# groin/testicle kicks



## Manny

Someting I really like about Kenpo is the low kicks to the groin/testicles area, in other MA like Karate or TKD rarely use the low kicks to this painful area of the human anatomy; I think is because to minimice injuries and because in our socity is not polite to hurt this parts.

As a boy I was taught that the men who crush the others nuts in a fight was a coward, sorry in my ciuntry is this way but the gangs, I mean a gang member uses what ever resourses he has on hand but the correct people never use the groing as a target, simple because we are not used to atack this vulnerable area, even in sport contact martial arts the groing area is a foul or a discualification of the match.

So, since I start in Kenpo I felt a little weird to kick or punch the groin area. However this groin area is ideal to disable or hurt at least an oponente before the finishing blow or blows, because once the groing is kicked the oponent lower his guard leaving us with alot of spots to kick and punch to disable our oponent.

Manny


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## celtic_crippler

It's not about who can be the nicest when your butt's on the line. On the street, there is no referee and no rules. It's a harsh reality that many can't come to terms with, but it is true. 

Self defense is not a competition sport. You don't get a trophy for winning, but you do get to go home and see your family again. 

"In the end it matters not who is right, it matters who is left." -SGM Ed Parker


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## Manny

celtic_crippler said:


> It's not about who can be the nicest when your butt's on the line. On the street, there is no referee and no rules. It's a harsh reality that many can't come to terms with, but it is true.
> 
> Self defense is not a competition sport. You don't get a trophy for winning, but you do get to go home and see your family again.
> 
> "In the end it matters not who is right, it matters who is left." -SGM Ed Parker


 
Completly agree with you.

Sometime ago I thought it was so nice to kick the head of an BG and get a KO, but this is not easy to do, but it looks terrific don't you think? However this days I will rather prefer see a Scum Bag go to the floor by a well performed kick to the nuts, beside this leaves us with the time to finish (sorry for the harsh word) the Scum Bag or just to leave runing.

Manny


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## Xinglu

The best way to kick a BG in the head is to kick him in the groin so he politely offers it up to be kicked :wink:


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## Flying Crane

Personally, I think a kick to the groin is overrated.

I don't believe it always gets the expected reaction, and it can take a while for the full effect to set in.  It cannot be relied on to be a fight-stopper.

But it has another very useful effect: a kick to the groin will cause an automatic reaction to stop and pull the hips back and away from the kick, as well as often drop a higher guard down to protect the groin.  You can use this strategically. 

If someone is charging in at you, fire a kick to the groin.  Even if it doesn't land hard enough to be a fight stopper, it will cause the guy to stop his charge as he pulls back his hips.  This buys you time.  

When he drops his guard to protect his groin, he is open for a decisive shot to the head/neck area.

My instructor was in a tournament many years ago, where he landed a hard kick to the groin of his opponent.  They guy got up and wanted to continue the fight.  They stopped it when it became apparent that he was really injured.  One of his testicles was destroyed.  But the thing is, the guy didn't want to stop the fight.  Even with that level of damage, it was not a fight-stopper.  Never underestimate adrenaline.


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## James Kovacich

Manny said:


> As a boy I was taught that the men who crush the others nuts in a fight was a coward,
> Manny


 
I got in a fight as a teenager with a Korean guy who new martial arts. He surprised me. (My big mouth got me into a lot of trouble) He came flying at me with a double kick and we were fighting from there. Well he hit me with a good hook and I went down on one knee and he quickly put me in a headlock. 

I grabbed and squeezed hit nuts and he not only let go of the headlock. He ran around saying, "he grabbed my nut's, he grabbed my nuts." I said, "no I didn't." 

It's funny when I think back about it. Bottom line, do you want to win or lose.


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## Stac3y

Groin's in even in tournament sparring for us. Maybe it's a Texas thing.


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## Xinglu

FC this is true, no MAist should rely on any one strike to end a fight.  This is why it is important to strike in combinations.  Aside from someone on PCP or something like that, a groin kick should set up your finishing strikes fairly well.

In HS, one of my female friends defended herself against a male assailant she kicked to the groin and missed, but it was enough to freak the guy out and he paused and dropped his hands, she used that time to chop him in the neck and ridge-hand his temple, he went down like a ton of bricks.  

On the other hand, when I was in Middle School, I landed a clean shot with a front thrust kick to a guys groin, he dropped immediately and passed out from the pain.  Apparently, I fractured his pubic bone (found out later).

So, while it can be a fight stopper, it is best used to set up more devastating attacks, like breaking a knee, or turning off their computer.  I personally prefer an attacker that can't get back up and hurt you.


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## celtic_crippler

Got to him 'em at least 3 times, 3 times, 3 times.


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## Xinglu

celtic_crippler said:


> Got to him 'em at least 3 times, 3 times, 3 times.



QFT!

If you're not doing that, then you're in a lot of trouble.


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## Bill Mattocks

Just a newbie here, so take this for what it is worth...

The style of karate I train in is Isshinryu, and we do not kick above the waistline.  That's not to say that some of us can't do it, or that we don't from time to time, but the style itself does not call for any high kicks at all.

We practice groin kicks and defenses against groin kicks.

As it was explained to my by my sensei, our groin kick is indeed a kick to the groin and not a kick to the testicles.  In our groin kick, the testicles merely happen to be in the way.

This is actually more than an aphorism.  We kick with intent to collapse the pelvic bone.  This should be a fight-ender if it does in fact break the pelvic bones.  If for no other reason than the person can no longer walk or stand upright - not from pain (although I'm sure there will be lots of that), but also because the bone structure remaining won't support them any longer.

Our groin kick is a _'mae geri'_ hard snapping kick, applied straight in and up, visualizing a spot just under their obi.  We don't apply it full force in sparring, because even if the person was wearing a cup, it could be devastating.

We could also do a _'mae konate'_ kick, but then it would be directed more towards the front of the pelvic arch and coming up through the dangly bits.

We also believe that men will tend to overprotect in this area.  A feint to the groin is effective because it causes an immediate overreaction - no man wants to be kicked in the testicles and I'm told women are none too fond of it either.

And we are told that an ineffective kick to the testicles is a very bad idea.  It is more likely to make the person furious and that is not good.  Either plant to completely devastate them with your kick, or do not kick them there.


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## MJS

Personally, I view the groin kick just like I do any other target.  I do not rely on 1 magical hit to finish the fight, but instead a combination of multiple hits to various targets.  While the groin kick may not work, the same can be said about other shots as well.  However, the one thing that will happen, is that whatever we hit or attempt to hit, we will get a reaction from the other person, and that is what I'm looking for.  That split second reaction will buy me enough time to set up other shots.

This reminds me of the Kajukenbo episode on fight quest, when Doug was working with GM Harper and his group.  He was working on self defense.  The guy showing him one of the techniques made a point of saying, "You do your first hit, which sets up your second hit, which sets up your third hit."


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## celtic_crippler

MJS said:


> Personally, I view the groin kick just like I do any other target. I do not rely on 1 magical hit to finish the fight, but instead a combination of multiple hits to various targets. While the groin kick may not work, the same can be said about other shots as well. However, the one thing that will happen, is that whatever we hit or attempt to hit, we will get a reaction from the other person, and that is what I'm looking for. That split second reaction will buy me enough time to set up other shots.
> 
> This reminds me of the Kajukenbo episode on fight quest, when Doug was working with GM Harper and his group. He was working on self defense. The guy showing him one of the techniques made a point of saying, "You do your first hit, which sets up your second hit, which sets up your third hit."


 
Exactly!

It's like physical chess... it pays to be several moves ahead of your opponent, but you must set these moves up.


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## Stac3y

Bill Mattocks said:


> We also believe that men will tend to overprotect in this area. A feint to the groin is effective because it causes an immediate overreaction - no man wants to be kicked in the testicles and I'm told women are none too fond of it either.
> quote]
> 
> No, I am NOT fond of being kicked in the testicles! :wink1:
> 
> Seriously, though, I've been groin kicked hard enough to lift me off the mat, and it didn't even slow me down. It did make me feel like my relationship with my opponent was moving a bit too fast, and I told her that after the match. :lfao:


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## James Kovacich

MJS said:


> Personally, I view the groin kick just like I do any other target. I do not rely on 1 magical hit to finish the fight, but instead a combination of multiple hits to various targets. While the groin kick may not work, the same can be said about other shots as well. However, the one thing that will happen, is that whatever we hit or attempt to hit, we will get a reaction from the other person, and that is what I'm looking for. That split second reaction will buy me enough time to set up other shots.
> 
> This reminds me of the Kajukenbo episode on fight quest, when Doug was working with GM Harper and his group. He was working on self defense. The guy showing him one of the techniques made a point of saying, "You do your first hit, which sets up your second hit, which sets up your third hit."


I Totally agree. I teach a double leg takedown where you release the opponent so that you don't go to the ground with him.

What it leaves is him down, your hands are either holding his legs or somewhere near his legs where you can spread his legs easily and a nasty groin strike (stomp) target.

Might not be a finisher, but a great position to be in.


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## Tez3

I don't know why people assume karate only uses high kicks, we use low a lot, there is a specific kick for the testicles..Kingeri in fact.
Most men if attacking will be careful to protect their groin, the old adage hit em where it hurts is actually quite difficult to do. However if given an opening you can go for it but as others have said it may not be the strike that finishes the fight.


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## Doc

Flying Crane said:


> Personally, I think a kick to the groin is overrated.
> 
> I don't believe it always gets the expected reaction, and it can take a while for the full effect to set in.  It cannot be relied on to be a fight-stopper.
> 
> But it has another very useful effect: a kick to the groin will cause an automatic reaction to stop and pull the hips back and away from the kick, as well as often drop a higher guard down to protect the groin.  You can use this strategically.
> 
> If someone is charging in at you, fire a kick to the groin.  Even if it doesn't land hard enough to be a fight stopper, it will cause the guy to stop his charge as he pulls back his hips.  This buys you time.
> 
> When he drops his guard to protect his groin, he is open for a decisive shot to the head/neck area.
> 
> My instructor was in a tournament many years ago, where he landed a hard kick to the groin of his opponent.  They guy got up and wanted to continue the fight.  They stopped it when it became apparent that he was really injured.  One of his testicles was destroyed.  But the thing is, the guy didn't want to stop the fight.  Even with that level of damage, it was not a fight-stopper.  Never underestimate adrenaline.



I could not agree more sir.


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## Manny

If a groin/testicle kick will not afect the person who is reciving it I think most MA practiciones and alot of of street gangs, will not use it and this is false.

I've been kicked in the nuts sometimes (mistake in sparring) and believe me it hurts, there was a time I got a flashy kick in the tip of my penis, it was like snap, just a snap the the pain got my from the tip of the penis upwards to the ureta and then to the kidney, it was son painful that droped me in tears and needed more than 10 minutes to recover, and believe me it was just a snap kick. I reacall high school playing very harsh soccer game were we allowed kicks (yes I know very stupid but we were young and stupid kids), I was kicked several times in the shins till I grabed from behind my ofender and landed a very strong kick to his nuts from behind, I felt how my shinbone smashed his nuts, yeap it was pretty nasty, my oponent felt down in tears and trying to breath, he need it a lot time to recover.

For me the low kick to the nuts is very efective, as a stoper or in the worst of the cases as an openinmg for a finishing blow, besides Kenpo uses a lot of kicks to the groin and I believe is for something.

Manny


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## celtic_crippler

I think what they're trying to say is don't put all your eggs in one basket.

It is a flawed strategy that assumes a single kick to an attacker's groin will ensure victory. Sure, in most cases you will get the expected reaction as described above: head & hands drop, hips pulled back, as well as other common reactions but always plan follow ups for the kick.... 

Actually, one should never assume any one maneuver will ensure success. It's important to train combonations and take into consideration various possible "what if" scenarios in order to better your odds. 

Remember, always hit them at least 3 times, 3 times, 3 times. If you just kicked 'em in the groin, then you still got two more shots you gotta make. LOL


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## shaolinmonkmark

celtic_crippler said:


> I think what they're trying to say is don't put all your eggs in one basket.
> 
> It is a flawed strategy that assumes a single kick to an attacker's groin will ensure victory. Sure, in most cases you will get the expected reaction as described above: head & hands drop, hips pulled back, as well as other common reactions but always plan follow ups for the kick....
> 
> Actually, one should never assume any one maneuver will ensure success. It's important to train combonations and take into consideration various possible "what if" scenarios in order to better your odds.
> 
> Remember, always hit them at least 3 times, 3 times, 3 times. If you just kicked 'em in the groin, then you still got two more shots you gotta make. LOL


 



when i practice kicks, i do a set of 30 of each on both sides, targets are :
groin, and knee caps.
I then stretch and hold each stretch for at least 35 seconds.
I then practice 75 of every kick i know, alternating each leg, to midsection, ribs,throat, face/head.
I would definently practice all kicks to every target, and the whole, "Chop the tree you can hit its head" technique works great as well!


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## Danjo

Manny said:


> there was a time I got a flashy kick in the tip of my penis,
> Manny


 
I've had that happen when someone tries a kick to my knee.


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## Manny

Danjo said:


> I've had that happen when someone tries a kick to my knee.


 
Ohhhhhh a very grande man!!!!! jajajajajajajajaja.

Manny


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## Josh Oakley

Manny said:


> Someting I really like about Kenpo is the low kicks to the groin/testicles area, in other MA like Karate or TKD rarely use the low kicks to this painful area of the human anatomy; I think is because to minimice injuries and because in our socity is not polite to hurt this parts.
> 
> As a boy I was taught that the men who crush the others nuts in a fight was a coward, sorry in my ciuntry is this way but the gangs, I mean a gang member uses what ever resourses he has on hand but the correct people never use the groing as a target, simple because we are not used to atack this vulnerable area, even in sport contact martial arts the groing area is a foul or a discualification of the match.
> 
> So, since I start in Kenpo I felt a little weird to kick or punch the groin area. However this groin area is ideal to disable or hurt at least an oponente before the finishing blow or blows, because once the groing is kicked the oponent lower his guard leaving us with alot of spots to kick and punch to disable our oponent.
> 
> Manny


 
I look at it this way: There's no honor to be had in a fight. None. I look to avoid fights, and if I'm in a fight, it's either because I was not consulted in the manor (a.k.a. "mugged") or every attempt at de-escalation failed, either on my part or his.

Even looking to avoid fights if at all possible is seen as cowardly to many people. Frankly I don't care what other people think is cowardly. I'm not looking to win a fight. I'm looking to survive a situation in a manner that is as beneficial to everyone involved.

A guy can often walk off a groin attack. It's much harder to walk off a broken leg. If I can end a fight using just pain, rather than really injuring someone, I'm going for that option.

Honor is found in what you do when you're not fighting.


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## Josh Oakley

Manny said:


> If a groin/testicle kick will not afect the person who is reciving it I think most MA practiciones and alot of of street gangs, will not use it and this is false.
> 
> I've been kicked in the nuts sometimes (mistake in sparring) and believe me it hurts, there was a time I got a flashy kick in the tip of my penis, it was like snap, just a snap the the pain got my from the tip of the penis upwards to the ureta and then to the kidney, it was son painful that droped me in tears and needed more than 10 minutes to recover, and believe me it was just a snap kick. I reacall high school playing very harsh soccer game were we allowed kicks (yes I know very stupid but we were young and stupid kids), I was kicked several times in the shins till I grabed from behind my ofender and landed a very strong kick to his nuts from behind, I felt how my shinbone smashed his nuts, yeap it was pretty nasty, my oponent felt down in tears and trying to breath, he need it a lot time to recover.
> 
> For me the low kick to the nuts is very efective, as a stoper or in the worst of the cases as an openinmg for a finishing blow, besides Kenpo uses a lot of kicks to the groin and I believe is for something.
> 
> Manny


 
My best advice is to wear a groin protector.


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## dianhsuhe

Because an adrenaline dump can, at least temporarily, hide some of the pain of a groin kick-I prefer a kick to the knee.

Even a guy on PCP has a hard time getting to you when they cannot walk..

Better to be judged by 12, than carried by 6.


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## Josh Oakley

dianhsuhe said:


> Because an adrenaline dump can, at least temporarily, hide some of the pain of a groin kick-I prefer a kick to the knee.
> 
> Even a guy on PCP has a hard time getting to you when they cannot walk..
> 
> Better to be judged by 12, than carried by 6.



Totally agree. The response must fit the situation. If I can tell or at least reasonable suspect that a guy if on drugs or beserker rage, I injure rather than use pain-compliance techniques. 

But all things being equal, if there's an option for pain-compliance, I'll choose pain-compliance. Some great friends I have are from me showing restraint in a fight. I always look for the peaceful option, if there is one.


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## shaolinmonkmark

dianhsuhe said:


> Because an adrenaline dump can, at least temporarily, hide some of the pain of a groin kick-I prefer a kick to the knee.
> 
> Even a guy on PCP has a hard time getting to you when they cannot walk..
> 
> Better to be judged by 12, than carried by 6.


 


i concur with that quote!


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## James Kovacich

It must feel good to be nice to your attacker. If your "thinking" (about how/where to strike) your not "doing."


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## Josh Oakley

Do I really need to justify having a continuum of force? 


Yeah, it does feel good for an attacker to leave as a friend, rather than in a hospital car. Yes I _have_ personally been in this situation, and yes, I _could_ have put the guy on the ground. _But I didn't have to to survive._

I'm all for putting a guy in the hospital or even 6 feet underground. If the situation calls for it. But is it okay to do that when the situation doesn't need it?

Absolutely not.


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## kungfu penguin

MJS said:


> Personally, I view the groin kick just like I do any other target. I do not rely on 1 magical hit to finish the fight, but instead a combination of multiple hits to various targets. While the groin kick may not work, the same can be said about other shots as well. However, the one thing that will happen, is that whatever we hit or attempt to hit, we will get a reaction from the other person, and that is what I'm looking for. That split second reaction will buy me enough time to set up other shots.
> 
> This reminds me of the Kajukenbo episode on fight quest, when Doug was working with GM Harper and his group. He was working on self defense. The guy showing him one of the techniques made a point of saying, "You do your first hit, which sets up your second hit, which sets up your third hit."


 GM Harper is my instructor  and he is great!


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## Manny

Josh Oakley said:


> I look at it this way: There's no honor to be had in a fight. None. I look to avoid fights, and if I'm in a fight, it's either because I was not consulted in the manor (a.k.a. "mugged") or every attempt at de-escalation failed, either on my part or his.
> 
> Even looking to avoid fights if at all possible is seen as cowardly to many people. Frankly I don't care what other people think is cowardly. I'm not looking to win a fight. I'm looking to survive a situation in a manner that is as beneficial to everyone involved.
> 
> A guy can often walk off a groin attack. It's much harder to walk off a broken leg. If I can end a fight using just pain, rather than really injuring someone, I'm going for that option.
> 
> Honor is found in what you do when you're not fighting.


 
Thank you very much for your contribution to this post, I am not a trouble maker too so I avoid most of the time altercations or fights with strangers, and don't feel myself as a coward, the cemetery is full of brave people. I you fight there is a chance you will be killed or maimed so I try to avoid fights, I would rather back off and leave the place than to be MACHO and fight just because of this, people these days carries a knife or a gun and this could be a nasty thing to fight for.

I love MA and love to practice them but I never felt I was a superman for this.

Manny


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## dianhsuhe

James Kovacich said:


> It must feel good to be nice to your attacker. If your "thinking" (about how/where to strike) your not "doing."


 
The "Force Continuum" is something I am familiar with having a background in L.E. and while every encounter includes a firearm (my own) there is still "reasonable and prudent" use of force...

Thinking BEFORE doing is an attractive and necessary option!


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## Touch Of Death

dianhsuhe said:


> The "Force Continuum" is something I am familiar with having a background in L.E. and while every encounter includes a firearm (my own) there is still "reasonable and prudent" use of force...
> 
> Thinking BEFORE doing is an attractive and necessary option!


Taking time to do things right does make you faster over all.
Sean


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## James Kovacich

dianhsuhe said:


> The "Force Continuum" is something I am familiar with having a background in L.E. and while every encounter includes a firearm (my own) there is still "reasonable and prudent" use of force...
> 
> Thinking BEFORE doing is an attractive and necessary option!


 
Thats your job and although it "can" be the same, it is not the same because you are held accountable for your actions to the public (especially these days), as a public servant.

"Doing without thinking" is a level achieved in training. Ignoring it in a real situation can be a matter of life or death. To think anyone can pick and choose targets while someone has weapons or even just there hands and feet is ignorance on the part of the martial art practioner because he's carrying a "false security."


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## MaxRob

Dicy subject, and I repeat as in other threads, after years of experience, there are those of us who don't hurt that much down there as men because of conditioning  or of an inborn genetic high pain threshold, same must be true with women.
multiple strikes and follow up to a knock out blow is the fight ender, not one low strike......


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## RTKDCMB

Nothing like a good *cods wallop* to ruin an attacker's day.


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## Brian R. VanCise

*Groin shots are definitely some thing we do in IRT*. Like Bill explained about Isshinryu in IRT you never have to kick above the waist unless you really want to.   However, one should not rely on a groin shot as an immediate fight stopper just like you should not rely on any single technique as a fight stopper until obviously it actually does stop the fight.  Not everyone will react the same to a groin shot.  Some will go down, some might cringe but others well they might just get more pissed off.   So have multiple strikes a flying and make it very hard for them to continue on after the flurry!


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## RTKDCMB

Brian R. VanCise said:


> Not everyone will react the same to a groin shot.  Some will go down, some might cringe but others well they might just get more pissed off.



You mean some people will get testy.


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## tshadowchaser

A groin shot may not always stop a fight but I'm willing to bet if you do it twice that the second time the other guys /gals hands will come down to protect themselves and open the upper body up for attack.
Personally I think the groin shot should be taught and practiced (with control) in any Ma school


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