Our feature ASK THE EXPERT covers a key self defence topic you’ve asked us about.
QUESTION: ‘How can I kick someone with the best chance of successfully landing the kick?’
There are several elements you need to consider when answering this question. We will look at them in sequential order. In this case, we’re looking at a front, groin or diagonal type of kick where you’re facing the opponent.
PREPARE YOURSELF
Firstly, simple physics dictate that the energy you put into a kick will increase with the speed of the limb. Just like a one-ton car will do little or no damage to you if hitting you at 1mph, the same car will seriously injure or kill you at 30 or 40mph. Ergo, creating acceleration with your kicking leg is paramount. It’s also what can determine the surprise. Train to become flexible and supple. This will greatly enhance the speed of your kicks. Loose, mobile muscles move much faster than rigid, tense ones. For power, think speed. For speed, think mobility.
FIND THE RIGHT DISTANCE
Secondly, for a kick to be a surprise, it must be executed from the appropriate distance. Too far away, and you are forced to make a long (and telegraphic) step to get onto the right range to kick from. This gives an opponent the time to evade or counter with their own defences. The right distance to kick from is where you could reach the opponent with a short, sharp step forward and with the outstretched leg to reach beyond the target point on their body. Anything further away is just dead time and helpful to the person you’re striking against. Kick from a distance where you can nearly connect your leg with the opponent. The short step will ensure you kick ‘beyond’ the target and give you more momentum and speed.
RELEASE THE LEG
Thirdly, to freely strike with a leg, it must be released from any body weight upon it. When you stand or move, there will be a fairly equal weight distribution between your legs. You need to put 100% of the weight onto the base leg, leaving the kicking leg fully mobile to strike. Making a short, sharp, stomping kind of step forward (very close to your other leg) placing the foot closer to your body’s centreline to help the mass momentum travelling straight forward towards the target, will release the kicking leg quickly (for front and groin kicks). Remember, the faster your can shift the weight onto the base leg, the faster you can initiate the kick itself. Don’t make the forward step ‘lazy’, make it fast and determined.
CHOOSE THE TARGET
Finally, the shortest route to a target is the quickest one. This means kicking groin, legs or central abdomen is faster than the head or upper chest. They’re also easier to target and demand less mobility. These kicks can easily be combined with actual or faked hand strikes which distract the opponent in the moment preceding the kick, or can move the opponent backwards, naturally opening up the legs and groin as they try to regain balance. Kicking lower is also much less visible to your opponent and hence more surprising.
Combing all these elements; being fast, starting from a closest possible distance, quickly setting up the kicking leg and going low will set you up for devastating kicks.
To study front, groin or diagonal kicks in more detail read our regular MASTERCLASS or MASTERCLASS PRO features by searching for FRONT, GROIN or DIAGONAL on the home page for the instructional articles.
Happy training!
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