| This ten article series will deal with the | | | | they are never seen by your opponent until |
| various components that need to be addressed | | | | after they have already hit him. |
| when considering the utilization of a | | | | |
| particular kick in a combat or self-defense | | | | Kicking Low Section: |
| situation. These ten components can also be | | | | |
| used by the tournament competitor although | | | | I consider low section kicks to be kicks |
| certain segments would have to be modified | | | | applied to anywhere from the level of the |
| slightly for the tournament aspects of | | | | thigh down to and including the foot itself. |
| kicking, rather than the more intensive | | | | |
| nature of using a kick or kicks in combat. | | | | One of the best reasons to initially kick low |
| Although all of these individual components | | | | as a set-up technique is to redirect your |
| are important, they are most effective when | | | | opponent's attention from you to the pain he |
| combined together and utilized correctly when | | | | is now feeling somewhere on his leg or foot. |
| executing a kick. | | | | This will have a tendency to not only make |
| | | | your opponent more hesitant to attack, but it |
| Although I will only be discussing one of the | | | | also opens up his head for you to attack with |
| components in this article, here is the | | | | your hands. |
| complete list of all ten of them. | | | | |
| | | | Kicking at a low section level, although |
| 1. Your Kicking Ability | | | | still balancing on one leg, is a lot more |
| | | | stable than kicking at a midsection or high |
| 2. Your Intended Application | | | | section level. This minimizes the risk to you |
| | | | while still allowing you to use your more |
| 3. The Environment | | | | powerful weapons, your legs. |
| | | | |
| 4. Telegraphing | | | | In general, it is harder for your opponent to |
| | | | see a low section kick coming than it is a |
| 5. Striking Implement | | | | midsection or high section kick. Of course |
| | | | this is all relative to the skill of the |
| 6. Striking the Correct Target | | | | person kicking. |
| | | | |
| 7. Initial Impact | | | | Kicking Midsection: |
| | | | |
| 8. Impact | | | | I consider midsection kicks to be kicks |
| | | | applied to anywhere on the body (front, back, |
| 9. Retraction or Follow Through | | | | and sides) from the level of the groin to the |
| | | | height of the solar plexus. |
| 10. Return to Fighting Position | | | | |
| | | | One of the best reasons to kick to the |
| Component Two; Your Intended Kicking | | | | midsection is after already hitting your |
| Application: | | | | opponent with one or two punches to the head. |
| | | | This usually disorients him enough to allow |
| How do you intend to apply your kick or | | | | you the opportunity to land a kick to the |
| kicks? Are you using them to set-up another | | | | groin or solar plexus which can effectively |
| technique, or are you using them as a | | | | end the fight. |
| finishing technique? Are you applying them at | | | | |
| a low section, midsection, or high section | | | | A very important point to remember when |
| level? Let's take a look at each one of these | | | | kicking at a midsection or high section level |
| possibilities. | | | | is the ease in which your opponent can grab |
| | | | your kicking leg if you don't execute your |
| As a Set-Up Technique: | | | | kick correctly by returning your kicking leg |
| | | | to the ground faster than when it came off |
| Are you using your kick as a way to distract | | | | the ground when you first initiated the kick. |
| or off-balance your opponent in an effort to | | | | I guarantee you that you do not want to be |
| close the distance and set-up a more | | | | hopping around on one foot while your |
| effective technique? This can be accomplished | | | | opponent is holding on to the other. Doing so |
| in a variety of ways. For example; executing | | | | will result in nothing but pain and |
| a low section kick in order to draw your | | | | embarrassment for the kicker. |
| opponents attention away from punches | | | | |
| intended for the head, or kicking low section | | | | Kicking High Section: |
| in order to off-balance your opponent as you | | | | |
| shoot in and go for a takedown. The | | | | For the most part, I do not recommend kicking |
| combinations are virtually endless. | | | | at a high section level and will go so far as |
| | | | to say that 99% of the time it should not be |
| My instructors were always adamant about | | | | done. However, like anything, there is that |
| telling me to use my kicks to set-up my hands | | | | 1% of the time that it can and does work |
| and my hands to set-up my kicks. This is very | | | | effectively. Whether a high section kick is |
| sound and practical advice. | | | | effective or not is primarily determined by |
| | | | the skill level of the kicker. Although there |
| As a Finishing Technique: | | | | are other extenuating factors involved that |
| | | | are generally not under the control of the |
| Are you using your kick as a finishing | | | | kicker. These factors will be discussed in |
| technique after already setting-up and | | | | the third article in the series. |
| hurting your opponent with something else? | | | | |
| This too can be accomplished in a variety of | | | | Like the old saying goes, "It's better to be |
| ways. For example; utilizing a left jab | | | | safe than sorry." This applies very |
| followed by a right cross to the head, with a | | | | appropriately to the use of high section |
| low roundhouse kick to the outside of the | | | | kicks in a self-defense situation. Therefore, |
| opponent's thigh or knee to finish him off, | | | | for the most part, I recommend limiting the |
| or utilizing the same hand combination | | | | use of your kicks to low and midsection |
| followed by a kick to the groin. The | | | | levels. |
| combinations that are available to you in | | | | |
| order to use your kicks as a finishing | | | | The next article in this series will deal |
| technique are virtually endless. | | | | with the third of ten components needed to |
| | | | kick effectively in a combat or self-defense |
| Regardless of how you utilize your kicks, | | | | situation. That component is, "The |
| they should be executed in such a way that | | | | Environment. |