Its not a matter of whether the agressor is better than you or not, is more than that. Firstly the high kick is not necesary, why would you kick to the head, exposing your groin and risking losing balance while a mid section kick would do the trick? Its not about showing off and ending the fight with a cool looking kick, its about ending the fight. Sure, I could do a jumping kick on someone but why would I take my chances with that when a stomach or thigh kick will do the trick with lower chances of me being vulnerable? Secondly, what if this "average joe" is not an average joe and he actually knows something? Its very unlikely but in the events that it happens you would wish you had never thrown that "cool looking high kick."
NO you have attempted a technique that requires a high degree of skill/balance that can up end you without any contact at all kicks that have a large amount of horizontal (or angular if you like) momentum are harder to control in placing down your foot... over commited roundhouse will for instance turn your back.. if you have a high degree of skill and presence of mind then perhaps..its your call you and him are the same you may find it hard to do anything at all never mind a spinning kick.. if i said they are not the same... Boris London
If they are running staight at you try a back/mule kick. Lots of power, easy to do and you are facing right way to leg it straight afterwards.
I agree especially if aggressor is a tank. Its a very powerful move, maybe too powerful. When I was seven I used to mule kick a brick wall in my garden and after a week or so of doing it after school it collapsed (trust me, i didnt know better)
I defeated three street toughs with a jump spin kick once.... Heh, as silly as that sounds, it's true. It was about 20 years ago (I was around 15) and myself and two friends were waiting for the bus outside the karate school we attended. Three older larger kids came along and started mocking us and obviously trying to pick a fight. We agreed to 'spar' with them and began to warm up. I jumped up and did a "bloodsport" style jump spin kick (I'm sure it was not nearly as good as I remember it) and the three bullies ran away very un gracefully. I guess sometimes regular people have an unrealistic idea of what a kick can do. Okay, maybe "defeat" is a strong word, but me and my friends were still on the "field of battle" while the badguys vacated. BTW, now that I'm older and faster (okay, wiser maybe) I don't do jump spin kicks very often (only in some of my kung fu forms...not in sparring) but I always remember my moment of triumph (even if it was much less heroic than I remember). Take care all, and happy spinning, -Sting
I havent been in martial arts for very long and at our club we dont do much in the hight kick range...... But I have kicked on accident a fellow classmate while he was advancing at the same time I threw a heel kick and it connected his knee, his upper body was still going forward while his leg was locked (i think this is similiar to the side kick in the stomach that was discussed earlyer). Personaly my legs just dont feel comfortible kicking high. In respone to the initial question I think if the oppurtunity in a real combat situation comes up to throw a kick take it. A kick seems to be the longest weapon we have. Just my .2 cents ~Pest
agreed. i once did a jumping spinning roundhouse at a sparring match (from round kick, roundhouse kick, jumping spinning round kick) because i wanted to show off, and because my opponent was one belt class lower than me. behold!!! he sidestepped, slipped the spinning roundhouse and landed a side kick at my groin (unintentional) but holy crap, did it hurt like hell even with protectors, also sprained an ankle when i landed. was sidelined for almost 2 weeks. never doing jumping whatever kicks in a spar match again... well at least not until i need to show off again
I would say, basing myself not as much on my experience but of that of some guys who have had the need to test the value in such techniques, that a lone high-kick is useless against anyone whom may be aware of its coming. I think we all agree that the problem with high kicks is that they are much easier to dodge than low or medium height kicks and worst, they leave the kicker in not as good position if it doesnt strike. But if such a kick does strike, it would probably be the end of any confrontation right there and then due to the power such move packs. So, if we follow this logic, for someone to use a high-kick he must be nearly a hundred percent sure it will hit the target, as with any other strike. What happens is that a lone kick of the type is easy read and easy to counter. However, a high kick as the finalizing move of a combination is a different story. To ensure that the high-kick does land, one must of course make sure the opponent won't be able to react when he sees it coming. Going for low-kicks and sweeps before the high-kick is essential, I would say. If one can make the opponent hesitate and stumble, the execution of the high-kick right there and then is justified. Striking with punches and then pushing the opponent away into kicking range, striking him with a spining heel, would not be much of a problem unless you seriously doubt your ability against that person. Kicking the groin with a left rising front kick and then using the momentum in the move to quickly place a right front kick on the nose is not very complicated. Going for the ankle with a roundhouse that is dodge usually by the opponent lifting his leg up, would leave him a sitting duck for you to use that momentum and spinning on that leg to quickly place an inner-ankle kick on the temple. Or to keep it simpler still, instead of going for that spin and implementing such monstrous force that if not controled well could leave you off-balance, the first kick leaves you automatically in a position in which you can deliver a side-kick to the solar plexus which he cannot avoid as he is on one foot and, if you do not hesitate, cannot regain his position quick enough to dodge your attack.
I didn't read any of the posts except the first one! This is so I won't be "colored" by what you other guys have written in response. I would've used the following kicks in a self defence situation: The sweep - to get the opponent off balance, and maybe even facing in the "wrong" direction. The knee - to harm the opponent. I would aim for the head, and I would use my right hand on his right shoulder to "guide him" all the way. Maybe just after I'd swept him. The low turning kick - to the thigh, knee or leg. With my shin or the tip of my shoe. To try and damage the guy so he won't be able to follow when I run. The "rake" - using the inside of your foot (shoe) in a "raking" motion from the knee to the ankle, comming down so fast that the ankle get a serious hit. (This is for exstreme close-combat!) Also I would've used my elbows, my arms and my legs - but not my fists. Why? First, I don't want to damage my hand on some idiots forehead, and second because when the police comes to "sort things out" my hands would be clean and I won't look guilty of the violence... :Angel:
While it makes sense to utilize some devastating kick attacks in a self-defense situation, I am hard pressed to think of a situation where I would feel confident enough to kick above my head. The style that I study now only uses waist or lower kicks (not counting knees to the face), which is fine by me since my kicking skills are terrible. Some low level kicks that I haven't seen mentioned are the stomp and the "flick". The stomp is self-explanatory. Raise your foot, the bury the heel in a soft, squishy area of the opponent. The "flick" is nothing more than a fast, skipping lead instep kick to the groin. It isn't thrown with the destructive power of TKD or Muay Thai, but is simply a flick towards the groin of the opponent. May you achieve Satori
Yes off course! How could I forget about the "flick" - it is one of my favorite kicks. I normally aim it at the front knee of the opponent though (in training with protection!) - a busted knee is so much worse than a kick to the groin. :love:
Dave Turton of the SDF teaches some pre-emptive kicks -such as a 'snap' groin kiclk or a shin sweep -both initiated by deception and followed up robustly.
There is nothing like a good kick to the head or neck to render an individual unconscious ... but the only time I would attempt to do so is after they drop from a good kick planted on the outside part of their knee or to the groin (as a woman most attackers expect that though).
Agreed. Soccer kicking them in the head when they are down is a high % technique requiring virtually no prior training. Very effective. Unlike head kick whilst they are standing which require incredible skill and are limited by many 'out of dojo' factors -like alcohol, clothing, enagement distances etc. In terms of a knockout attack against a standing opponent, punches are much more reliable and easier to learn.
nothing works well without skill including punching. i have tried high kicking in mma types of sparring. they work well for me. noone has ever grabbed my leg, since i started training realistically. i tried an ax kick when i didn't have any timing and i was dropped (which was before i started training realistically).
