Kicks in general?

[Acitic]

Re: I like MT kicks

Originally posted by Dr Jack
timed MT roundhouse to the waist

Hey man, what is a mt kick??

[Pencode]

Kicks are ok, just be careful not to telegraph them. The rear rounhouse kick is especially suseptable to a straight left or right as has been proven by Rick Rufus time and time again. He has an uncanny ability to time kicks with the rear leg with a straight left and has knocked out countless people doing so. Just my two cents.

[JKDfreak]

Firstly acitic ,a MT kick,is a Muay Thai kick and refers often to the devastating round kick,striking with the shin with follow through,unlike arts like Karate where it will be snapped.
I think a MT kick can eb telegraphic but you can make it less telegraphic firstly by throwing it with the front leg without useing the skipping step.It's less powerful,but powerful enough to knock the guy down.
There is time for eveything.For a succesful untelegraphic MT kick,you have to figure out when you can throw it so it is 2 times more telegraphic.You can say there are times where you can launch high kicks,but these moments are rare,and you must seize the oppoortunity.For example if the guy is half-way KO and still stand-up you can throw a high kick,but i rarely saw in a real fight someone do this.There on the ground seeing stars or standing up and fighting.

[karateka_101]

I have often used kicks in real fights and have found them to be very effective. The kicks I have used in real fights include roundhouse, side kicks and front kicks, all to the stomach/chest area.

[Balo]

kicking in general

When I was a young -18-21 year old, I felt confident that I could kick head height as I had the flexibility and speed. I have used a head height kick in a real situation once succesfully and feel if you are skilled enough, and can see an opportunity then go for it, I would prefer to make a head kick than a kick to the high/mid section as their is a higher chance that your leg will get caught or your foot will get tangled in clothing.

Now I'm older I would only advocate the use of leg kicks and Knee strikes as they are safer to use, especially after a few beers.

[Nutz]

Re: Kicks in general?

Originally posted by Kamuiiv
Hello all,

I'm taking JKD concepts here in houston with Tim M. and I was wondering what people's opinions were as far as using kicks in fights or as kicks in general.

I'm 5'5" and stocky, so for me, kicking above the waist is a real energy waste and isn't practical. My core is built around my natural abilities and advantages (good hand speed, low center of gravity) and is to pull my opponent into my most well trained range (HKE/trapping at the moment). All in all, I really don't see the value of kicks unless you've got the attributes to use them or the situation presents itself (which is the key to pulling off any strike/trap/etc). To say you'd do x kick here, y kick there shows a real lack of understanding of what is happening in a real fight and the actual timing and extreme level of attribute development it takes to pull of effective kicking.

In movies obviously they are very stylized but I was wondering how effective kicks are, or how effective you find certain types of kicks in fights etc. High kicks, roundhouse's, side kicks, muy thai kicks...err...kicks used in in TKD - all of them. I'm just wondering because there doesn't seem to be much talk of kicks - ground warfare is much more talked about (understandingly so) and used more often also.

As I already stated, I don't "look" for kicks. Hell, I don't look for anything really. I just take what's there. For me though I like side kicks to the knee/shin & short inside kicks to the knee/shin from the back foot (which work great against the boxer's jab by the way). Other kicks I consider usable during the real deal are straight front kicks, MT roundhouse to the thigh and outside shin, and short inside groin kicks off the front foot (has a very short, inside popping motion that's hard to block).

I ask only b/c I'm brainwashed by movies and keep having these visions of a high kick to the face of an approaching opponent - I suppose to an untrained fighter it would be effective ya? But then again what do I know...my fight count is at 0.

Feel free to comment, offer suggestions, or joke around - I'm just looking for input.

Thanks,
KV

The only advice I have for you here is to take what you see in the movies with a grain of salt.

[Thai Bri]

Originally posted by karateka_101
I have often used kicks in real fights and have found them to be very effective. The kicks I have used in real fights include roundhouse, side kicks and front kicks, all to the stomach/chest area.

I don't believe you.

[Lizard]

In a high school fight I threw a side kick (with the intention of missing) towards three of my opponents so they would move backwards and I could concentrate on the one I was holding. It worked, they ran away and left their friend to have his ears pulled and knees thrown into his face (and all this was BEFORE I started a striking art), until MY friends (who had been at the bottom of the stairs) came and split it up, fearing for his safety. Well, they were all a year younger than me and they'd already got a few hits on me (I had my back turned when they started punching me).

What I'm trying to say is that I have used a side kick effectively without actualy hitting anyone with it.

Why does this story seem unbelievable? It really happened. I've posted this expirience before but it sounded better that time. I'll just check to see if it was on this thread. I'll feel stupid if I find out it was.

[Nutz]

To say a technique is useless is a falacy as there is a time and place for more or less any strike known to man. However, for the average person, you won't see many sucessful kicks in a real streetfight. Yes some are devestating, but for others they often end up getting the practicioner into trouble. Every technique, every move, everything in the fight game is relative to the person doing the action.

[vencaytor]

Don't kick grapplers unless you're very good

Unless my kicks fly at 80mph such as those of Maurice Smith, I would not use them against a grappler. The stance of a grapller is not conducive to kicking. A kick might just be the opening the grappler is shooting for. With a pure striker, the situation changes.

[Metsunami]

hmm...

The idea of kicking in the groin could also backfire on you quite badly...for instance if you were to try to kick a well train martial artist in the groin he could easily move to the side lock your leg in his armpit than elbow smash your knee back...i just thought i should mention that.

[Metsunami]

hai

Agreed! this is true.

[PackerX]

I'm tending to agree with most of what's said. High kicks are usually going to be impractical, unless you are ridiculously fast and accurate with them. But even more so, in a street fight, you often won't have the space to manuever a kick.

One thing that I will say in favor of the high kicks... they will ruin someone's moral REALLY quickly. If some guy is just coming at you, a quick front kick to his face or Thai kick to the side of his head will definitely make him think twice. Even if it's not delivered full power, the guy who thinks, "Holy crap, this man just kicked me in the head," is not going to be eager to continue the fight. It's probably the most humiliating blow a man can suffer.

-Packer

[Metsunami]

...

Well what you said about the morale dropping abilities of the high kick...i will partially agree...however there are those who may not care and continue to attack should the kick not knock them down, off balance, or out. These usually aren't the smartest group of individuals...but that doesn't matter to them, it is good to be ready for many situations in a street fight.

[Thai Bri]

Groin kicks are potentially a fight stopper. But they are often over rated I suppose.