would you kick in a real fight

[cfr]

So I was in class the other day doing kicking drills. I do a front push kick to my opponents groin/ stomach area. He downward parries my foot as it comes in. On the way down my foot lands halfway on his foot. I loose my footing because of this and wind up on the ground with my opp still standing. Now Im a fairly decent kicker but Ive never really thought about the risks involved with it. I dont mean the obvious risks with jumping/ flashy kicks, but risks with even low, push/ round kick types. Whats your take on kicking in a real SD scenario?

 

[Cthulhu]

That will vary from person to person. I know of one person who, in a real self defense situation, defended himself against an attacker with at least one spin kick and one jump kick. At the time, he didn't recall what he had done in the heat of the moment, but the person he was protecting recapped the incident for him.

Just this morning I worked out with someone who is a very good, very deceptive kicker. Furthermore, he is very good at maintaining his center. Case in point: this morning I watched him as he worked on some footwork/striking drills on some tires. He stepped onto a mat that slid out from under him. Not only did he not lose his balance and footing, but he kept on with his drill as if nothing had happened. People with that kind of balance and control of their center generally have no problems using kicks effectively.

Work on maintaining your center dynamically. If you can improve that, then coming down on your opponent's foot will be less likely to throw you off balance and may give you more confidence with your kicks.

Cthulhu

 

[tshadowchaser]

low kicks seem to be preferred in most fights. I sure would not be kicking to the head of someone , unless I was verry quick and good at it.

 

[Mithios]

I have used kick's in s.d. situation's many a time. the thing is a person has to train them till they can do them without even thinking about it.They must be second nature. Mithios

 

[Robbo]

I guess in a perfect world you could have gone with the motion and stomped his foot.

Hindsight is 20/20, but still something to think about.

Rob

P.S. Remeber what happened when Bill Wallace got his lead leg swept, he'd go with the motion and pop the guy with a hook kick to the head.

 

[MJS]

Originally posted by cfr
So I was in class the other day doing kicking drills. I do a front push kick to my opponents groin/ stomach area. He downward parries my foot as it comes in. On the way down my foot lands halfway on his foot. I loose my footing because of this and wind up on the ground with my opp still standing. Now Im a fairly decent kicker but Ive never really thought about the risks involved with it. I dont mean the obvious risks with jumping/ flashy kicks, but risks with even low, push/ round kick types. Whats your take on kicking in a real SD scenario?

A few things you might try. Maybe you have already done them. Try kicking with the front leg. While it wont be as powerful as the rear, it'll be closer and quicker! You mentioned landing on his foot? I've worked out with a friend who has studied Silat. He is constantly doing a foot trap, and it is me that is doing the falling, not him!LOL!

I'm not a fan of high kicks or spinning kicks. Not to say that they wont work, but unless you are doing a spinning kick quickly, and w/o telegraphing it, there is a very good chance that it wont work.

You might try setting up your opp. with some hand strikes and then follow up with the kicks.

Just a thought.

Mike

 

[cfr]

Originally posted by Robbo
I guess in a perfect world you could have gone with the motion and stomped his foot.

Sounds good but I had didnt realize I was landing on it till it was happening and I was on the way down. I guess that would make it a perfect world scenario.

 

[bob919]

i would only do
straight kicks (wing chun style) to knees and shins

and thai round kicks to thighs

higher kicks can be used but i personally wouldn't diever kicks higher than the upper thigh

 

[Disco]

So I was in class the other day doing kicking drills. I do a front push kick to my opponents groin/ stomach area. He downward parries my foot as it comes in.

Two major points of contention. 1) A push kick is a defensive move. It can be very effective however if it is done with full authority, which I doubt you did because it was class and you had no intention of hurting your training partner.

2) Your partner is trained and is excepting these types of actions. In the street, given that the other guy has no clue to what your capable of and whatever you do will be done with hopefully full power, your success ratio is very high.

I have watched a number of UFC, K-1 and such, with fully hard core trained fighters, get stopped with kicks to the arms (breaking the forearm), to the lower thigh - above the knee, forcing the fighter to go to the ground and unable to continue. Groin shots also - by accident, force a time out in the fight. These guys are waring protection and it still stops them.

Doing any technique half way or restricted invites failure and with it doubts. Go do the same drills with full padding and really go for the full technique and see what happens, even with a trained partner. You may be pleasently surprised.

Training is only as good as the fighter makes it and the fighter is only as good as the training he uses. Kind of a catch 22............

 

[RCastillo]

Originally posted by tshadowchaser
low kicks seem to be preferred in most fights. I sure would not be kicking to the head of someone , unless I was verry quick and good at it.

Same here, plus kness are preferable as you close.(Using them):asian:

 

[MA-Caver]

I agree that low kicks are the best in real-life SD scenarios
...you're more apt to get away with them and if done hard enough and properly you can bring the attacker/opponent to their knees or to the ground. Hitting the knees is also a good way to disable your attacker.
Years ago I used to be able to do a very quick triple kick to the head, chest and stomach. Did it twice in two seperate altercations and got away with it once. The other time the guy managed to duck his head out of the way and his chest only got tapped because of the angle his body was as he moved to avoid the kick to the head, the stomach got a light whomp which only served to tick him off something fierce.
The time I did get away with it was funny because by the time my foot touched the ground again the guy realized that he got tapped three times and fairly hard. His knees buckled and he started to go down when I launched another kick that caught him in the mid-section and knocked him on his butt.
I didn't see the result afterwards because I did a 180 and ran as fast as I could.
A good effective kick (or three) should be in every MA's arsenal learning to choose the best one (for YOU) goes a long way in coming out ahead in an altercation.
:asian:

 

[hardheadjarhead]

Losing your balance like that was part of the process of learning what to watch out for in training kicks and self defense. It doesn't matter WHAT the technique is, doo doo happens. You achieved some illumination and can look out for it next time.

Disco also pointed out that you were going after a trained fighter. That's something to consider. Its also interesting going up against total novices and seeing what sort of wild stuff they pull. One broke my toe once doing an untrained, but effective, leg shield. It looked more like an attempt to stand on one leg while curling into a fetal position. It looked silly, but he did it fast and ruined my week.

Lowline kicks can be effective and I agree that they're the preferred technique (and essentially the topic of the thread). High kicks can work for the person who knows how to do them, when to do them, and who has the attributes to do them (speed, flexibility, and may we count loose jeans?).

My biggest criticism of high kicks is that high kickers fall in love with the techniques and the kicks become a crutch and a habit. They don't work for every scenario...and other methods need to be trained. Further, many of those that kick high often lose the ability to kick low (its almost like they have a default high kick setting) and sometimes struggle to get those kicks below the waist.


Regards,


Steve

 

[molson]

Many years ago I was in a fight leaving a bar. Three guys confronted myself and my girlfriend (she had a big mouth)... anyway during the scuffle, after may punches etc.. I did throw a spinning back kick to the body that was very successful at stopping the fight. It was not planned and just happend.

 

[Gotkenpo?]

i've only kicked people when they are down. So yes, i kick in fights.

 

[Rich Parsons]

I have kicked in fights and would kick in fights.

Why? When you have one bad guy tied up with one arm and another bad guy with another bad guy and the third comes in, then I use what is available to defend myself. I have at least one foot left to use. I have used a two fooot kick before, expecting all of us to hit the ground. We did. So, it all depends upon the situation, yet I would and have.

 

[Cruentus]

Originally posted by Rich Parsons
I have kicked in fights and would kick in fights.

So, it all depends upon the situation, yet I would and have.

Me too.

 

[2fisted]

Generally I like to end techniques with a kick. Like if there's a combination, the last technique would be a kick. I've never felt comfortable starting with one.

 

[7starmantis]

I've never felt real comfortable starting with a kick either, but if the situation presented itself, I would take it.

In mantis, we do alot of kicks simultaneously with breaks or punches, so I do alot of low knee type kicks. I have used them in a self defense situation before and they worked wonderfully, just make sure you do them correctly, as adrenaline and everything else can really make you hurt yourself if not careful.

7sm

 

[Mike]

I would use kicks. I have long legs and I like to kick. No super high kicks, rarely spinning kicks, mostly front, roundhouse or sidekicks to the ribs/solar plexus/chest area. My legs offer me the ability to strike hard AND maintain distance.

 

[Eldritch Knight]

I think a roundhouse or a sidekick to the face would (despite its audacity) be a good technique to start out with if you simply wanted to scare your opponent away. People tend to lose morale when whacked in the face - especially as hard as a kick can deliver.