# How to raise up your leg in side-kick.



## alphacat (Sep 8, 2009)

Hey, 

I started practicing on Muay Thai side-kick (aka Muay Thai diagonal kick).
I think that I do everything right, apart from the point where you thrust the front leg real quick high up.
I dont have enough power to raise the leg that high and bringing it to a position where its straight (even though the leg should be kept straight just for the moment of impact).

What is the correct way to gain more power and flexibility in the leg in order to perform this kick well?

Thank you.

PS
Thanks for raising up my confidence in the other thread.
​


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## Akira (Sep 8, 2009)

Not sure which kick you're talking about but squats with weights will give you that explosive power.

For flexability just stretch twice a day and push it further then you normally would (ie stretching to just warm up).  It'll take a while but it'll improve eventually.


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## alphacat (Sep 9, 2009)

Thank you very much for helping out 
I'll work out on these legs.​ 
I wanted please to ask another question.​ 
I'm talking about Thai kick.
I'm right handed, and when throwing a Thai kick with my left leg, I was taught in the gym to keep the same fight stance when i execute it &#8211; meaning the left leg in the front, and right leg in the back.​ 
I feel that I perform that kick with much more power when I perform it as if I was left handed &#8211; meaning just before the kick, I change my fight stance to one belongs to a left handed and then perform the kick.
I saw that technique on Youtube.​ 
What is your opinion?​


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## Akira (Sep 9, 2009)

So talking about if you're regular stance, with your left leg at the front normally.

You don't change stance if you are kicking the inside of your opponents left leg (inside leg kick).  This is just a quick stinging kick.

If you're kicking to their right thigh, arm or the head, then yes, you change your stance so your right leg is in front.  Get one of your trainers to show you how to do this properly because there's a couple of different ways to do it.


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## alphacat (Sep 9, 2009)

Thank you Akira 

You know, in the class i had today, we learned how to block a kick to the ribs, using our both hands.

On the other hand, in this video, Rob's student only uses one hand to block the kick:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axwhCVaRT4E

Is such block really effective?
Couldnt the kick still cause a serious damage to the defender's body?
​


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## Akira (Sep 9, 2009)

I'm not sure I know what you mean.  In that video, they block the kick to the body using both arms.  You have to be really careful in case your opponent follows up with a left hook or similar.  See how low his arms are in that video?  He leaves his head completely exposed.

Better to check/block a kick properly whenever you can, and not give your opponent the opportunity to knock you out by lowering your guard.


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## alphacat (Sep 9, 2009)

Oh i see now that he used both hands and his body to block the kick but indeed dropped his guard.

So when you say block a kick without dropping your guard, you mean like that?




 
In such case, can one hand (without using the body) block a strong kick?
(sorry for asking such questions, in all the fights we had, we didnt use maximum force).


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## Akira (Sep 10, 2009)

Ask as many questions as you like, mate.

That's the block I was talking about, yes. But I generally don't like using that second cross block for blocking kicks, only for stopping step up knees. It can be used to block kicks though.

I wouldn't be using one hand/arm to block a kick. I saw one guy break his arm in sparring trying to do that. If you're practicing with no power though it's ok but try not to get into the habit of doing it.

The only time you should use your hand to block a kick, is if you're catching it, or if you're blocking a teep/push kick.


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## alphacat (Sep 10, 2009)

Thanks Akira.

In the gym we indeed learned how to block a kick with both our hands, but as you noticed, you drop your gaurd when doing that.

So there's kind of trade-off here, you either drop your guard and protect your body better, or keep your gaurd by risk your hand since its left alone to block the kick.


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## Akira (Sep 10, 2009)

Well I wouldn't say it's blocking your body better if you use both arms, once your shins get strong it's better to block like in that last video you showed me because it's a lot easier to counter attack.

When I first came over here and started sparring the first thing I had to work on was countering straight after blocking/checking, and as you can imagine it's hard to do that when your hands are down. I found this to be a really effective way of fighting and shutting your opponent down quickly.

There's a simple partner drill you can do to practice this.

Your partner kicks you, you check the kick with your shin and counter/kick back straight away. Your partner checks the kick and counters/kicks back straight away.  If you're going to practice this, try it slowly at first.

If your hands are down by your ribs it really limits the counter attacks you can do.

Also, I don't understand this part of your post - keep your gaurd by risk your hand since its left alone to block the kick. 

When you check the kick with your shin you're not using your hand to block. It's just there in case the kick goes higher then you expect and is aimed at your head. These usually won't be as powerful as leg/body kicks because of the angle you have to kick at, so if you cop it on the arm it's not really a problem. Although if a kicks coming at your head I prefer to just lean back from my waist so I'm out of range rather then block it.  I hope that makes sense..?


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## xoek (Sep 11, 2009)

alphacat said:


> Thank you Akira
> 
> You know, in the class i had today, we learned how to block a kick to the ribs, using our both hands.
> 
> ...


 

you heard about moa palmer? she broke both her arms blocking a kick with her arms.


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## alphacat (Sep 12, 2009)

@Akira.

Alright I got you now, thanks 
This is a really great drill to practice, thanks.

Isnt lifting your shin that high putting you in danger?
Since you might receive an inside low kick that will pass right under your lifted leg?


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## Akira (Sep 12, 2009)

When you get a bit more experience you'll be able to easily spot where the kick is going and block accordingly. If they are throwing a leg kick at you it's easier to just step back out of the way then to try and block it like that.  You're not going to block every kick like that.


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## alphacat (Sep 12, 2009)

Thanks Akira.​ 
So just to make sure that I got it correctly.
When the opponent throws at you a mid-height kick (a kick that goes below your shoulder), you are to lift up your leg and place your elbow on the lifted thigh, while the other hand keeps protecting your face, so actually the kick either strikes your shin or your guarding hand?​


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## Inky (Sep 12, 2009)

alphacat said:


> @Akira.
> 
> Alright I got you now, thanks
> This is a really great drill to practice, thanks.
> ...


better to block like this. you can adjust the height of the block depending on where you percieve the kick going (you only lift your leg slightly if you perceive a low kick. try to take the kick a little high and to the outside of your shin....not head on) . The dude in the pic,  he is making a wall connecting his elbow to his knee. if by chance you DO miss with this, better to take a kick to the legs than drop your guard and block one with your face me thinks. My most common miss is coming a little late and hitting the incoming kick upwards with my knee... but it still takes a lot of the energy off of it and may throw your opponent slightly off balance. ^.^

PS notice his foot position... not pointed down. it helps make for a stronger block.


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## Akira (Sep 12, 2009)

alphacat said:


> So just to make sure that I got it correctly.
> 
> When the opponent throws at you a mid-height kick (a kick that goes below your shoulder), you are to lift up your leg and place your elbow on the lifted thigh, while the other hand keeps protecting your face, so actually the kick either strikes your shin or your guarding hand?​


 
Yes mate that's exactly right.


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