Free admission, free shipping and handling, free consultation, free kicks. Although there are liable to be hidden, small expenses in the first three, there isn't any charge in the kicking.
Regardless of the sparring venue, the rules being used, the great control you and your partners are showing, the kicks are still "free". I know you aren't trying to clobber each other, all you're trying to do is "get the kicks in" or score with them, not in a real scoring tally, just to make them hit a target. But with what is shown, there are only two possible outcomes, they get in or they don't - there is never a fee. You never pay to kick. Let me try to explain what I mean...
If you and I were to spar under the exact same rules, conditions and pace - I'd watch your first kick, maybe two (maybe) and then the toll gate goes up. In watching the first kick, I'd get your tells, your distance and how you like to throw. Then comes the charges, the fees. It's going to cost you to kick, cost you to stand on one leg for that brief instant.
Some kicks you are going to get jammed, as soon as you to start to kick, I'm coming in fast, regardless of what's coming, I want your balance off, I want you to reset because you're off balance. You'll pay for throwing that kick, you'll pay with a balance deficit and a reset, while I'm coming in combinations.
Some kicks, I'm blocking and countering, immediately, the block being part of the distance close. You'll pay for that kick by either getting hit, or forced to quickly block - which you probably aren't used to in the middle of kicking.
Some times when you kick, you are going to get swept. Right off your feet. Either with a front leg or a back leg, you're going to get swept. Again, the payment is loss of balance - and getting your butt up.
Sometimes...I'm just going to crowd you. I'm staying in your kitchen, forcing you to only punch, because I know you like to kick.
A long time ago, Bill Wallace defended his PKA Championship belt against Ron Thiveridge. Ron could kick like a maniac, one of those TKD monsters, saw him knock a lot of guys heads off. Nasty kicker. I was training with Bill and warned him about Ron's kicks. He laughed. He said, "You think I'm going to let him kick? That'll be the day."
He didn't. Stayed right in his kitchen. Short night for Ron. Long night, too.
Some kicks - I'm going to be locked and loaded, ready to kick and I not only don't care if you know it, I'd rather like that you do. I'll give you "the tell". because I know you're going to kick, you're kick-centric (hence, this thread) and I'm going to kick right into your kick. Not to hurt, not to embarrass or any of that nonsense, but to throw you off. It's going to suck a little bit for me, too, but I know when it's coming, you don't. You'll pay with balance and timing being off.
You are fighting "one handed". I'm not talking right or left, I'm talking front and rear. You're not using your rear hand at all. Yes, I know, you threw one or two, but that had more to do with your intent to kick when you switched stance than it did about actually getting that hand to hit your partner. You feel comfortable with either side forward, and this is a great thing. (it really is very important) But you are doing it for your comfort as opposed to their discomfort.
You
love being in a kicking distance. It's nice, I know, fine real estate that kicking distance. So do your partners. So...ask yourself this, what does a kicker hate? He hates getting jammed, hates his distance getting taken away, hates being crowded, hates things interfering with his kicks, hates getting countered and absolutely hates being out of kicking position/stance. Hates it, hates it, hates it.
When you kicked Mister Green belt in the face....I know you were just letting him work, not really trying to whack him, but that kick wasn't thrown with any more intent than any others you threw, it got in because he was trying to regain his position for kicking, he was casually circling left because he had run out of room.....he was out of position.
In last night's UFC card, the Donald Cerrone fight. Watch the combo he throws at the twenty second mark, watch the kick.
It's no great kick, no better than any of his others last night, but he had moved his opponent out of position with a combination, had him looking down trying to reposition - he must of got a good look at that kick.
I know MMA is different, but that's an example of punch/kick/position. They are all sisters, regardless of rule set or venue. Same as that kick against Mister Green Belt.
And like the boys already said in this thread.....combinations. If I throw a pebble at you, it might it the mark, it might not, but if I throw a handful of pebbles at you....
So....game plans on improving punches.
No free kicks. Make them pay the toll. Block and counter, all night long. Any time,
every time, your hand or arm hits their kicking foot - they should eat at least one punch to the face. It doesn't have to be any harder than you already throw with each other, it just has to be there.
Jam. Crowd.
Make them get out of position. Instead of switching stances to make yourself comfortable, spend a month on switching to make them uncomfortable.
Use your back hand. It's more than just a rudder for kicking balance. And, yes, you can reach them with it, real easy if you work on it. Especially since it doesn't seem to be used a lot. Like drop bear said, your footwork will get you there.
Once in a while, kick right into their kicks. (probably not against your instructor, use everybody else)
Every time they kick....make them pay.
Some days....don't throw any kicks at all. Not one. Punch, just punch, the whole punch and nothing but the punch. And use your back hand, and use it in combinations, three, four and five technique combinations. When you do this - you'll see where a kick would have been perfect in the middle of the combo, and you'll make note of it. I'm not talking boxing, just use punches.
Some days, don't switch stance at all, all night don't switch stance. Whatever side you use, do the other side on other nights.
Might sound like a lot, but it really isn't....because you already have most of the tools.
And working these things is a whole lot of fun.
