Kicking- High or Low?

[MJS]

What is your preferred method of kicking and why? For myself, I tend to be more of a low line kicker, keeping the majority of my kicks waist level or below. I find that I'm more in balance and the odds of telegraphing the kick are a bit lower.

Thoughts?

 

[jfarnsworth]

I vary all of the time. It all depends upon what I'm trying to do.

 

[still learning]

Hello, I like kicking to the shin if I have shoes on (angle kick..hitting with the inside cornor of bottom part of the shoe to the shin area.

Can be on the high side or low side of the shin......middle is good! ..Aloha

 

[Martial Tucker]

I have a strong preference for low kicks. Quicker/lower risk/more power/higher probability of success. Favorite targets: thigh, knee, or "shin rake". If opponent is particularly aggressive, I like a quick "push kick" right on their hip bone. Usually with my front leg, but of course, not always. I will occasionally go high for a "change-up", often a double kick with a low fake, then high.

 

[karatekid1975]

I'm flexible, and I like kicking to the head in TKD (sparring). BUT my preference is low (in SD and Jujitsu). Because my kicks are much stronger lower, and low kicks work better (for me anyways).

 

[Fight with attitude]

Low kicks, I love the cut kick. Great for breaking someone down. I like punches more so I want my kicks to be quick and low risk.

I use a very simple method for my kicks, once of the few differents between the way I box and kickbox is simply that I throw the kick on the end of most of the combos of punches. It works very well for me. I tell people in the gym that I'm NOT going to start off with a kick and I will NOT put a kick in the middle of the my combo's, It will be at the end. After telling them this I can still land a lot of my kicks. In fact I improved a lot in landing my kicks when I put them at the end of my combo instead of putting them in the begining, middle and end.

 

[scottcatchot]

I tend toward lower kicks due to my own personal physique they are more effective for me.

 

[Cujo]

Low kicks to the shin, knee and thigh but will go high if the opening is there.
Pax
Cujo

 

[SAVAGE]

kicks to teh sciatic nerve.. why they are not easy to trap...you generate more force kicking downward......faster to plant both your feet once the kick is retracted..doesnt offset your center to much!

 

[samurai69]

In muay thai. i am more of a puncher so when i kick i prefer low kicks, though high kicks have their place
in wing chun we favoured kicks no higher than waist height, again i prefer to weaken the opponents legs

 

[AdrenalineJunky]

What is your preferred method of kicking and why? For myself, I tend to be more of a low line kicker, keeping the majority of my kicks waist level or below. I find that I'm more in balance and the odds of telegraphing the kick are a bit lower.

Thoughts?

You kind of have to go for what's open. I mean, for someone to give you a head shot, if you don't take it, you effectively lower your chances of winning, simply because you had the opportunity to end it right there. I like to kick lower, picking off the lead leg is my signature, but you can't really pass on something that you have a decent shot at landing. These questions are kind of unanswerable, since your opponent's job from a defensive perspective is to get you out of your element. Thus, if you like to kick low, a good fighter will try his best to not offer anything up where you like to strike. So, preference has little to do with how you might actually strike in a fight.

 

[AdrenalineJunky]

Hello, I like kicking to the shin if I have shoes on (angle kick..hitting with the inside cornor of bottom part of the shoe to the shin area.

Can be on the high side or low side of the shin......middle is good! ..Aloha

This depends on who you are fighting. Shin on shin, I'll try to avoid, that hurts even with significant conditioning; but I'm going to put my money on my shins over shoes. . .at least, that's where my faith lies.

 

[AdrenalineJunky]

Low kicks, I love the cut kick. Great for breaking someone down. I like punches more so I want my kicks to be quick and low risk.

I use a very simple method for my kicks, once of the few differents between the way I box and kickbox is simply that I throw the kick on the end of most of the combos of punches. It works very well for me. I tell people in the gym that I'm NOT going to start off with a kick and I will NOT put a kick in the middle of the my combo's, It will be at the end. After telling them this I can still land a lot of my kicks. In fact I improved a lot in landing my kicks when I put them at the end of my combo instead of putting them in the begining, middle and end.

This coinscides with my strategy, as well, with the exception of the front, half-step, round-kick to the lead led off a punch-combo fake. Other than that, almost all of my offensive kicks will come after a boxing combo, a clinch combo, or the combination of both. Although, a kick thrown in the middle can be a nice touch now-and-again.

 

[terryl965]

Low kick are great in almost every stituation butI still love the high kicks.
Terry
PS The high kick seems to be getting lower every year.

 

[Gemini]

I prefer low. They're faster, generate more power, and there's plenty of low targets to choose from. I only kick high to let it be known that I can, making a blocking defense more difficult. However, if a high target presents itself, I will take it (off).

 

[Drac]

Hello, I like kicking to the shin if I have shoes on (angle kick..hitting with the inside cornor of bottom part of the shoe to the shin area.

Can be on the high side or low side of the shin......middle is good! ..Aloha

I agree..I show the cops I teach those shin strikes ..Very effective..

 

[Xequat]

I pretty much only kick to my opponent's head if it's near the ground already, meaning I try not to kick above my own waist. Shin shots (esp to Spleen 6) are among my favorite kicks, and I like to use my legs for balance. In tournament fighting, I might throw a few high kisks or mid-level to keep distance because I'm usually taller than my opponent, but in real life, I tend to avoid high kicks.

 

[Adept]

I have a strong preference for low kicks. Quicker/lower risk/more power/higher probability of success. Favorite targets: thigh, knee, or "shin rake". If opponent is particularly aggressive, I like a quick "push kick" right on their hip bone. Usually with my front leg, but of course, not always. I will occasionally go high for a "change-up", often a double kick with a low fake, then high.

Exactly what he said.

 

[Miles]

I like practicing (and teaching) kicks of all levels. The change-up kick mentioned previously is usually practiced low then high. It is interesting to practice it high then low (with an occasional middle-level kick thrown in there). Paddle drills are great for making the kicker adjust the height of their kicks.

Miles

 

[TigerWoman]

We practice that high then low too. Also low, low, high and also high, high, low. I usually kick higher but thats okay since guys are usually taller. I like crescents, spin heels, high round, axe, and hook. We have to strike above the waist anyhow for sparring and just hitting the torso gets boring. In our school we do hand technique to the head too so it is pretty unpredictable. TW