Sidekicks...

[Gregster]

I have to ask: are we talking lead-leg sidekick or rear-leg?

I used to throw quite a few of them off my front leg; not sure how to romanize the Korean name for it, but I believe it was called "padul-chaggi or pado-chaggi or some such. A little more quick 'n dirty than a full-on sidekick; timed correctly, if you land it on an advancing opponent as he's coming at you, you can put him dead on his ass in dramatic fashion.

A side kick ko in tkd is yet something that I have to witness, in other words I have never seen one. You can rarely see anyone score a point with it let alone ko someone.

Your HL video of the Athens Summer Olympics has a dude in blue (Korean, I think) chasing a guy halfway across the ring hopping on one foot with a chambered sidekick and then tagging him with it; pretty sweet, I must say. And yeah, that blew my mind since I don't expect to see quite that level of "flash" in WTF competition.


At any rate: my understanding was that sidekicks in MMA leave the kicker far to open for the intended kickee to shoot in for a takedown. Outside of MMA, opinions naturally vary.

 

[D3thr0n3d K1ng]

Teh Bruce Lee style sliding side kick is the best.

the rear leg is worthless.

 

[Paedde]

Teh Bruce Lee style sliding side kick is the best.

the rear leg is worthless.

If you just do a sidekick, yes.

If you fake a roundhouse, chamber and kick it becomes fun.

 

[Lizardman]

I would not rely much on that numbers, especially since force is not measured in pounds.



On topic: side kicks are simply a difficult technique, there are multiple applications for a side kick that may be useful in mma but it's still a difficult technique to learn.

Should I make a tutorial?

I mean, come on. You? Of all People?





















Heck yeah!

 

[itlnheat]

I have to agree that sidekicks was indeed one of the best Jonathan Brandis/chuck norris films of all time.

I also agree they should be seen in MMA more often. They are effective, with good range and especially if a fighter throws it only one or two times in the fight it is unexpected and therefore has a decent chance to catch someone. Also they should be thrown for the head and not the body. Hopefully we will see them being utilized in the future

 

[Rigamaroles]

A side kick isnt often used because its easy to see coming. When a person leans straight back, drops their hands and a leg comes straight up, you know exactly what it is. The other downside to a side kick is that as quick as you may be able to make it come up, its slower to come back. When you have to bring it back quickly, its hard to get into a defensive stance because a lead-leg side kick is naturally a bit awkward.

A better used kick for MMA purposes would be a back kick. Not only is it much more powerful, if done well its nearly as fast, can go a farther length and you're opponent wont move just to the side, but completely out of the way (if they can).

 

[Saito]

30+ posts of the same thing Sohei, just wow...

 

[NinjaKilla187]

Teh Bruce Lee style sliding side kick is the best.

the rear leg is worthless.

Don't get me started on Bruce Lee in this thread, too... That shuffle side kick is the worst. It is the slowest and most completely obvious attack in martial arts.

 

[ambertch]

Don't get me started on Bruce Lee in this thread, too... That shuffle side kick is the worst. It is the slowest and most completely obvious attack in martial arts.

Maybe this will change your mind http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Az0rXBj6bt4

I dunno about you, I'd find it hard to react against a sidekick flying across that fast. I'm sure he's just sticking it out for demo purposes (since Sanda is all about takedowns)

 

[ambertch]

I find it difficult to swallow the "leaves you vulnerable to takedowns" arguement. I'd reckon it's just not taught right/often, since MMA striking is based on MT which has no sidekick

Sidekicks are a staple of Sanda/Sanshou which is ALL about takedowns since takedowns are worth more points. I'm sure if it left you vulnerable they wouldn't be doing sidekicks in that sport.

 

[Nefron]

If you just do a sidekick, yes.

If you fake a roundhouse, chamber and kick it becomes fun.

Yes.i have seen some shotokan guys use this.I have managed to pull this off few times in sparring.

 

[h_k_m]

Sidekicks are widely used in TKD ITF, I would say it is the main weapon used in any sparring situation. However it is very specific of the TKD ITF environment and rules, where there isn't takedown risk though. They are used exclusively to the mid section cause it's virtually impossible to reach the head of your opponent from the outside. Used correctly they are the equivalent of the jab in boxing. Just look for Tomaz Barada on youtube to see its correct application, and yes in a MMA situation, if you are not quick enough to draw in or retract your leg you can easily be taken down, no wonder why it is not broadly used there.

 

[D3thr0n3d K1ng]

30+ posts of the same thing Sohei, just wow...

Not my fault, i tried to post something at 3 am and when I submitted ti it was taking a long time to post it, I left my comp for 5 minutes came back and it was 3 pages of one post.:icon_surp

 

[Paedde]

Yes.i have seen some shotokan guys use this.I have managed to pull this off few times in sparring.

Came up with this while sparring against some MT guys because they always blocked MT style when you just started a lowkick, worked well, always hit them when they were standing on one leg

(but they weren't that experienced, about the same as me in kyokushin)