# kenpo kicks



## Manny (Aug 12, 2009)

What kind kicks are more used in Kenpo?

Manny


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## Twin Fist (Aug 12, 2009)

low ones


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## Manny (Aug 13, 2009)

Twin Fist said:


> low ones


 
I guess that. When we talking about low kicks (I'm talking about sparring) below the belt or above the belt? 

I saw the kids doing sparring and they use mostly the side kick.

I like side kicks,roundhouse kicks,front kicks.


Manny


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## celtic_crippler (Aug 13, 2009)

In my experience sparring requires kicks above the belt (mostly.) Round kicks, side kicks...hook kicks...whatever. 

In the techniques, geared toward self-defense, you'll notice most kicks are "below the belt" because that's where the majority of the better targets are; bladder, groin, knees, etc... that is in regards to quick and devastating methods of taking out an attacker. 

...it's okay to call us "dirty"...we're used to it.


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## Danjo (Aug 13, 2009)

Manny said:


> I guess that. When we talking about low kicks (I'm talking about sparring) below the belt or above the belt?
> 
> I saw the kids doing sparring and they use mostly the side kick.
> 
> ...


 
Any time you get into sparring, you're going to be using a limited set of techniques for safety reasons. Sparring is fun, but it can't use the actual techniques that you'll find in a fight or else you'd run out of sparring partners pretty quickly. That's why most sparring devolves into either kick-boxing, point-tag, or MMA-style stuff regardless of the martial art you practice.


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## MattJ (Aug 13, 2009)

Danjo said:


> Any time you get into sparring, you're going to be using a limited set of techniques for safety reasons. Sparring is fun, but it can't use the actual techniques that you'll find in a fight or else you'd run out of sparring partners pretty quickly. That's why most sparring devolves into either kick-boxing, point-tag, or MMA-style stuff regardless of the martial art you practice.


 
All types of martial arts practice are "limited" compared to real fights. There is no type of practice where you are actually breaking each other's knees, gouging each other's eye's, crushing each other's tracheas, etc. This is a common misperception (sparring is limited and other training is not) about training and sparring. MMA style sparring typically has _less _rules than any other type of training, and much more realistic resistance.


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## Danjo (Aug 13, 2009)

MattJ said:


> All types of martial arts practice are "limited" compared to real fights. There is no type of practice where you are actually breaking each other's knees, gouging each other's eye's, crushing each other's tracheas, etc. This is a common misperception (sparring is limited and other training is not) about training and sparring. MMA style sparring typically has _less _rules than any other type of training, and much more realistic resistance.


 
It certainly has a place as a training tool, but there are other ways to build in flaws that provide for more realism. the best way to build in a flaw is to slow things down because going slow is the only one that won't be ingrained into one's nervous system when it hits the fan. I'll start a new thread on this so we don't totally derail Manny's topic and we can have a long discussion of the various training tool merits.


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## Manny (Aug 13, 2009)

celtic_crippler said:


> In my experience sparring requires kicks above the belt (mostly.) Round kicks, side kicks...hook kicks...whatever.
> 
> In the techniques, geared toward self-defense, you'll notice most kicks are "below the belt" because that's where the majority of the better targets are; bladder, groin, knees, etc... that is in regards to quick and devastating methods of taking out an attacker.
> 
> ...it's okay to call us "dirty"...we're used to it.


 

Got it!!  Kenpo perse uses low kicks cause it's a street self defense oriented MA, in sparring one can use any kick above the belt cause it's a sport.

Manny


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## Blindside (Aug 13, 2009)

Manny said:


> Got it!! Kenpo perse uses low kicks cause it's a street self defense oriented MA, in sparring one can use any kick above the belt cause it's a sport.
> 
> Manny


 
It depends upon the school, we allow groin shots in sparring from day one.  Leg kicks are allowed with higher ranking students.  Allowing the low shots doesn't just open up more targets, high kickers typically leave their groin open or their base leg open to kicks/sweeps if they don't practice against those tactics regularly.


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## HKphooey (Aug 13, 2009)

ones to the knees...


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## Kenpo17 (Aug 30, 2009)

In Kenpo we teach all kinds of kicks.  Side kicks, front kicks, round house kicks, retarded ball kick, front-back kicks, spinning back kicks, inward cresant kick, outward cresant kick, etc.  We also teach in Kenpo to kick to as many targets as possible.  Normally we teach punch-kick combinations or diversa.


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## Manny (Aug 31, 2009)

As long as I see it, in Kenpo the kicks more used are the front kick,the side kick and the roundhouse kick all aimed to the knees,groin and stoch area.

Manny


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## karate-dragon (Aug 31, 2009)

Are we talking self-defense? Nothing above the waist (harder to block, faster, better balance, etc.). Are we talking sparring? We teach side, round, hook, axe, crescents, front, turning, spinning, etc.


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## Manny (Aug 31, 2009)

karate-dragon said:


> Are we talking self-defense? Nothing above the waist (harder to block, faster, better balance, etc.). Are we talking sparring? We teach side, round, hook, axe, crescents, front, turning, spinning, etc.


 
You got it!  For SD the low kicks are the best, for sparring inside dojo the ones you mentioned.

Manny


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## KenpoDave (Aug 31, 2009)

Manny said:


> What kind kicks are more used in Kenpo?
> 
> Manny


 
The rear thrust kick to the groin area and side kicks to the knees are the kicks most often seen in our self defense (Tracy's) curriculum.

The kick I see used most often in sparring is the front foot wheel, followed closely by the rear thrust.


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