# Mastering Opposite Leg Kick & Getting Powerful Punches



## boba7523 (Sep 1, 2011)

Hi guys, i'm a beginner Muay Thai student (started 3 weeks ago) and am fairly skinny, standing at 5.8" and 140 lbs. *I'm a right handed* and have 2 concerns I'd like to address here:

1.) My jab, cross, and hook are fairly weak. We were working on a combo (jab, cross, hook, cross) on the heavy bags and I always lose my balance (fall backwards) after finishing the combo. How do i gain strength for more powerful punches? I'm doing all the techniques correct, such as rotating my hips on my cross. 

2.) Since i'm right handed, when i kick with my left leg, it is very awkward. Because of this awkwardness, i can't really deliver powerful kicks. For those who went through this, how did you guys overcome this problem? 

Thanks


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## Cyriacus (Sep 1, 2011)

1: Losing Balance? Thats new to me. Is your Stance too short/narrow? Or are you perhaps leaning out of your Punches? As for power, Air Punch with 10-25KG Weights in each Hand. Or just Practice.
2: PRACTICE. Thats all. Some Balance Exercises might Help, but just Practice against Air. Itll take a few Weeks, but its the best way.

2 is extremely common, its the main one im answering. But 1? Im interested to hear others replies regarding One.


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## seasoned (Sep 1, 2011)

When you do the last of the combo, the hook, make sure if you hook with you lift fist that your weight is on the opposite leg. If your weight is on the same side as the hook it will make you unstable. As you do the whole combo, jab,cross, hook, what ever fist is used, the weight should be on the other leg. If the weight is on the same side as the hand technique it will cause a balance problem. I hope it helps.........


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## GisanOx (Sep 28, 2011)

boba7523 said:


> 1.) My jab, cross, and hook are fairly weak. We were working on a combo (jab, cross, hook, cross) on the heavy bags and I always lose my balance (fall backwards) after finishing the combo. How do i gain strength for more powerful punches? I'm doing all the techniques correct, such as rotating my hips on my cross.
> 
> -* With the understanding that punches start from the ground up; For the cross, you should have your same side leg almost straightened out as to propel yourself forward.  When throwing the hook, the same side foot should pivot and that same side knee should point at the opposite knee.  This will help with hip rotation.  I feel that if you are losing balance and falling backwards, you can try consciously thinking "forward."  As to take up your opponents space.  I'm orthodox and sometimes I like to step to the outside with my right leg when doing left hooks.  It puts my left side in the power position and gets me out of the way at the same time.*
> 
> ...



Later.


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## blindsage (Oct 7, 2011)

You might try just sinking your weight a little bit. Being on the balls of you feet doesn't mean you have to be tip toed and light. Also power in your punches comes from your hips. You should just talk to your instructor about how you can work on connecting your punches to your hip movement.

As for kicking on your left side, like everybody else said, practice. You might pay a little more conscious detailed attention to how you do it on your right side and then break in down and try to do it slowly on your left side in as much a conscious imitation of your right side as possible, and then repeat that a lot. If something doesn't feel correct then go back to your right side again and see how you do it.


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## GisanOx (Oct 7, 2011)

blindsage said:


> You might try just sinking your weight a little bit. Being on the balls of you feet doesn't mean you have to be tip toed and light. Also power in your punches comes from your hips. You should just talk to your instructor about how you can work on connecting your punches to your hip movement.



I don't know about sinking.  In western boxing, yes but not Thai boxing.  That's asking to get timed and countered and is going to make you eat knees and kicks twice as hard.


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## blindsage (Oct 9, 2011)

I would agree. Maybe 'sinking' isn't the best term. I'm just thinking how some people are overly up on the balls of their feet and don't let their weight settle naturally.


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## Doozie (Oct 30, 2011)

haha skinny? yeah right, i am 120 lbs and 5'10" haha i wish i was like you...
1. make sure you don't move your body side to side when throwing punches. your body should always be in the same position and just rotating your hips. and make sure you stay in proper stance.
2.make sure that when you kick you hips move forward and your body tilts back a little, but i dont know i guess you just need practice thats all


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## bharat (Mar 10, 2012)

1) Loosing balance might be stance problem as some one pointed out. Do remember to rotate your hips.Check out with your teacher what is going wrong!
2)As every one said lot of practice. Practice it everyday  for some time, you should be able to master it.


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## zDom (Mar 14, 2012)

Really? Three weeks and you still don't have perfect balance and powerful techniques on both sides?



My advice is just keep on training and practicing as guided by your instructor and trust that those things will
come with time and repetition.


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## Zenjael (Mar 15, 2012)

So long as you pivot your heel, and put the channeled force through your body, directed through the punch, you will find your strikes stronger. Body structure alignment is important to transferring energy, make sure you have correct posture as per how your instructor would like to see it, and you are taught.

As immortalized by Happy Gilmore, "It's all in the hips,"


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## MTguy (Jun 23, 2022)

You are simply a beginner. everything takes time and patience and repition, thousands of time. 'I do not fear the man who can throw a million different kicks- I fear the man who does one kick a million times- Bruce Lee.

As far as your left kick, I used to have people who are right handed 'orthodox' switch to the south paw stance and learn to throw the left kick till they feel comfortable with it. If you spend 10 minutes each session on this, you will feel comfortable with it. Take the time to learn patiently. 'switch kicks' are usually powerful. Buakaw's switch kick- his left kick from a right handed stance was his most powerful weapon.


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## MTguy (Jul 26, 2022)

Also, kind of hard to teach a switch kick if you can't kick with your left let already ? lol


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