Question about Low Kicking

[TOMTKD]

Since I don't learn anything about them in TKD I have a question about Low Kicks.
When I look at MA video clips I often see people fall down when one uses a low kick.
But I don't know how and where you should kick someone if you want him to fall.
I thought just trowing a roundhouse kick at someones leg would let him fall but that doesn't work.
In a video of "zerografity" I saw one using a low side kick, and his opponent hit the ground, but I'm not sure if it was just acted or not.
Can anyone inform me about this ?

 

[Robbo]

On the outside of the upper thigh is a sweet spot to put a roundhouse kick using the shin to strike with.

If your opponent is standing normally in front of you, hit halfway bewteen his hip and knee on a 45 deg angle between the front and side of the thigh. Practise LIGHTLY with a partner and it will not take you long to find the spot.

Basically it is a glorified charlie horse. But if you nail it the person will go down.

The reason I like this one is that it is not as permantly damaging as taking a knee out or some sort of hyperextension/sprain movements that could be done.

That's just one spot to hit, I'm sure guys on here with extensive leg kicking experiance will chime in.

Rob

 

[Seig]

If you are simnply trying to knock someone down with a low kick the above mentioned round does work well. As I like to humiliate anyone foolish enough to attack me or mine, I instead kick to the inside of thigh, but a little higher up. This not only offsets the center of gravity, but it also opens up the centerline, allowing me free reign with my hands.

 

[MJS]

Both the inside and outside are excellent spots for the RH kick. You want to make sure that you are not throwing the traditional RH kick though. What I mean by this. Most traditional kicks are done with a snappy motion, not really using much of the hip. This is fine for point sparring. Throwing the Muay Thai style RH kick, with much more of the hip into it, will get your desired results. You really want to drive forward with this kick.

Mike

 

[bob919]

a straight kick ala wing chun to the fornt of the knee will usually make them fall face down quick or break their knee
wither way means you win

 

[oldnewbie]

What about a snap kick to the shin? Wouldn't that at least put them on one foot?

 

[bob919]

Originally posted by bob919
a straight kick ala wing chun to the fornt of the knee will usually make them fall face down quick or break their knee
wither way means you win

oir if your a real bastard you can slide the snap kick up hois shin and kick the bottom of his knee cap
he will not be standing after that

 

[Brother John]

Originally posted by oldnewbie
What about a snap kick to the shin? Wouldn't that at least put them on one foot?

I tend to find that a kick to the shin works on some people and not on others.
One of my students it would merely be a slight distraction, another would be rolling on the ground. Not especially because of difference in pain tollerance, just a different level of sensitivity in the lower legs.

Your Brother
John

 

[Zepp]

For self-defense purposes, I'd say go for the sides of the knee, or even settle for the front of the knee if they're not making the side vunerable. A roudhouse kick or front kick can both work, but if you have the time, a sidekick to the knee can be particularly devastating.

For sparring or sport, assuming the rules allow it, a roundhouse to the parts of the thigh that have already been mentioned is a nice technique.

Another low technique worth knowing is a stomp to the arch of your opponent's foot. But in sparring, since you probably want to remain friends with your partner, you could change it to just using your foot to hold their foot in place. I like to do this sometimes when my sparring partner is backpedaling because it tends to surprise them and open them up for some hand techniques to the head.

If your school doesn't allow low kicks in sparring, you can always practice targeting them on a bag.

 

[SenseiBear]

Originally posted by oldnewbie
What about a snap kick to the shin? Wouldn't that at least put them on one foot?

Ten years ago I used a snap front kick to the shin as part of a knife disarm, and promptly "snapped" the ball of my foot in half.

 

[bob919]

i personaly only practice kicking with shoes on cause i dont go around with bare feet.

the shin is a sharp strong bone it is highly unlikely that you will actually damage the bone the thing that causes the pain is the striking of the nerve therefore with some people it may hurt like hell and others will be fine. for example you wouldn't try it on a seasoned thai boxer

 

[theletch1]

for example you wouldn't try it on a seasoned thai boxer

I doubt that a seasoned thai boxer would even notice the kick.

Most traditional kicks are done with a snappy motion, not really using much of the hip

Yes, the traditional kick is chambered and then snapped out from the knee while a muy thai kick comes straight up from the ground using plenty of hip torque.

 

[Zepp]

Originally posted by MJS
You want to make sure that you are not throwing the traditional RH kick though. What I mean by this. Most traditional kicks are done with a snappy motion, not really using much of the hip.

I missed this statement the first time around. And I disagree completely. A proper roudhouse kick, whether it's what you call "traditional" or not, is driven through with the hip. Otherwise, it's not a kick, just a love-tap with the foot. The snappy motion is just one part of it.

 

[Cthulhu]

Generally, I only use a quick kick to the shin as a distraction or bait; even then, the kick is targeted to the inside of the shin. Stomps to the top of the foot are also nice.

Cthulhu

 

[MJS]

Originally posted by Zepp
I missed this statement the first time around. And I disagree completely. A proper roudhouse kick, whether it's what you call "traditional" or not, is driven through with the hip. Otherwise, it's not a kick, just a love-tap with the foot. The snappy motion is just one part of it.

Let me explain again. I'll try to go more in-depth this time. There are 4 parts to a kick.

1- Chamber

2- The actual delivery of the kick

3- Return to chamber

4- Placing your foot back down

When throwing a RH or side kick, yes, of course you need to turn your hip. Otherwise, you risk injuring the supporting leg, because its not turning. The actual kick is delivered with a snapping motion. If you watch a Muay Thai fighter kick, they are pushing their hip forward first, and then kicking. The kick is driven forward into the intended target, not snapped back to the chamber position (position 3) Watch any of the NHB fights and you will see this. The same can be said for a front kick. The MT fighter leads with the hips first.

I, as well as my instructor, have done both kicks on pads, and you can greatly feel a difference.

I hope this explains myself a little more. If not, I'd be more than happy to discuss it further.

Mike

 

[Pacificshore]

You can also throw the round kick low enough behind the back of the leg(s) that it becomes more of a sweep, which in turns takes down your opponent.:asian:

 

[takadadojokeith]

In my experience, most people who go down from low kicks don't go down from just one. You torque hard and hit with your shin on the inside or outside of the thigh...and you do it until the guy's legs are so beat up he can't stand on them anymore.

If you want to learn how to do it, find a heavy bag and kick it at about thigh-level for three rounds (3 minutes each with a minute break in between each round) to start.

 

[MJS]

Originally posted by takadadojokeith
In my experience, most people who go down from low kicks don't go down from just one. You torque hard and hit with your shin on the inside or outside of the thigh...and you do it until the guy's legs are so beat up he can't stand on them anymore.

If you want to learn how to do it, find a heavy bag and kick it at about thigh-level for three rounds (3 minutes each with a minute break in between each round) to start.

A good example of this would be UFC 7. Marco Ruas was the first fighter that really made this work against Paul Varelans. After repeated kicks, Paul couldnt stand any longer, went to the mat, and Ruas finished him with punches.

Mike