# More upper body strikes vs. kicking...?



## Emptyhand (Nov 4, 2008)

Can anyone provide a list of martial arts that involve more upper body strikes?

Basically I am looking for information regarding which martial arts involve less kicking or using primarily lower area kicks.

For instance if one has issues with their kicking abilities or height of their kicks due to physical movement limitations with their legs, what striking arts are there to consider?

I am not looking for any type of arts such as judo, aikido or the like.


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## Xue Sheng (Nov 4, 2008)

Wing Chun, Baguazhang, Xingyiquan, Taijiquan. 

Upper body strikes and lower body kicks although you will get some high kicks in Bagua and Xingyi but nothing like you would in a art like TKD or Karate.


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## tshadowchaser (Nov 4, 2008)

most Okinawan arts and Japanese arts almost all FMA


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## myusername (Nov 4, 2008)

When I was much younger I did a few months of Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate. They used predominately lower leg groin kicks and up close elbows, eye gouging, strikes and chokes.


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## MJS (Nov 4, 2008)

Emptyhand said:


> Can anyone provide a list of martial arts that involve more upper body strikes?
> 
> Basically I am looking for information regarding which martial arts involve less kicking or using primarily lower area kicks.
> 
> ...


 
There are a number of arts out there.  However, I wouldn't be worried about kicking ability.  IMO, the need to kick to the head is a bit over rated considering there are a number of targets chest height and below.  Now, this isn't to say that high kicks aren't good, but if someone can't do them, due to injury or overall body structure, simply adapt to kicking lower.  

2 arts that I train in, Kenpo and Arnis, both contain kicks, however, the majority of them are low.  Can I kick to the head?  Sure, but there are cons to doing that.  Of course, if you set your targets up right, the head could be brought lower for you.


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## girlbug2 (Nov 4, 2008)

Krav Maga definitley has an emphasis on upper body striking, although kicks are part of it also. So far I have been encouraged to go for the ribs, groin, and knees in my kicks to give you some idea.


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## allenjp (Nov 4, 2008)

UUUHHH....Boxing???!!! Cheap and easy to find, devastating power in the punches, timing, distance, angles, cardio....

BTW Judo and Aikido do NOT emphasize striking at ALL!


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## JadecloudAlchemist (Nov 4, 2008)

I agree with all said above.

I wanted to add that though an art may have a good amount of kicking it may still be good even if you can not kick high.

Though you can not kick high you can modify it to your body type.


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## Twin Fist (Nov 4, 2008)

Kenpo


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## bostonbomber (Nov 4, 2008)

Hung Ga, Fut Ga, Bak Mei, Southern Praying Mantis, to name a few


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## Emptyhand (Nov 4, 2008)

Thanks for all the posts. Much appreciated.


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## Touch Of Death (Nov 5, 2008)

Twin Fist said:


> Kenpo


while kenpo has just as many kicks as anyone else the application requires less exageration of the body and more of a slight exageration of the step. Unless your instructor already had a TKD blackbelt before starting Kenpo.
Sean


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## kaizasosei (Nov 5, 2008)

muay thai and kickboxing.  For the greater part kickboxing doesnt use that many ultra-highkicks...and, you can gradually get better by working on them while having a fairly decent amount of upperbodystrikes, the muay thai also has elbows and knees.

just a thought....

practicing karate would definately open up a world of great strikes as well.

then again, most martial arts can be practiced in such a way that you can pick out and work on what you do best or like best....then again, it is also good to work on your weakness gradually eliminating them.  
Chinese martial arts have plenty of great strikes and fists...checkout the fists of ninjutsu such as bujinkan.  noone can hit as hard as a swordsman though.  precision and timing play a big role to good striking, be it punches or kicks the same 

j


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## KempoGuy06 (Nov 10, 2008)

id say SKK, while there are high kicks and jumping/spinning kicks, the emphasis is on a balance of hands and feet. I lead more towards hands (6'4" 245lbs w/knee problems) but the longer i train the more i notice that i am able to do the kicks despite the limitations when i started or i am able to alter the kicks due to my limitations

B


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## shihansmurf (Nov 15, 2008)

allenjp said:


> UUUHHH....Boxing???!!! Cheap and easy to find, devastating power in the punches, timing, distance, angles, cardio....



You absolutely cannot go wrong following this advice.  No matter what other martial art you study, spending time training in a decent boxing gym will always be a good thing.

If a boxing gym isn't available in your area then look for a either a kenpo school or a jun fan/jkd school that trains with contact. 

Mark


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