Making A Kick Count In A Real Fight

By Author: Mark Lopez
Total Articles: 1
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In a real fight, on the street or otherwise, the rules of engagement are very different to those in the dojo and your attacker will instinctively have the upper hand. The reason for this is simple - they're attacking you. This means that they get to make the first move, already putting you on the defensive, it means they get to choose when to attack, it means they have the psychological edge (they want to fight, you don't) and it gives them the element of surprise. At the same time, unlike in a dojo there are no rules and any move is legitimate and it won't stop until they decide you look beaten enough that it satisfies their ego or means they can make off with your cash.

Fortunately a good martial art will account for this too, and if you've paying attention you should have some aces up your sleeve too; moves that you've practiced and learned in class that you simply have to adapt to the new environment and new rules of combat in order to make them affective. One particular category of moves that can be very effective but must be used correctly is the kicks.

One simple reason to use kicks in a real fight is that ...
... it'll give you an advantage over your attacker. You see more than any other type of attack, a kick is something that you need to learn to do correctly. If your attacker hasn't had any proper training (and they probably haven't) then their kicks won't be accurate enough or powerful enough to do any damage. You'll probably see them coming a mile off too and be able to grab their leg while they're off balance. As such, the minute you start kicking using kickboxing training or another martial art, you have access to a tool that they won't be able to use. At the same time a kick will be far more powerful than a punch, longer range, and they won't see it coming as it's out of their line of site.

Still though, these kicks need to be used correctly to be of any use. Make sure for example that you use correct technique in order to deliver a kick that's not only powerful but also fast. The key to a good effective kick is to also get it back down quickly to minimise the time that you're on one leg so they can't push you over.

For this reason, even if your legs are lightning fast you'd still do well to keep your attacks bellow waist level (remember that bit about the rules of engagement changing?). These also have the added bonus of being difficult to see and quicker to hit making them excellent as a distraction. For example if someone steps in to attack you can simply kick them hard in their shins to stop them in their tracks - they won't even see it but it will hurt a lot and surprise them. At the same time you can then use this diversion either to hit them with your fists or to get them in a head lock. Similarly try suddenly and sharply stamping hard on the bridge of their foot.

If you want to do real damage and end the fight immediately then kick to either the kneecap or groin, or alternatively hit their outer thigh with your knee in a roundhouse attack to deaden the leg. Any of these will damage their balance to allow you to knock them over, but will also mean they'll be too hurt to move quickly or to chase after you if you decide to run away.

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