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4 Effective Leg Fighting Techniques That Every Man Should Know

121 Comments
So we have seen a few sample techniques, mobilising our upper limbs to bring the fight to an early end and overcome our opponent. We will now focus on another set of weapons available in our arsenal: the legs. The interest of leg techniques resides in two factors:

The striking power

mmatrainingkickarticle
With larger muscle groups, developed by carrying our bodyweight all day long and exercise, the kicks inflict much more damage in one hit than punches. Targeting the legs is a good way to neutralize your opponent or knock him off balance. One leg crossed out, fight’s over.

The safety of the distance

high-kick

Longer limbs allow you to strike from a reasonable length, without exposing yourself to the opponent’s punches, and even from his kicks if he is shorter than you. Keeping your opponent at a safe distance with kicks allows you to catch your breath or plan your next attack.
Kicking techniques are legions and each one have an interest, but I will share with you those four, because of their simplicity and their efficiency:

1. The question mark kick

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When he’ll wake up, he will wonder where it came from.

This technique uses diversion and leads to a kick to the opponent’s head.
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1. It all starts by faking a front or low circular kick, making the opponent lower his guard, rendering his upper body vulnerable

Capture d’écran (479)

2. Then quickly turning to the side and switching the trajectory of the leg to aim at the opponent’s head

Muay-Thai-Kick-Increase-Power-Martial-Arts1

3. The ideal two options would be to hit the cheek or the chin with the talus bone (ankle joint), or if you are at a closer range, the whole face with the lower part of your shinbone

 Those guys break it down for you:

2. The lateral kick to the kneecap

 shovel-foot
This one is not fit for competition, as it is a self defense move. Its primary goal is to disable your attacker by damaging, and possibly fracturing, his kneecap. It is even more efficient if you are wearing shoes with a hard sole.
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1. The kick in the kneecap was one of Bruce Lee’s favourite. As you can observe from his personal sketches, the first step is to fake a punch to make your opponent focus on your upper body

2. Then cock back your leg as if it were a spring, to give all the possible power to the kick

2. Then cock back your leg as if it were a spring, to give all the possible power to the kick

3. Strike with all your strength with the heel or the side of your foot if you are wearing shoes. Use the sole if you are not.

3. Strike with all your strength with the heel or the side of your foot if you are wearing shoes. Use the sole if you are not

3. The sweep of the opponent’s front foot

The timing is the most important part of this technique.

orthodox stance

1. You must catch the opponent as he steps towards you to launch his attack. You have to catch the side of his foot just before it touches the ground, when his weight is transferring from the rear to the front, like the fighter on the left of the picture

2. Launch a circular movement, turning with your hips to give greater power. Catch the side of his foot with the sole of yours. It is a similar mation as the judo throw Ko Soto Gari

2. Launch a circular movement, turning with your hips to give greater power. Catch the side of his foot with the sole of yours. It is a similar motion as in the judo throw Ko Soto Gari

3. You can achieve greater success by pulling the opponent's lead arm or pushing his shoulders towards the ground

3. You can achieve greater success by pulling the opponent’s lead arm, or pushing his shoulder, towards the ground

4. you can follow up by striking your opponent on the ground in order to end the fight

4. You can follow up by striking your opponent on the ground in order to end the fight

History’s human weapon did a pretty decent job describing this technique:

4. The Thai inside sweep

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 This one is a beauty. You inflict pain and you sow the seed of doubt in your opponent’s mind. All courtesy of the Kingdom of Siam.
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1. This move ideally starts after you caught the leg of the opponent after a middle kick attempt. You will lock his foot under your arm, maintaining him sideways

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2. You will then kick the back of his calf with your shin in a circular motion, while pulling the leg you caught towards the sky and the outside

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3. It is has a double use for you. The opponent is on the ground, vulnerable to your attacks. The fall also desorientates him, especially if he falls on the back of his head

I will let the lads demonstrate:

Au boulot!

Kicks are energy demanding but efficient. They must be used with care. I almost never strike to the head as an experienced fighter can usually read the trajectory of a kick. Another big issue is that high kicks leave your groin exposed.
As I said before, you must practice regularly and under the supervision of a qualified teacher. For shin conditioning, I recommend hitting the heavy bag, rolling a bottle or a rolling pin on them a few times a week or for our friends leaving in tropical climates, testing the banana tree kicking. The goal is not to break your tibias but to slowly toughen them up. It is paramount to train both legs. It takes time and Tong Po is only a movie character.
“But what if the other guy is so close that I can’t kick or punch him?” I am glad you asked. Part III of our series is coming soon with the standing throws that will send your foes flying.

121 thoughts on “4 Effective Leg Fighting Techniques That Every Man Should Know”

  1. Very Good Article!! I find kicks at the moment to be my biggest Achilles heel so while my style isn’t kick focused, learning where and how to pivot my hips to land kicks has been very helpful although currently I’m getting tripped up with changing the trajectory from a knee kick to a thigh kick without my other leg stepping back. Fighting woes I guess. All in all, I really love the list of kicks you’ve displayed and will be practicing a few of them as extras on top of what I already do.

  2. Question mark kick is bullshit. Spinning around yourself for almost two seconds is totally impractical. Why would you like to show your back to the opponent?

      1. I just watched somebody spinning after kicking. You need to keep your frame while fighting, especially if you are doing an educational video.

      2. That’s how I was taught to do a roundhouse. Bring up the knee like a front kick, but then pivet and go in from the side.

        2. Geez. . .I remember that guy. That brings back memories. Remember before video there were magazines of forms; just pictures one after the other. I remember learning some stuff from those when I was beginning.

    2. Totally agree. Was practicing this kick at my muy Thai gym a few weeks ago, and realized how impractical and retarded this is.

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    3. Your MS Paint skills are atrocious at best.
      When you upvote your own comments it makes you look very pathetic.
      Cheers.

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  4. Nice follow-up to your previous article, Jean-Batave.
    Personally, I wouldn’t recommend kicking higher than the waist, there is less chance of being evaded/blocked/grabbed or of losing balance while still delivering good power.
    So, some might try either a heel kick (aimed to the knee, hip, or thigh), a standing low mule kick (at the shin, groin, or knee) or even the old standard, mae geri/ap chagi (classic front kick) in instead of #1.
    Also, #2 can be aimed to the interior or anterior side of the knee to be even more devastating, couple that with the foot motion of #3 picture 2 for maximum effect.
    And great tips on building up the legs. Boxing is a great starter for developing footwork: balance, quickness, stepping, etc.

    1. Boxing is in my opinion the best art to teach you how to move and step correctly in a fight.

  5. Never use more than a low kick in a street fight if you have no strong ground game.

    1. Don’t rely on ground game in a street fight. It’s not you vs him, it’s you vs him and his mates. You don’t want to be rolling on the floor when someone is lining up a kick to the back of your head.

  6. I only disagree with n°1.
    I am not a fan of kicking. I don’t find it useful in real life situations (which are the situations I’m training for). I have trained arts which make some emphasis in kicking, like Karate (Shotokan and Kyokushin) and TKD, and have adopted into my set a couple of kicks which I think are the best in real life situations:
    1) Front Kick:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMNM51Bwcgg
    2) Low Kick:

    Right now I’m training JKD (Bustillo’s line) and found the kicking of this art very satisfactory: no monkey business, no flying around, just kicking hard below the waist.

    1. Seems most advisable kicks are around the waist and below. Higher kicks tend to appear telegraphed and unless really fast leave you too exposed.

      1. It’s really easy to get in a bad position with kicks too so the most important part because your kicking technique is going to be the deception, the setup. Otherwise you’ll be high and dry if they grab your leg

      2. It really depends on the situation. I have a friend who was known for knocking guys out in bars with spinning hook kick.
        He had trained since a child though.

        1. the problem with that is one day he may do that to someone who will side pivot, take the leg in the shoulder and then break his nose as if it were an egg.
          Even if it worked 99 times out of 100, the time that someone knows how to defend it you are gonna get beat pretty bad.
          It is like people who use a baseball bat to attack someone.
          Yeah, you can inflict a lot of damage and it can be intimidating until that one guy comes up with some experience and steps into the bat and ruins your leverage and after you fag tap him on the shoulder will then toss the bad and lay down a beating.
          Like most things, fighting is about practice, patience and experience.

        3. Indeed. Which is why I say the correct response to a combat situation depends on your skill set.

        4. They were guys that started on him because he’s a small guy. Bullies basically. Guys like that are usually poor fighters.

      3. High kicks to the head are a weakness of most Tai Kwon Do guys. My mother art is Kempo, and we were taught if you want to kick to the head, get him on the ground first. Makes sense, as most fighters aren’t as fast as Lee and you see it coming. Standing on one leg with your other in the other guys domain is the worst place to be. Kempo philosophy is that kicks are to cover distance anyway.

    2. how could you read that article say you are into self defense and not rate the lateral kick to the knee ??

        1. I didn’t think nor did i say that you did.
          You missed my point completely.

    3. Krav Maga experts say the same. For most real-life situations they discourage kicking, since your stability and ability to move is compromised.

      1. Russian systema experts say otherwise. I would never write-off any technique. There will always be an application.

        1. I have always found that the rule is to fight patient….when you are not in a formal athletic setting the rule is fight patient and use your elbows.

      2. True. If you throw a kick above the waist on the street, anyone with training is putting your ass on the ground.
        Unless you are a Muay Thai master, keep your kicks low and quick.
        Take it from someone who has had his back leg swept and kicks caught enough times in the ring/mat room to know the high kick is for competition. If you need to kick above the waist — push kick or teep to the bellybutton. That’s it.

    4. I do suggest looking into kicking as defensive measure against edge weapon attackers. Being cut or stabbed in the shin or thigh is much more preferable than the chest, neck, face, stomach, etc.
      But I would never execute a roundhouse to the head in a street fight. And that’s coming from a kick boxer.

      1. I have trained very little with blades. My only training with that was in American Kenpo, and to be honest I found it unrealistic. Why unrealistic? because most people who use a blade in a real fight are not trained, so his style is “freestyle”:
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-jUTvrsrjE
        And definitely you are not trained to fight an untrained fighter, and thats an irony.
        I have not trained Kali or Eskrima or other arts which make wide use of blades.

        1. Yeah, I guess the only way to seriously train against the knife is to go out and fight guys who have knives. And if they’ve cut a lot of people they’re going to have their own way of doing it. My sensei said to put it in your mind that you’re going to get cut, and accepting that takes away a lot of the sheer panic and lets you focus on techniques. If you can’t run away from it, you have to throw yourself into it (commitment moves.) Get in close, past the knife, and try to take him down. Otherwise stay far enough away untill you can escape. I never want to go down that path.

    5. Number is really competition orientated. It is a diversion for a nnon-beginner fighter that can react fast to low kicks

      1. Exactly, thats why I disagree with it. I think that most people, especially now with the whole “MMA” trend, are training thinking in be like St.Pierre or Fedor, that is competition in a safe space.
        That is not bad, but real life is very different. We live in a hostile world filled with enemies, and if the trends continue this way, sooner or later there will be war (just look at the invasion of Europe). We need and have to be trained for real life situations, and the first step of that training is hand-to-hand combat.
        Everybody can pull a trigger, that is very easy; but like I said in another comment: if you cant fight you are just a pussy with a gun.

        1. Modern MMA I don’t think is staged, but promoters seem to want clear, loud moves that are caught on camera and everyone cheers. I watched it in it’s infancy from Europe (On a 15′ sattelite dish in the late 80’s.) and those were guys using singular styles, moves taken directly from forms, and the best moves you couldn’t even see. And the guy lying on the floor was f..u..c. .k. .e. . .d up! That was real martial arts competition. But you’re right about today’s world. You have to fight in a space the size of an elevator, it takes only seconds to get the advantage. And conflict happens when you don’t even realize something is going on. People are killing people here over parking spaces. And yeah, if you have to have a gun to represent yourself, you’re a total pussy.

    6. Joe, do you train at the Torrance IMB Academy? I trained there for years before I left the state in 2014.

      1. Nope, i’m not even in the same country.
        My current Sifu is a student of Bustillo. I’m going (maybe) to the Instructors Conference in Torrance this August.

  7. Is there a reliable anatomy chart that shows where instant knockout points on the body are located?

    1. temples and jaw are most reliable. you just have to hit someone fast and hard enough for the brain to shake. but you have to strike hard and fast…usually fast enough for a person to not see it coming.
      if you go on worldstar or youtube and watch streetfights most knockouts are jaw shots. the same with pro fights.

    2. I wouldn’t worry too much about instant knock outs. I have known, over the years, some really tough mother fuckers…guys who were crazy strong and crazy fast, were good at fighting and really enjoyed it…the kind of guys who liked getting hit.
      In all my life, in all the fights I’ve seen both in rings and on the street, and there have been more than I can count, I have only seen a one shot instant knock out twice in my life and once was against a kid who had no business getting into a fight
      Patience will be the hay maker 99.99999999% of the time.

  8. I was a wrestler in high school and did that for 4 years. It stays with you of course for the rest of your life. Looking forward to the takedown series where I’m sure there will be some similar moves. My best way to take someone down is the arm grab. With their right arm extended, you use the side of your left hand to knock their arm sideways, and then then grab their wrist. Then with your right arm, you grab just above the elbow and simultaneously rip their body to the side of your as you slip out of the way then you beat them senseless on the ground. I’ve used this many times in street fights.

    1. I see what you mean? Yanking the arm like this is good, especially if you can do it by surprise.

  9. The ” Lin Dum Tek” (Check kick) is probably my favorite (even though I’m a pretty dynamic kicker).
    It’s so simple and you can do it no matter what level of fitness you possess.

    1. It is very effective. It might be stronger for a southpaw, but you are pretty close to the punches in that situation. So like on the image, it can be an excellent reaction to someone grabbing your arm

    3. I’ve used this reflexively. Good for disrupting the opponent’s intent & rhythm if used at the right time & sparingly.

        1. Yeah, the brain can’t cope with the natural defense of “what’s going on down there” and put up other defenses at the same time. Great move.

    1. Low kicks, push kicks are used in cqc military tactics. I would say that’s an appropriate barometer of effectiveness.

  11. Kicks only give the illusion of distance. An accomplished boxer will wait for your kick, block and respond quickly with a punch.
    That kneecap kick is a real “low blow”. I had a guy do that repeatedly to me in sparring and he bust my knee for four weeks. Not cool.
    Personally I would prefer low kicks and knees for combat situations.

    1. yup….anyone who is patient and isn’t all gittery about getting hit will love it when that leg comes up for a head kick.
      Once blocked, opponent might as well be a punching bag.
      Still, interesting article about technique.

    2. I had already four techniques, but if I could had one more that’d be the front kick to the stomach. Fast and not too predictable

  12. good article, but a point taken for having a whole section on sweeping the leg and never once mentioning cobra kai.

      1. I use that technique for everything. I always sweep the leg. Not just when fighting. I sweep the leg when cooking. I sweep the leg when putting furniture together. Hell, just the other day a waiter asked me soup or salad. I looked at him and sternly said “salad” and then swept his leg.

  13. For the high kicks, flexibility and speed are essential, most guys won’t have them. The opponent will grab the leg, and then win. Those are advanced techniques. Too advanced for most people.

  14. Forget the high kicks as defense for the average person in a street fight. Do not even attempt them. You will get very quickly hurt and lose. Perfect the Bruce Lee kick and its variations the only ones you are going to use and you will be on top of most situations if not all. Lower leg stricking is unexpected, fast, does not expose you to serious counterstrikes (unless the opponent is an expert too) and causes a lot of pain/damage/incapacitation that alone will dissuade most attackers to keep fighting you. Be wise and do not get into fights if you can avoid them. In the end if you fight you are only fighting yourself. Why would you do that. Therefore, learn how to fight in order to avoid fighing at all, if anything…

  15. When I studied under my sensei, all we learned and practiced in sparring were low kicks. As he told us, high kicks telegraph your intentions and leave you wide open.
    Whereas kicks to kneecaps and shins can permanently disable your opponent. Even a kick that misses it’s target and hits your enemy’s quad can slow them down quite a bit, giving you an advantage.

    1. I rarely use high kicks. And usually as a set up for the following strike or an intimidation move

        1. In Kempo we worked on getting kicks high, but that was gym work for developing the ability to strike low more accurately and powerfully. But never to use a high kick in a fight. In Hapkido we learned to kick low as we moved in. That was to keep the other guy distracted from handwork.

  16. IMO learn to block. You might not win fights, but at least you’ll avoid damage. Useful if you are attacked by random thugs.

    2. Even a good block that makes contact with bone will leave them with a dead arm or bruised leg.

    3. I agree. It’s a natural reaction to something unexpected. You can slip, bob, and weave when you’ve regained your situational awareness.

  17. Even as a TKD practitioner I wouldn’t recommend high kicking for self-defense. Obviously someone skilled can pull it off against an unexperienced opponent, however there are too many dangers involved. Tripping, slipping, cumbersome tight pants, heavy shoes leading to slow kicks etc.
    An eventual exception would be the front and semicircular kick. Aiming higher than shins, knees and groin can even be lethal – there’s a video broadcasted in local news years ago where a capoeira guy kicked a partner on his spleen (using ball of the foot): he fell and died from internal hemorrage later. But the riskier thing I’d try (talking about high kicks) would be a counter front kick to the jaw. Assuming you’re fast enough to not let your leg to be grabbed.

  18. If you’re a big guy that one strike to the kneecap can allow you to pick somebody up. Do it. Then you can make him submit, as we all know most people dont want it to end in violence.

  19. self defense: Groin kick is sometimes ok, anything higher is a no go.
    Masters will not kick at all (or very, very rare): Why?
    Because when you kick, you can not move.
    When you can not move, you can be brought down to the ground.
    When you are on the ground you are dead.
    Simple, isnt it?
    But it gets even more simple than that. When in self defense you will in 90% of cases fight more than one guy. So while you do your fancy kick, the other 3 guys will jump you. You are dead.

  20. Leg techniques are VERY difficult to master. They require a lot of flexibility and coordination. I would recommend taking up an arm based sport such as boxing initially until you develop the necessary flexibility and conditioning. I can teach anyone to punch hard but to land an effective kick takes a lot of practice.

  21. Bravo. A drunk freind used the Thai move in a bar. A loud mouth was giving him trouble, so he bent down and picked up the guys left leg and held it high, then swept the right out from under him. The guy just stood there and let it happen too.

  22. Oh yeah. I’m at the coffee shop and there’re three black girls sitting at a table talking about some study thing their employer is having them do. One of them is pretty hot looking. I’m sure I’ve figured out which one of them is the lesbian.

  23. Update! The fat “mammy” just walked in and derisions about workplace have started. The hot one has taken the back seat (Note: opposite of white girl group). The lesbian is very restrained and uncomfortable (Black women HATE lesbians). The dynamics of this tribe are facinating!

  25. Good article.
    Us old guys need less energetic, game-over counters. I used to do a mean back-kick and elbow strike. These days, I can go all Bruce Lee for 45 seconds and then go all Steven Hawking for a week or so to recuperate.

      1. Happiness comes from lowering one’s expectations in advance of nature enforcing them 🙂

    2. Read Geoff Thompson. Really.
      Honnestlty, the only moment when a leg strike is necessary in a real fight is when you have to push back an opponent to keep your distance (front kick), or when you have to finish him in seconds while he is fallling on the floor.(Because he got friends and/or he is pulling a weapon. Aim the head)
      In real life situations, you SHOULD NOT compromise your balance. Use your fists, elbow, head… to strike. And use your legs to RUN.

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