Application of Mikazuki Geri/Crescent Kick

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

Posting this in the general forum because I believe the kick is seen in multiple disciplines.

What are some practical applications of the kick. Recently I replied to a post where I had always assumed that spinning kicks were flashy and useless, until one was used on me, and I discovered how useful they actually are. Curious about crescent kicks
I have in the past used them as a set up, but that doesn't work too well, as some people will sway, others jump back, and some will just go in for a tackle if its slow enough. The only thing I've successfully used it for is a way to stop someone that's intending to invade, but just wondering if there was any other application that people have successfully used the kick.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Crescent kick is useful for intercepting and redirecting incoming kicks if caught early enough. In this case, the crescent kick is not fully developed, but the movement is there. Knee comes up, foot chambers for the kick, but the movement of the hips and body are to redirect the incoming strike, not to kick the opponent. Seen in Isshinryu Wansu kata.

 

[Buka]

Are we talking an inside crescent kick, an outside crescent kick or a spinning crescent kick?

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

I'm referring specifically to an outside crescent kick, but the question could be applied to all three

 

[JP3]

I've used the crescent kick from outside to inside, over a trapped arm, as a take-down. Tricky but nasty. For sparring-only purpose, I've used a inside-to-outside crescent kick in combination (same leg up, thus sparring only) round kick. I'd use the crescent a couple times in a sparring session, then alter the kick in mid-go and turn it into an axe kick, instead. Again, nifty only for point-sparring fun and games.
To be completely forthright, it is not even in my self-defense thought process, but most of my fancy TKD-type kicks are missing from that catalog, too.

 

[paitingman]

I use outside to inside primarily on the furthest edges of grappling range.
Sort of just starting to get closer than punching range, where grappling and close quarters begins.
Usually over:
-a trapped lead arm
or
-a lowered lead arm as they are backing out into punching range again

I will say I don't often go for this kick, but I do it more than inside to outside.
In both instances I would say I am just reacting or am going for an axe kick and modify it somewhere into a crescent kick to make it land due to a number of variables.

 

[hoshin1600]

terminology can be tricky here since the name is used for a few different kicks. when i was younger and had the flexibility i really liked to use a crescent kick to the face, it is a very close range kick but you need the flexibility. my left foot would arch to my right using a counter clock wise circle thus kicking the face or head on the persons left side..

"Billy Jack: You know what I think I'm gonna do then? Just for the hell of it?

Mr. Posner: Tell me.

Billy Jack: I'm gonna take this right foot, and I'm gonna whop you on that side of your face...

[points to Posner's right cheek]

Billy Jack: ...and you wanna know something? There's not a damn thing you're gonna be able to do about it."

for years the spinning crescent was my favorite kick and worked it on the bag day in and day out. its a great kick to use in place of a sucker punch...a sucker kick maybe? you look like your walking away then...bammmm

 

[hoshin1600]

for those that are too young or never saw the film to get the reference.

 

[ballen0351]

I've seen Walker Texas Ranger kick guns out of bad guys hands using it. I've tried it playing around and it is "possible" but I'd never try in real life.

 

[Dirty Dog]

I mentioned this application in another thread recently.
In a "closed stance" (both people with, say, the left foot forward), get their attention on your hands by a few jabs to the face, then throw an inside crescent to the back of the head. You're in close, and it's really difficult to even see the kick coming. And since it comes from behind your head, it's really hard to block.

 

[Buka]

The most interesting way I've been hit with this kick was coming straight towards me from a bastardized side stance.
I was working with a crazy Kung fu guy in New York and we were actually kickboxing. (I know, odd) He would switch from a front stance into an almost side stance and back again, being very light on his feet. Then in the switch from that almost side stance he would hop. (Like he was going to throw a hopping side kick) He would turn his hip out like one of those inverted roundhouse kicks you sometime see - into a hopping outside crescent. But the kick isn't going from one side to the other, it's more like a barrel hoop rolling straight at you over your hands and down. Not down like an axe kick, but down on more of an round arc. It went over my guard, smashed my face and the momentum of the downward force of the hop just knocked my *** down. It was pretty awesome.

He worked on it with me later in the day and I adopted that puppy. You might think your leg could get caught in their arms if the kick was short, but it never does. I threw it for twenty years and I'm not very strong, it just blasts through the hands even on heavyweights. I never threw it more than once in any sparring, just when I felt like surprising my opponent.

You guys with young legs and good kick skills should give it a whirl, it's a great way to knock someone down. And even if you miss you always land in stance.

 

[Gnarlie]

The most interesting way I've been hit with this kick was coming straight towards me from a bastardized side stance.
I was working with a crazy Kung fu guy in New York and we were actually kickboxing. (I know, odd) He would switch from a front stance into an almost side stance and back again, being very light on his feet. Then in the switch from that almost side stance he would hop. (Like he was going to throw a hopping side kick) He would turn his hip out like one of those inverted roundhouse kicks you sometime see - into a hopping outside crescent. But the kick isn't going from one side to the other, it's more like a barrel hoop rolling straight at you over your hands and down. Not down like an axe kick, but down on more of an round arc. It went over my guard, smashed my face and the momentum of the downward force of the hop just knocked my *** down. It was pretty awesome.

He worked on it with me later in the day and I adopted that puppy. You might think your leg could get caught in their arms if the kick was short, but it never does. I threw it for twenty years and I'm not very strong, it just blasts through the hands even on heavyweights. I never threw it more than once in any sparring, just when I felt like surprising my opponent.

You guys with young legs and good kick skills should give it a whirl, it's a great way to knock someone down. And even if you miss you always land in stance.

That's one of my favourite kicks. Best surprise factor is to sneak it up over the front shoulder from a closed stance, although this leaves one open to a horrendous back kick counter if the opponent sees it coming (one of my other faves). Best kept for special occasions.

I also enjoy throwing crescent after a sidestep. Step out to 90 degrees with the front leg from a closed stance, maybe after a roundhouse, then follow up with inside crescent to the front of the oppo's face. Stay close, and it is very hard to see coming.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

The most interesting way I've been hit with this kick was coming straight towards me from a bastardized side stance.
I was working with a crazy Kung fu guy in New York and we were actually kickboxing. (I know, odd) He would switch from a front stance into an almost side stance and back again, being very light on his feet. Then in the switch from that almost side stance he would hop. (Like he was going to throw a hopping side kick) He would turn his hip out like one of those inverted roundhouse kicks you sometime see - into a hopping outside crescent. But the kick isn't going from one side to the other, it's more like a barrel hoop rolling straight at you over your hands and down. Not down like an axe kick, but down on more of an round arc. It went over my guard, smashed my face and the momentum of the downward force of the hop just knocked my *** down. It was pretty awesome.

He worked on it with me later in the day and I adopted that puppy. You might think your leg could get caught in their arms if the kick was short, but it never does. I threw it for twenty years and I'm not very strong, it just blasts through the hands even on heavyweights. I never threw it more than once in any sparring, just when I felt like surprising my opponent.

You guys with young legs and good kick skills should give it a whirl, it's a great way to knock someone down. And even if you miss you always land in stance.

Any chance that you have a video of you doing this? I want to try it but tough to tell if I'm understanding it right based on text.

 

[RTKDCMB]

Applications:

Blocking attacks.
Knocking a weapon out of your attackers hand.
Knocking someone's head off.
Sweep the leg Johnny.
Closing doors.
Killing bugs.
Disguising Axe kicks.
Warm up exercise.
Leading into a jump spinning Crescent kick (540)
There is also a version for a downed opponent.