Leg kick from lead leg?

[Bret Griffin]

So I'm a southpaw that uses an orthodox stance, which means my power is in my lead side. My question; is there and effective way to throw a leg kick from the lead leg? Also how do I condition my legs for low kicks?

 

[Higus]

Against a southpaw or orthodox opponent?

Against another orthodox opponent, there are inside leg kicks that will off balance your opponent. You can also do a power switch kick to their rear quad. It's awkward and takes a good angle to pull it off, but it hurts like a son of a bitch if you nail it. Most people don't condition their rear leg to take kicks like their lead leg.

EDIT: Here's an example

Against a southpaw opponent, you can pull off a lead leg kick, but you need a good angle to pull it off with any power. The rear leg kick to the inside of their lead leg is usually wide open, though.

 

[Bret Griffin]

Against a southpaw or orthodox opponent?

Against another orthodox opponent, there are inside leg kicks that will off balance your opponent. You can also do a power switch kick to their rear quad. It's awkward and takes a good angle to pull it off, but it hurts like a son of a bitch if you nail it. Most people don't condition their rear leg to take kicks like their lead leg.

EDIT: Here's an example

Against a southpaw opponent, you can pull off a lead leg kick, but you need a good angle to pull it off with any power. The rear leg kick to the inside of their lead leg is usually wide open, though.

So it sounds like I should get better at throwing a proper low kick and switching stances.

 

[Westbrick]

 

[panamaican]

Switch kicks and another method where you slide the rear leg up to the lead leg (but not past it as in switches) and use that momentum for the lead leg kick. It lacks the power of the switch but is easier to hide, imo.

 

[shunyata]

The lead side kick to the leg just above the knee, Jon Jones / Bruce Lee style.

 

[Blackjack]

So I'm a southpaw that uses an orthodox stance, which means my power is in my lead side. My question; is there and effective way to throw a leg kick from the lead leg? Also how do I condition my legs for low kicks?

Of course! There are several effective kicks from the lead leg. Look up SammyFranco.com because he's an expert on this and a world famous teacher.

 

[DoctorTaco]

I either step out with my back leg or throw a switch kick.

 

[BudoNoah]

I'm right-handed and fight Southpaw, so I'm familiar with having the power leg in front. You can throw snapping karate-style leg kicks from the lead leg, either roundhouse kicks or side kicks, to good effect. It won't be as powerful as a switch kick would be, but it's also more likely to land than a switch kick because there is less movement needed to execute it. For the roundhouse kicks from the lead leg, work a lot on pushing the foot off the floor into a pad or bag as hard and fast as you can, and over time you'll get a feel for it. You can't just pick your leg up and extend your leg and expect to land with any force.

 

[panamaican]

There are lots of good options being presented so I'll add one summarizing point.

It's completely about loading the hips. The headache with lead leg kicks is that the hip is already extended and so there isn't much room to load the hips for the speed and power that makes kicks worthwhile.

Once you find and get comfortable with a method for loading your lead hip then all lead leg kicks become an option.

 

[Discipulus]

So it sounds like I should get better at throwing a proper low kick and switching stances.

Throwing a proper low kick, yes. The stance switching... not so much. Very few people switch stances well, and most of the time it's an invitation for a smart opponent to start beating your ass, because nothing suffers more from an unnatural stance than defense.

 

[Jukai]

Switch kick doesn't mean switching stances, really, it's a more fluid motion than that.

One method I really liked was, when my opponent was trying to lead me to his power hand, I would take a step to the right with my rear leg and swing my lead leg into my opponent's lead thigh. No switch, and you don't have to bring your rear leg up much.

 

[a guy]

Throwing a proper low kick, yes. The stance switching... not so much. Very few people switch stances well, and most of the time it's an invitation for a smart opponent to start beating your ass, because nothing suffers more from an unnatural stance than defense.

Agreed, and you'll notice that the guys who consistently can fight out of different stances are usually very limited in their tools. The first two that come to mind are Pettis and Machida. Machida is basically rear kick and rear straight, Pettis is more or less the same with a bit more crazy shit thrown in and a better kick than straight.

As for the topic, a really good use of that lead leg is cut kicks. If an opponent steps too hard forward, kick diagonally upwards into his thigh. You can take people's bases out completely if you learn to use it as a counter. It works both against rear kicks and rear punches, even though it is a little scary and risky to use against rear punches. Doesn't require a switch, just timing. Beyond that, there's no real secret. There are classic and well known combos and set ups, just get good at throwing the kick and you'll probably learn it faster and easier than most, making it more dangerous in less time.

 

[Pope Leo VII]

is there a reason you spurned being a southpaw?

 

[shinkyoku]

This is kyokushin legend Francisco Filho vs Alexander "red scorpion" Ignashov -back in 2001 when both were still at the top of their game, in a semifinal of the 2001 K-1 WGP.



Filho throws many inside lowkicks with the lead leg.
He uses them as a jab to disrupt Iggys footwork and keep him away.
Individually the kicks are not very powerful, but they add up -especially as it is almost impossible to condition the inside of the leg.

Inside lowkicks from the lead leg are not the most powerful technique around (and will not show up in highlight videos), but they has their uses.
It can be used defensively -either as Filho above or like Kazumi in this gif.

But that is basically just to stop a opponents attack, it will not take him out.

For more power you need to do a switch.

then it becomes a fight stopper.

as for conditioning your foot/shin to throw lowkicks -kick the bag. a lot.
Some reccomend rolling bottles or tapping the shin, but most who are worth listening to says that is BS, and just tell you to kick the heavy bag -a lot!.

 

[Stev3]

The lead side kick to the leg just above the knee, Jon Jones / Bruce Lee style.

Should be banned, could really mess somebody's knee up.

Switch kick

Conditioning your shins/leg would be kicking the pads/heavy bag, use to hurt like shiet before after a few months, I can kick em all day

 

[Azam]

Throwing a proper low kick, yes. The stance switching... not so much. Very few people switch stances well, and most of the time it's an invitation for a smart opponent to start beating your ass, because nothing suffers more from an unnatural stance than defense.

Respectfully disagree.

The best low kickers tend to be able to reposition themselves subtly in either orthodox or southpaw to fire of low kicks depending on the situation - the most notable situation in which this becomes handy is low kick counters although I'd say this feature is important in low kicks period or in any other kicking/game - the act of switching subtly opens up new opportunities.

In fact I'd go so far as to say that if you want to be the best low kicker - being able to switch is a priority - it opens up more possibilities for the low kicking game (inside low kicks included).

I agree with you though that not many guys switch well or actually make it damn obvious that they've switched - but I disagree with the invitation of a smart fighter to beat your ass - a smart fighter will always find ways to beat your ass regardless. It entirely depends on how well a person can use switching stance.


A great example of this was Petrosyan's loss to Ristie. The same applies to low kicking or even anything in general - you do something well enough or aptly enough, it will work.

as for conditioning your foot/shin to throw lowkicks -kick the bag. a lot.
Some recommend rolling bottles or tapping the shin, but most who are worth listening to says that is BS, and just tell you to kick the heavy bag -a lot!.

I hear rolling bottles on shins a lot - I don't know who propagated that it was a legit way of conditioning shins.

Just in case people don't know - DO NOT ROLL BOTTLES OR ANYTHING UP AND DOWN YOUR SHIN, all it does is desensitize your shins - it in no way conditions or strengthens the shin bone. It also carries the significant risk or creating knots in the shin, that weakens the structural integrity of your shin & can cause fractures/breakage. From my own research, experience & other's research and experience - it really is BS, so don't do it (just in case someone who doesn't know happens on this thread).

 

[Discipulus]

Respectfully disagree.

The best low kickers tend to be able to reposition themselves subtly in either orthodox or southpaw to fire of low kicks depending on the situation - the most notable situation in which this becomes handy is low kick counters although I'd say this feature is important in low kicks period or in any other kicking/game - the act of switching subtly opens up new opportunities.

In fact I'd go so far as to say that if you want to be the best low kicker - being able to switch is a priority - it opens up more possibilities for the low kicking game (inside low kicks included).

I agree with you though that not many guys switch well or actually make it damn obvious that they've switched - but I disagree with the invitation of a smart fighter to beat your ass - a smart fighter will always find ways to beat your ass regardless. It entirely depends on how well a person can use switching stance.


A great example of this was Petrosyan's loss to Ristie. The same applies to low kicking or even anything in general - you do something well enough or aptly enough, it will work.

That's cool. You know I really respect your opinion and knowledge a lot, so I appreciate your different take on the matter. I should clarify and say that I don't think stance-switching is useless, but I do think it is a style thing. There are certain styles that work really well because the switching is an integral part of the system. Ristie is a great example for that, because Lucien Corbin's style of kickboxing makes great use of stance switches. In the same way that I would load one hip to fire a particular punch, Corbin has his guys switch stance to load their strikes, and this creates a complete system of set-ups, attacks, and defensive movements.

What I was really criticizing is the fighter who switches just for the sake of switching. "Giving the opponent a different look" is the common explanation, and it's almost always a bullshit reason for the change of stance. Almost whenever I see that, it indicates a guy that doesn't know how to approach his opponent--think Urijah Faber who, until Ludwig came around, switched stances solely because he wasn't comfortable throwing with his lead hand from orthodox, so he would go southpaw to throw it as a rear strike. That's desperation, or cluelessness, and it's not a good reason to switch.

It's late, so a lot of that probably reads like rambling nonsense... but hopefully you get what I'm saying.

 

[Bret Griffin]

is there a reason you spurned being a southpaw?

Not really, the jab's my best punch and I like that if my stance get switched up I'm ready to throw an unexpected power shot.

 

[ssullivan80]

What I was really criticizing is the fighter who switches just for the sake of switching. "Giving the opponent a different look" is the common explanation, and it's almost always a bullshit reason for the change of stance. Almost whenever I see that, it indicates a guy that doesn't know how to approach his opponent--think Urijah Faber who, until Ludwig came around, switched stances solely because he wasn't comfortable throwing with his lead hand from orthodox, so he would go southpaw to throw it as a rear strike. That's desperation, or cluelessness, and it's not a good reason to switch.

Agreed, well said. I don't think that switching stances is "bad technique" it's just "poorly executed technique" the overwhelming majority of the time. Typically you see fighters do this (particularly lesser experienced ones) because they are forced into it, either for lack of being able to position themselves offensively or because they are trying to protect themselves from a particular strike defensively. In that case, the switching of stance fails far more often than not. I see it used more often as a "crutch" than a "tool".

Uriah's a good example, another good one would be Tyrone Spong. He was constantly switching his stance, but since working with Pedro Diaz he does it far less and is far more efficient/effective IMO. Much of that could be he's more "punch or boxing" focused in his striking than pure MT.

The best low kickers tend to be able to reposition themselves subtly in either orthodox or southpaw to fire of low kicks depending on the situation - the most notable situation in which this becomes handy is low kick counters although I'd say this feature is important in low kicks period or in any other kicking/game - the act of switching subtly opens up new opportunities.

subtly being the key, and I agree. But the issue, as you note is that there are far more examples of the otherwise. I think that switching stances is really not something a lesser experienced fighter should even attempt, not until he's comfortable and competent in his regular stance. Then and only then can a guy have the proper "fight IQ" to understand the when/why/how to switch stances effectively........ then it's just a matter of making that transition subtly, which is not easy to do.