Side Kicks - nasty sons o' guns!

[Buka]

Do any of you love and respect the side kick as much as I do? True, I love most kicks, always have, always will, but a good side kick is a game changer. I have been hit by every conceivable kick from probably every art, but nothing quite feels like getting tagged with a well thrown side kick.

Those who don't really study and train kicks will never have a tactical understanding of how they can be used. But for a kicker - oh, man.

Do you guys do a lot of training with side kicks? Just in class or on your own in addition to class?

 

[Gorilla]

All the different variations of ths side kick are very useful!

 

[skribs]

It's my go-to pushing kick, either a quick one or a step-behind one depending on the situation.

I tend to hit harder with the back kick, but I also tend to have a better target with the back kick as well. I actually think that while back kick is harder to learn the basic motion, side kick is harder to perfect.

 

[tshadowchaser]

Love the side kick. It was always one of the most basic kicks and used to be used in tournament all the time to punish opponents. If you want to move someone this is the kick.
As a cocky young and very new black belt I was sparring a new student in class and let one through because "he just could not have enough coordination and strength to hurt me" and to give him some confidence in his ability to kick. Well i ended up with a couple broken ribs.

 

[tshadowchaser]

I prefer a stepping side kick. one that has the rear foot stepping behind the front . I also prefer more thrust than snap in the kick. snapping kicks can be blocked with an instep thrust kicks rarely are blocked by another foot

 

[Tony Dismukes]

I don't use the side kick so much these days because my preferred fighting stances don't favor it. Even so, I find ways to slip one in every now and then.

 

[Buka]

Bill Wallace always used to say - "Teach any new student a side kick and they'll usually throw a nice hook kick instead, because the pull back or re-chamber always flops the foreleg back towards their butt."

Like Tony Said about a preferred stance, my stance has changed over the years and the one I use now doesn't really favor the sidekick. But every now and then I'll get into a stance specifically to throw a side kick. I know that's a no-no, but I don't care.

I really love a defensive side kick. It's been my bread and butter for a long time. Sparring, competing, self defense, no matter, love that kick and it's served me well. I've also found that a defensive side kick is an easy kick to drill with intermediate students, and one that improves (at least reaction wise) very quickly.

I've always taught a step up side kick the three basic ways - cross behind, cross in front, just bring the feet together, and have students drill them all to see what they like best. Or rather, what works for them best, not really "like". Most go with the step behind - which I think utilizes your glutes better.
Then there's the hopping side kick. Love that baby. There was always a sign in my dojo -

"The best way to get rid of an enemy is to make him a friend.
If that doesn't work - try a hopping side kick."

 

[Buka]

It's my go-to pushing kick, either a quick one or a step-behind one depending on the situation.

I tend to hit harder with the back kick, but I also tend to have a better target with the back kick as well. I actually think that while back kick is harder to learn the basic motion, side kick is harder to perfect.

True dat!

 

[seasoned]

In my tournament days the side kick was one of my go to kicks following a high round house. With my left foot forward and their left foot forward I would fire my rear round house to their head hoping they would block while slightly moving back giving my right side kick room to slip under their lead left arm.
I remember on one occasion they got their left arm down just in time to deflect my side kick away from their ribs and down into their left hip. I was somewhat amazed as they were knocked off their feet and subsequently carried off the floor unable to walk.
These days that same side kick is now used low into a knee from a close in stance.
I love the side kick because it is good for young and old alike.

 

[Gwai Lo Dan]

Do any of you love and respect the side kick as much as I do??

Are you talking about front leg or rear leg? Do you find that you can do the rear leg side-kick quick enough to land it?

 

[Buka]

Are you talking about front leg or rear leg? Do you find that you can do the rear leg side-kick quick enough to land it?

I was talking about the front leg. The only rear leg side kicks I ever utilized were with a slide of the base foot in mid kick. It became more of a pushing side kick, but it worked well with guys who liked stepping back. (runners, we used to call them) It especially worked well that way because if they were already going backwards - they really went backwards.

But I love all kinds of side kicks. I just do.

 

[Gwai Lo Dan]

The only rear leg side kicks I ever utilized were with a slide of the base foot in mid kick.

Funny, I was playing with that just this afternoon.

 

[PhotonGuy]

Do any of you love and respect the side kick as much as I do? True, I love most kicks, always have, always will, but a good side kick is a game changer. I have been hit by every conceivable kick from probably every art, but nothing quite feels like getting tagged with a well thrown side kick.

Those who don't really study and train kicks will never have a tactical understanding of how they can be used. But for a kicker - oh, man.

Do you guys do a lot of training with side kicks? Just in class or on your own in addition to class?

Heck yes. With a good sidekick you can knock somebody into infinity!

 

[Buka]

Funny, I was playing with that just this afternoon.

Lot of fun, isn't it? I remember when I first played with it. Tried to go a little too far - went down in a heap. I used to do that a lot.

 

[Timmy]

Do any of you love and respect the side kick as much as I do? True, I love most kicks, always have, always will, but a good side kick is a game changer. I have been hit by every conceivable kick from probably every art, but nothing quite feels like getting tagged with a well thrown side kick.

Those who don't really study and train kicks will never have a tactical understanding of how they can be used. But for a kicker - oh, man.

Do you guys do a lot of training with side kicks? Just in class or on your own in addition to class?

Its an overrated kick.

Its like a powerful push kick or teep. Its pushy and feels strong, but it lacks the KO power round kicks etc have.

If you think its a game changer you probably dont have much experience fighting or are fighting poor fighters.

Good to have in the arsenal? Possibly yes

Effective and worth mastering? No

See Cung Lee use it in MMA it does NOTHING, see Anderson Silva and Bones Jones use it NOTHING see many others use it, it doesn't snap legs unless the person doesn't know how to bend their knees.

Its a rubbish kick imo and I have it down real well.

Bill Wallace would get beat badly against modern Kickboxers and Thai fighters, I wouldnt pay too much attention to him, the game has changed and improved alot since then.

The turning side kick on the other hand well thats a different story, a different animal, its a high risk high reward kick. Whether you should use it is debatable, more intelligent fighters tend to not use it and rely more on conservative techniques.

 

[Buka]

If you think its a game changer you probably dont have much experience fighting or are fighting poor fighters.

I don't mean to jump on you here, just wanted you to know. I've been fighting for forty years. Competitively and professionally, at all levels. Grew up in the projects and had a career in law enforcement. I've probably been in more encounters than you've likely seen yet. As for "fighting poor fighters", naw. In stand up my trainers were Wallace, Lewis, Blanks and some others who you probably don't know of but were at that level. My grappling instructor was Rickson Gracie, but I've also trained at Relson's house. I also spent a great deal of my mis-spent youth in boxing gyms.

The turning sidekick really isn't a fighters kick. I don't think I've ever seen it land in any kind of fight, anywhere, ever...unless it's a sliding kick, but then it becomes a push more than a kick. But the way you are describing it, and with the examples you've stated, apply to MMA. To me, it's not a viable kick in MMA. But that's not what I was talking about.

In your opinion it's a rubbish kick and you have it down real well. I beg to differ, sir, me thinks you do not. And I'm reckoning you ain't even close. At least not yet.

 

[Timmy]

I don't mean to jump on you here, just wanted you to know. I've been fighting for forty years. Competitively and professionally, at all levels. Grew up in the projects and had a career in law enforcement. I've probably been in more encounters than you've likely seen yet. As for "fighting poor fighters", naw. In stand up my trainers were Wallace, Lewis, Blanks and some others who you probably don't know of but were at that level. My grappling instructor was Rickson Gracie, but I've also trained at Relson's house. I also spent a great deal of my mis-spent youth in boxing gyms.

The turning sidekick really isn't a fighters kick. I don't think I've ever seen it land in any kind of fight, anywhere, ever...unless it's a sliding kick, but then it becomes a push more than a kick. But the way you are describing it, and with the examples you've stated, apply to MMA. To me, it's not a viable kick in MMA. But that's not what I was talking about.

In your opinion it's a rubbish kick and you have it down real well. I beg to differ, sir, me thinks you do not. And I'm reckoning you ain't even close. At least not yet.

People land the turning side kick quite often, you said it isnt a fighters kick, well it is used alot by fighters, and causes a fair amount of body shot knockouts, go check out cung le's highlight if you want.

You could post yourself throwing the side kick on a heavy bag if you have the courage to post yourself online (you dont have to show your face so as to keep it anonymous )

 

[Buka]

People land the turning side kick quite often, you said it isnt a fighters kick, well it is used alot by fighters, and causes a fair amount of body shot knockouts, go check out cung le's highlight if you want.

You could post yourself throwing the side kick on a heavy bag if you have the courage to post yourself online (you dont have to show your face so as to keep it anonymous )

We seem to be talking about apples and oranges, probably my fault. Cung Le's kicks are what we always used to call back kicks, or turning back kicks, or spinning back kicks. What I thought you were referring to is what we used to be called a quarter turn side kick - if you were in a frontal stance and instead of throwing a real leg round kick, you make it a side kick. I've never seen on land, yet.

As for the rest of what you said, I have to admit, it's making me hungry. I should probably have some cookies.

 

[Timmy]

We seem to be talking about apples and oranges, probably my fault. Cung Le's kicks are what we always used to call back kicks, or turning back kicks, or spinning back kicks. What I thought you were referring to is what we used to be called a quarter turn side kick - if you were in a frontal stance and instead of throwing a real leg round kick, you make it a side kick. I've never seen on land, yet.

As for the rest of what you said, I have to admit, it's making me hungry. I should probably have some cookies.

Why did you think I meant a kick that nobody in the fight game currently uses?

 

[Buka]

The thread is about side kicks, not about kicks in the fight game. Especially not about kicks in MMA.