Leg Kick and Campout

Date: Weds, 18 October 2006

Got a lot of great feedback on last week's column, including some brutal fight stories involving Thai leg kicks.  It's such a great kick I thought I'd give you some pointers on how to develop it.  This is very basic stuff, but enough to get you started if this is something you haven't done before, or in a while.

Assume you're kicking the outside of their lead left leg, with your back right:

1. Striking surface is lower shin/ankle range - toughen this area up - slowly - with increasingly hard kicks to the heavy bag.  Don't overestimate your body's ability to take punishment. Training too hard, too soon, too much or anything else unbalanced can screw you up.  Also, not everything is for everybody.  Some guys can break baseball bats with their shins.  Personally, I've never tried it!
2. Aim for side or front of thigh, but be careful not to kick too low and hit the knee.
3. Point your left foot past the target and kick through the target.
4. Commit to the kick.  That means put some weight in it - lean into the kick instead of leaning back and trying to kick without getting close.  It's tough to win a fight without making contact.
5. Practice a good snapping waist twist just before the strike lands.
6. Try kicking at a downward slicing angle into the thigh.  You'll need to lift your knee, but doing this makes for better mechanics all around.
7. Keep your dang hands up.  If you're close enough to hit, you're close enough to be hit.

Have some fun with this one.  As I mentioned last week, this is a great kick for the street.  You don't need to break anyone's nose or detach their retina, or knock out teeth, or any of that stuff.  You just repeatedly kick the bully in the leg until he starts crying and limps home cursing you under his breath.  Darn satisfying!

More good news:

People regularly email me asking about seminars and so on.  Well, I'm holding my 17th Annual Fall Training Camp.  This year we'll work on Hsing I and Pa Qua.  It will be about 90 minutes west of Washington, D.C. on private property in the countryside.  Bring everything you need - tent, food, etc.  I supply the port-a-john, and instructions (in martial arts).  It lasts from 9 a.m. Nov. 4 to 10 a.m. Nov. 5.  Cost is $75.00.  Time is short, so if you want to attend call my order line at (703) 997-2585 and pay by credit card.  Then email me to let me know you've paid and I'll email you directions, a list of what to take, and a schedule of training.

Hope you can join us.

Train like you mean it.

Rob LaPointe