Kicking In Combat

© COPYRIGHT 2010 BY BRADLEY J. STEINER - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Sword and Pen – April 2010 Issue

[Reprinted With Permission]

American Combato
Seattle Combatives


KICKING is a powerful and reliable means of self-defense. No system or course in self-defense or close combat may be said to be complete unless the effective methods of kicking are taught and emphasized to the student.

Too many in the martial arts advocate kicking methods that look beautiful and that are certainly impressive athletic feats when mastered, but that are at best impractical and at worst extremely dangerous for the kicker, when attempted in hand-to-hand combat.

The combative value of a kick is not to be measured by its eye appeal. In close combat one is not posing for the cover of a martial arts magazine, or for a movie poster.

Consider a few of the important facts that must be considered when developing kicks and kicking strategies for actual, real world applications in violent encounters:

• One will not necessarily be "in training", with any elaborate or acrobatic capacities on tap, so to speak. One may not even be warmed up, or stretched out, or limbered when called upon to lash out with a kick against a violent offender

• One may be in one‘s 80‘s when attacked — and one‘s assailant(s) may be in his/their teen years or early 20‘s

• One will not be attacked on a polished wooden, cleared floor, or on a mat in a well-lit, safe area that is free of such natural impediments as rain or snow or debris that is strewn about

• One will almost certainly be attired normally. This may include heavy outerwear, shoes or boots, and the weather may be very cold, causing muscular stiffness in addition to one‘s lack of opportunity to "warm up"

• There may well be two or more attackers

• One may, if one is on active military or law enforcement duty, be encumbered by a lot of equipment and gear

• One‘s attacker will not be standing still, but will likely be moving — and moving aggressively

None of the above is even remotely conducive to any flashy or fancy kicks — whether high or low area!

Over the years we have come to the conclusion that for realistic combat readiness and personal protection one ought to master the basic front kick, side kick, knee attack, snap kick, and back stomping kick. With a question mark we will also add: Maybe the O‟Neill version of the roundhouse type kicking movement — referred to by O‟Neill as the “pivot kick”. We personally do not like the pivot kick much, but we defer to Pat O‘Neill‘s great reputation and experience, and we therefore leave it up to each student — individually — to decide if he wishes to make this kick part of his repertoire, after we teach it to him. If he doesn‘t like it, he can drop it.

In reality all kicks derive from only two: the FRONT KICK and the SIDE KICK. The "snap kick" is a front kick in which the inside edge of the foot smashes into the knee, shin, foot arch target, as opposed to the ball of the foot or the crook of the foot (both of whose impact points normally strike the testicles).

O‘Neill‘s pivot kick is nothing but a front kick delivered at a slight inward angle, arching into the groin/bladder area.

The knee attack is the first part of the basic front kick.

The back stomping kick is a side kick delivered to the rear, rather than to the literal side.

Simple stuff.

Our rules, then, for training to use kicking in combat are:

KEEP THE KICKS SIMPLE (The few that we have listed are more than enough)

KEEP THE KICKS LOW (Highest target, for knee attacks and front kicks, is the testicles. Side, back, and snap kicks go to the knees, shins, insteps)

KEEP THE KICKS DIRECT (This last point refers to avoiding any turning, spinning, jumping or angling type kicks (like the traditional roundhouse or crescent kick, etc.).

Developing the kicks:

Practice barefoot: Certainly you‘ll probably be wearing shoes or boots; but what if you aren‘t?

Practice with normal footwear and attire: Get the feel of how it will be when you are clothed normally and you use your kicks for real.

Practice on irregular terrain: You will not need your kicks in the training hall. In order to be able to kick on uneven, irregular ground, get out on uneven, irregular ground and practice your kicks there.

Kick things: Heavy bags, dummies, trees, brick walls. Always wear sneakers when kicking substantially unyielding targets (i.e. trees, etc.) but make sure that you build power, confidence, and absolute inner knowledge that your kicks pack destructive force.

Build up the legs and hips: Nothing can take the place of practicing your kicking techniques in order to develop and perfect them. However, since the leg muscles and the hips are instrumental in generating the crushing, forceful power that combat kicks ideally ought to impart, it makes good sense to work on exercises that build these muscles. The best exercise of all is heavy squats. Stair climbing, dead lifting, and the old "straddle lift" exercise are all excellent for developing superior leg strength. Leg presses are also good, but this exercise requires a leg press machine, and not all of you have access to one of these.

Good, reliable kicking techniques are very easy to learn. Once learned, however, they must be developed through assiduous repetition and hard work in training. Speed, power, balance, and accuracy must all be constantly improved and polished. Remember, the legs are not utilized for much by the majority of people, except the act of locomotion. We therefore recommend that training sessions be conducted with a greater number of repetitions allotted for the practice of kicking methods than that which one utilizes when practicing hand and arm techniques. We personally favor a schedule of 30 kicks each side (per combat kick that is practiced) each practice session. We feel that ten repetitions each side is plenty for hand and arm strikes, however.

Most trainees develop a favorite or "pet" kick when they train for a while on the key kicking techniques.

Always work on the use of your kicks — and of your pet kick — in the context both of preempting and counterattacking. Additionally, remember when you train and practice that a swift, simple kick is an excellent set up for a stick or knife attack — if you are using a weapon.