Sparring tonight, I kicked a guy below his red belt.

[TKDinAK]

Me being a yellow belt... I don't have a heck of a lot in the tool box for sparring. I have learned many kicks, and practice them in drills, but just don't feel comfortable using them in a sparring session... yet. So... I get tired/bored of side & turning kicks. Plus.... because of my limited selection of kicks, and being pathetically slow, it's easy for the higher belts to see what's coming and pretty much everything gets blocked. My punches get through at times, but I want to kick.

So... I figured he'd never expect me to try a spinning side kick. I set it up with feinting a turning kick, and spun as fast as I could, and couldn't believe when I felt it connect something other than a glove! Then, he doubled over. Crap, I felt horrible. He shook it off real quick, and didn't seem to have any ill effects when we returned to sparring... but I just felt so bad. Still do, hours later. I can actually do this kick at head level... not sure why I went so low.

My instructor told me that it was a good kick to try... I just need to get my head around quicker to help acquire a target, and obviously get my kick up higher. He also said not to worry too much about the low blow (he knows I'm taking it seriously), that I was sure to be the recipient of such mishaps as my sparring continues.

My sparring partner was very cool about it after class. Even gave me some pointers on my back kick during open floor. But I sure don't like that I did that... will do my best to make sure it doesn't happen again.

 

[Darksoul]

-Thats what I call a good learning experience. For both of you. You learn what you need to work on, he learns to defend better. Haha.

Andrew

 

[Cyriacus]

Learn from your mistake - The other person is obviously higher ranked, and therefore more experienced, both as you mentioned; Hed understand that it was an error.

I will say this though - Looking around and sighting your target is more important than youll even believe until your actually doing it.

Anyway, best of luck my good man!

 

[d1jinx]

there are a few on this site that will tell you it was OK cause they teach REAL taekwondo for the streets and to save your life and not that sport/soft crap...

but seriously, it happens. we have all done it Unintentionally at one point or another, regardless of rank. it happens.

 

[oftheherd1]

As all above have said, things happen. People inadvertantly strike where they didn't intend, people fail to block even when it should be easy. Let it go now.

But do practice your technique. As mentioned, getting your head around to acquire your target is important. You need to know where you are going to strike and where it will land when you start your kick. You need to get your head around because your opponent will move or block/grab you. Keep up your practice and you will keep getting better.

 

[Thesemindz]

Don't worry. It was ok cause I teach REAL kenpo for the streets and to save your life and not that sport/soft crap.

Just kidding.

But seriously, in my school we do teach self defense and groin is a target. Just last night I took a hard knee to the groin that had me doubled over and leaning against the wall for a moment. It happens. Even in schools where it isn't a legal target, groin strikes will happen. They happen in the UFC, where it isn't a legal target. They happen in Boxing, where it isn't even close to a legal target area. That's the nature of combat, even when it's combat sports.

Don't be too hard on yourself. We all except certain risks when we step on the training floor. One is the risk that we might get injured. Another is the risk that we might injure someone else. That's just part of what we do. Your seniors know it. They've been on both sides of that coin. You will be too.

Dave Lowry wrote a great essay on this that I share with my students. You can find the appropriate excerpt from it at our school blog here.

http://dunhamsmartialarts.blogspot.com/2011/02/sumimasen-daijobu-desu-ka.html

Essentially, when you hurt a training partner the correct response is, "My fault. You okay?" If they aren't ok, you administer the appropriate medical aid or call the appropriate medical professional. If they are ok, you get back to training.

You'll get kicked in the groin more than once. Hopefully you're training with the appropriate safety equipment. If you aren't wearing a groin guard already, you should start. The reproductive organs are too important to not properly protect them during training. You'll also kick other people in the groin again. More than once. It happens. You both take a deep breath and get on with class.

You're instructor was right about getting your head around. Practice just the spin, without the kick, and lead with your head. Not only will you be more accurate when you can see what you're aiming at, but getting your head around first instead of having it lag behind the rest of your body will help with your balance and speed.

Good luck. Keep training.


-Rob

 

[Touch Of Death]

Me being a yellow belt... I don't have a heck of a lot in the tool box for sparring. I have learned many kicks, and practice them in drills, but just don't feel comfortable using them in a sparring session... yet. So... I get tired/bored of side & turning kicks. Plus.... because of my limited selection of kicks, and being pathetically slow, it's easy for the higher belts to see what's coming and pretty much everything gets blocked. My punches get through at times, but I want to kick.

So... I figured he'd never expect me to try a spinning side kick. I set it up with feinting a turning kick, and spun as fast as I could, and couldn't believe when I felt it connect something other than a glove! Then, he doubled over. Crap, I felt horrible. He shook it off real quick, and didn't seem to have any ill effects when we returned to sparring... but I just felt so bad. Still do, hours later. I can actually do this kick at head level... not sure why I went so low.

My instructor told me that it was a good kick to try... I just need to get my head around quicker to help acquire a target, and obviously get my kick up higher. He also said not to worry too much about the low blow (he knows I'm taking it seriously), that I was sure to be the recipient of such mishaps as my sparring continues.

My sparring partner was very cool about it after class. Even gave me some pointers on my back kick during open floor. But I sure don't like that I did that... will do my best to make sure it doesn't happen again.

I think you should consider it the first in a very long line of groin kicks, but thats just me.

 

[sfs982000]

I had a similar incident happen to me a few weeks back when I was sparring against one of our black belts (I'm currently a blue belt). I accidentally kicked him the groin, he shook it off quick enough, but then a few moments later he accidentally got me back I look at it this way accidental groin strike are going to happen in sparring, just thank God for protective cups

 

[Thesemindz]

In our school we say that there are two ways to get hit on the street.

1. On purpose.
2. On accident.

If you are training with self defense in mind, even if it's ancillary to your sport training, it's a valuable lesson. You probably meant to hit the guy in the gut, but instead you crushed his groin. The same thing could happen to you. Even in the ring. So you better protect yourself, regardless of the ruleset.


-Rob

 

[tshadowchaser]

I think the others have said it before: it happens from time to time. It is a learning experence for both of you. You now have some pointers on how to do the kick better and maybee correctly, Your partner should have expected anything from you and I'm sure he knew ahead of time that your control and aim might be off. You both know it was a good kick even if it was off the intended target. Keep practicing one day it will land where you want it to

 

[TKDinAK]

Thanks for that article, Rob. Excellent read.

Looking back on how I responded after I slammed my heel into his nads, I think it went something like this, "Oh, man! You alright? I'm so sorry." In just a couple of seconds, he nodded his head and got back into his fighting stance. I said, "You sure?". He nodded, smiling. We resumed with the same energy level as before the incident. I was NOT going to try that kick again during that session, and quite frankly, the thought briefly crossed my mind that I probably would not try it again for some time. But that didn't last long. Watching the higher levels spar each other, many use it a lot... and it can score a lot. I just need to practice it more. Get on the bags and work on getting my head around... then finding a spot on the bag and trying to hit it consistently.

There's so much to work on... I just have to laugh sometimes.

Appreciate the input.

 

[Thesemindz]

There's always going to be a lot to work on. That never changes, no matter how good you get. That's just the nature of karate.As far as the kick is concerned, I always have my students work on basics in this order, Form, Accuracy, Speed, Power. Speed and power can only come from form and accuracy. It never works the other way. Break it down to it's component pieces, the spin and the kick. Then break those down into simpler steps. Practice each component slowly in the air and on the bag for proper form and accuracy. As you improve, speed and power will develop naturally.Good luck!-Rob

 

[StudentCarl]

Don't sweat it, but keep working so you hit where you mean to. You don't want to become known as somebody who kicks low regularly. The other thing to help you keep it in perspective is that you'll get kicked there too...it all evens out.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Lesson 1: Always wear a cup.
Lesson 2: No blind techniques. If you cannot see what your target it, you should not be kicking it. I presume that is true in TKD, it's true in my discipline.
Lesson 3: As others mentioned; it has happened before and it will happen again. Continue to practice and get better.

 

[Kacey]

Like everyone else, I have to say groin kicks happen. Juniors just learning to spar are dangerous because they lack control and are generally not predictable, because they are still feeling their way (so to speak) into what they're doing in sparring. If you hit a senior... then you taught the senior a valuable lesson about where he's open to attack. Don't worry about it.

 

[jda]

Don't sweat it. It will happen many more times before you are through. I took a spinning heel kick to the groin delivered by a 4th dan. Accidents happen (at least I think it was an accident!). Head first, foot last. You need to be able to see your target in order to hit it.
Jim

 

[granfire]

LOL, as the others said, it happens.
(now, I have let a BB flunk his rank test because the kids could just not keep his kicks up, but that's a different story)

I can normally kick high, but my opponent moved and I got hims square in the jewels...now, I would have been in a lot of water with all the ladies in the school if I had done any type of damage there!
But yes, wear the dang cup and practice.

(I can forgive most mishaps, a punch in the nose, mouthfull of foot, or a low kick, if it's accompanied with a heartfelt 'sorry'
When i feel it's cockiness doing the fighting, I get pretty angry)

 

[Touch Of Death]

I would like to point out that forcing people not to kick you in the groin, with rules and what not, will create an atmosphere where you aren't worried about getting kicked in the groin, and when it does happen you feel some right to get all emotional about it. That is no attitude to have on the street. I am just saying.:rules::barf:

 

[Thesemindz]

Aint no rules on the street.


-Rob

 

[Cyriacus]

^^ Im glad those two were predicted. Unless, they were playing in-to the prediction