call a martial art whatever you want it is still fighting. Same as it has been since prehistory. It isn't a kyokushin technique.
muay thai has a huge influence on Kyokushin. Hence the leg kicks. Or vice versa who knows.

the chopping downward isn't MT though, that whole crouching in and slamming it down is definitely a karate thing. You'll see it more pravalent in dutch KB's who have roots from KK. Kicks in MT is very upright and "rising"

That being said, I find the dutch/KK variation better for MMA as the stance is lower and better for sprawling

 

[spacetime]

the chopping downward isn't MT though, that whole crouching in and slamming it down is definitely a karate thing. You'll see it more pravalent in dutch KB's who have roots from KK. Kicks in MT is very upright and "rising"

That being said, I find the dutch/KK variation better for MMA as the stance is lower and better for sprawling

I see no reason why Dutch Low kicks wouldn't work in Thai Muay Thai. I*d put hefty money on Bonjasky and the gang kicking ass in Thailand. Not just because they are bigger.

 

[j123]

I see no reason why Dutch Low kicks wouldn't work in Thai Muay Thai. I*d put hefty money on Bonjasky and the gang kicking ass in Thailand. Not just because they are bigger.

Its stronger, but a bit slower

 

[shinkyoku]

Third low kick involved:
- somehow hitting your opponent's thigh with your heel

I assume you mean this variant popularised by valeri dimitrov (but well known since atleast the 70ies)

first kick shown, heel to upper leg.
It does not look like much, but it is extremely painful if done right.

since the vid is youtube onlu...

 

[shinkyoku]

I don't know if this is a TMA technique

But I love throwing wheel kicks to the knee and thigh

Basically the same as a normal spinning heel kick, but throw it low. I saw Conor McGregor do it against Max Holloway and I've been hooked on practicing that ever since. I can't throw a wheel kick to the leg if I switch stances but a wheel kick to the legs, I can do ambidextrously

(Andy Hug, RIP)

 

[Azam]

Hi guys

I was recently shown several low kicks that I have never seen before. These low kicks were taught by a karateka and I was surprised at the amount of force they had. If possible, it would be great if someone can find me a video of each of them and confirm if my understanding of each of them is correct.

1. First low kick



On heavy bag:



Technique: chamber the knee high above it's target and then dip your weight down & bring the kick downwards towards the target either using the lowest part of the shin or the instep. This low kick variation basically involves sinking your weight into the opponent's thigh.

Explanation: the reason you chamber the knee above the target - is to trick the opponent into thinking it could be a roundhouse to the body. You basically disguise two kicks - low kick & roundhouse to the body - with the same knee chambering motion. Also bringing the kick downwards in a chopping motion to the thigh - you land with a good portion of the blade of your shin.

The technique was popularized by Hajime Kazumi (imo one of the greatest kyokushin competitor's of all time) - also nicknamed 'tetsujin' (iron-man). He was renowned for his low kicks/inside leg kicks & blend of kyokushin and Taikiken (Japanese yiquan). The guy in the videos above throwing this variation of low kick is him. I tend to throw my low kicks using his low kicking methodology.


2. Second low kick



Technique: as described you flick out the kick without rotating the hips too much. The idea is to hit them quickly with the blade of the shin - just as the instructor describes in that video. It's a quicker way of throwing low kicks but it's deceptively painful. It's good for knockdown karate competition when you want volume & you want to get kicks off quickly so that add up over time. I personally don't think it's as viable outside of knockdown karate because it leaves your head right on the centerline when throwing the kick (because you aren't using too much hip rotation).


3. Third low kick



Technique: you can see from the video. It's basically like an inverted low kick where you hit the thigh with your heel. This variation only works in very close range. I'd argue it only works in clinching range and therefore probably won't be as effective outside of knockdown karate competition. In fact I wouldn't recommend this technique in MT, kickboxing or MMA as you need to be in clinching range to do it.

The technique was made popular by Valeri Dimitrov (one of the best kyokushin fighters to come out of Europe imo). It's more a knockdown specific kick.

 

[shinkyoku]

3. Third low kick



Technique: you can see from the video. It's basically like an inverted low kick where you hit the thigh with your heel. This variation only works in very close range. I'd argue it only works in clinching range and therefore probably won't be as effective outside of knockdown karate competition. In fact I wouldn't recommend this technique in MT, kickboxing or MMA as you need to be in clinching range to do it.

I dont know..

First it is not clinch range, but medium to short punchrange.
Valeri teaches 2 variations. one where you do a full sidestep to the outside (usually with a hook punch), and do this kick (which formally is a low axekick, coming in at an angle) with the "dragging" leg. That one should work just fine in MT.
The basic version, where he puts out the front hand as a jab -and then leaves it out as a distraction/range measure-stick (and as bumper -should the opponent try to move into a full clinch) is MUCH trickier under other rules. But I dont think it is useless -especially if you move the distraction hand from the chest to face.

I have used both versions to good effect sparring with MT guys under MT rules. But that ofcourse have been sparring (albeit very hard sparring), not a full out match.

 

[shinkyoku]

2. Second low kick



Technique: as described you flick out the kick without rotating the hips too much. The idea is to hit them quickly with the blade of the shin - just as the instructor describes in that video. It's a quicker way of throwing low kicks but it's deceptively painful. It's good for knockdown karate competition when you want volume & you want to get kicks off quickly so that add up over time. I personally don't think it's as viable outside of knockdown karate because it leaves your head right on the centerline when throwing the kick (because you aren't using too much hip rotation).

It worked very well for Filho vs Ingnashow in K-1. Filho did it to the inside with his front leg (usually, he added a few to the outside with his back leg every now and then) Iggy was limping heavily at the end of the fight (and I can never forget the swedish K-1 commentator -a MT guy- who could not understand why -and I said to the screen "because Filho has used his leg for target practice all night!"). Its not a KO technique, but few non knockdown guys are used to taking a lot of inside lowkicks, and they DO add up.

 

[Quasar44]

Hi guys

I was recently shown several low kicks that I have never seen before. These low kicks were taught by a karateka and I was surprised at the amount of force they had. If possible, it would be great if someone can find me a video of each of them and confirm if my understanding of each of them is correct.

First low kick involved:
- lifting the kicking leg above its intended target and then diagonally bringing it down towards the target (this is common)
- upon impact, the kicking leg is bent (this is also not uncommon)
- (what makes this kick unique is that) after the kick has landed, the leg is extended straight and the kicker drives their weight through the leg into the opponent.

Second low kick involved:
- chambering the leg
- 'flicking' it out while pivoting on the supporting leg (but not necessarily twisting the hips/shoulders)

Third low kick involved:
- somehow hitting your opponent's thigh with your heel

In terms of using these low kicks, the first and third kicks seem like they would cause a lot of pain. These seem good to use early in a fight/for self defence to wear the opponent down/make them wary,. The second seems to be quicker than the traditional MT roundhouse and could be more useful in the pocket? <=== just trying to find applications for them is all.

Thanks guys!

THE MT kick seems far more powerful and superior. I just wish MT has more kicks to play with.
It seems it would be impossible to keep change a round kick from KK to MT or MT to KK.