The best kick for self defense

[Luther unleashed]

Like I said I respect your opinion, just disagree. I run my own program, I teach a more "real self defense" aspect in my teachings as I always learned this way, few small amount of sport aspect in my up and coming. I teach my students to use what I teach them to protect themselves. As an example to my angle though, I would t teach (and I don't) to use high kicks excessively, I teach that the most effective kicks are low and mid level. This I just my experience and what makes us all different in life. Ykur profile style says karate, not boxing and from what you say your a good kicker, I just can't wrap my head around practicing kicking so much to never use it, just seems like you don't perceive your system to be a practical self defense system that's all, not trying to pick on you at all and I respect your opinion and it makes for a good friendly argument, just can't get my head around disposing of kicks when we teach/train is systems where kicking is so important.

I also practice boxing, and hung gar Kung fu. These systems have very little to NO kicks so you would not be the only person practicing martial arts to feel kicks or less safe, I'm just not one of them who feels that way.

Yup, if someone comes to me and says "i want to learn to fight". i tell them go box and learn judo. My friends ask about fighting and i just laugh and dont even talk about martial arts.

I explain to a lot of people that a Highly ranked martial artist "can" get smashed in a street fight by a guy that never had formal training. yada, yada.

Karate or any traditional martial is a long process.

Kicking is fine, IF you feel the person is capable of never screwing up the situation. But IN GENERAL, if i watch a 1000 average everyday students in a gym i would say 5-10 could be capable of handling themselves in a real street fight(not drunks or bullying stuff). So if i say "NEVER KICK" i am talking to the 990 people that are not up to standards or not street fighting material.

As for "MACHICA/UFC" , they are kicking on a mat in competition. I think if you put any UFC fighter in dress shoes, skinny jeans, polished marble floor,etc... kicking will be minimal.

I will respectfully end my argument here, because I can't disagree with you more it seems. We have made our points respectfully!

[Luther unleashed]

You know, I slept on this and I have to make a point! I would never tell a student to "not kick" in a fight because their kicks are not really great, I would continue to make the kicks better and better. There is ALWAyS room for improvement.

Some students may not punch good enough for a fight but I don't tell them, "if you get into a fight, don't punch"! I work with them to develop their punches or any technique quite frankly!!

Lastly, an statement was made that a traditional martial artist can get smashed by a street guy with no training. Of course. That says nothing about traditional martial arts, some people are just tougher. You don't compare yourself to another person to determine how effective your martial arts are, you compare yourself to YOURSELF!

It's not weather "jimmy" can beat "Peter" that should tell you about jimmy's style and its effectiveness, it's weather jimmy has a better chance because of his training, Peter might be tougher and not to mention sometimes things do or don't go your way in chaos. Are you better then yesterday is the question.

Again, i can't seem to disagree more with your posts, and I will never teach my students to not use what I teach them because they aren't good enough, I will show them the level they need to make it effective and help them reach for that point.

I wonder where Bruce lee, chuck Norris or other great martial artist would be if their instructor told them don't do that move because you aren't good enough, rather then be a support system for them to reach higher?!?

[sensei8]

Kick if you have to! Kick if you need to! Kick if you want to! Don't kick if you don't want to! Don't kick if you don't have to! Don't kick if you don't need to!

The choice, is that of the practitioner!!

[Maybetrue]

This is why there are different styles and instructors. do what ever fits you.

FOR ME, if i had it my way, i would rather have my students have only 3 techniques period(those 3 would be the same for everyone) and only train in those 3 techniques 95% of the time and have "FUN" doing other techniques 5% of the time just to understand the mechanics of the "FUN" techniques.

I always stress to students that if they are the "BEST" in the world at one technique they could be world champion,defend themselves,etc..... OR i could teach them 1000's of techniques and achieve nothing.

[JR 137]

This is why there are different styles and instructors. do what ever fits you.

FOR ME, if i had it my way, i would rather have my students have only 3 techniques period(those 3 would be the same for everyone) and only train in those 3 techniques 95% of the time and have "FUN" doing other techniques 5% of the time just to understand the mechanics of the "FUN" techniques.

I always stress to students that if they are the "BEST" in the world at one technique they could be world champion,defend themselves,etc..... OR i could teach them 1000's of techniques and achieve nothing.

"A wise man never limits his options."

(I can't remember who said it, but he was pretty smart)

There's a time and a place for everything. Watch a guy like Hajime Kazumi throw a kick at thigh height or lower in the middle of a combination and ask yourself if it would or wouldn't be effective in a real self defense situation.

Standing back and throwing head kicks without any preparatory or follow up techniques has extremely limited real world effectiveness. Add a jump or spin to the kick and it's more limited. Will it NEVER work? Nope.

Any time you teach someone how to strike properly, you increase their chances of walking away from an encounter. Any time you teach them how to move properly, you increase their chances. Guarantee? NEVER.

Martial arts training, or ANY other self defense training will never turn any/every student into some lethal street killing machine, just like teaching someone how to shoot a rifle won't make them some elite special forces sniper.

Unless you're teaching Ameri-Do-Te or Rex Kwon Do, you're increasing the student's chance of survival. Even cardiokickboxers who've been taught the right way to hit the bag have a better chance than someone who's never thrown a punch or kick.

[Maybetrue]

This is why there are different styles and instructors. do what ever fits you.

FOR ME, if i had it my way, i would rather have my students have only 3 techniques period(those 3 would be the same for everyone) and only train in those 3 techniques 95% of the time and have "FUN" doing other techniques 5% of the time just to understand the mechanics of the "FUN" techniques.

I always stress to students that if they are the "BEST" in the world at one technique they could be world champion,defend themselves,etc..... OR i could teach them 1000's of techniques and achieve nothing.

"A wise man never limits his options."

(I can't remember who said it, but he was pretty smart)

There's a time and a place for everything. Watch a guy like Hajime Kazumi throw a kick at thigh height or lower in the middle of a combination and ask yourself if it would or wouldn't be effective in a real self defense situation.

Standing back and throwing head kicks without any preparatory or follow up techniques has extremely limited real world effectiveness. Add a jump or spin to the kick and it's more limited. Will it NEVER work? Nope.

Any time you teach someone how to strike properly, you increase their chances of walking away from an encounter. Any time you teach them how to move properly, you increase their chances. Guarantee? NEVER.

Martial arts training, or ANY other self defense training will never turn any/every student into some lethal street killing machine, just like teaching someone how to shoot a rifle won't make them some elite special forces sniper.

Unless you're teaching Ameri-Do-Te or Rex Kwon Do, you're increasing the student's chance of survival. Even cardiokickboxers who've been taught the right way to hit the bag have a better chance than someone who's never thrown a punch or kick.

We can pick a choose "EXCEPTIONS" to the rule easily as likes of Michael Jordan, Peyton Manning, Mike Tyson , Lebron James, Derek Jeter, Messi, Machida,etc.. etc.. etc..

But i tend to see students as the "OTHER" 99.99999% of the population that are "normal".

I "ASSUME" that alot of people posting are "instructors" posting here. So be honest when i ask this next question.

"A wise man never limits his options."

(I can't remember who said it, but he was pretty smart)

Is it wise to teach all the Katas,strikes and kicks to everyone so the STUDENTS has the "options" to do as he pleases?

I feel it is the instructors choice to teach various techniques and katas when the instructors feels the students are ready.

AGAIN i know what is post next is going to rub alot of people the wrong way....

IN MY OPINION, even a great amount of instructors are not even ready for the Katas and techniques they learn....

Just remember, it is just my opinion and a random person on the internet posting this. so please do not get bent out of shape over my posts.

[Luther unleashed]

My issue personally is when a person says don't kick in a fight, I'm going to call that a bit silly. Not that you chose to believe that, but that your spreading it so I feel obligated as a teacher to speak about how I feel, which is very different. I don't necessarily agree or disagree about your view on instructors as there are some bad instructors just like bad mechanics. Good and bad is also perception as some may think I am personally good or bad But as sensei8 would say The proof is on the floor and the students decide what is ultimately effective or not for them.

I think that the students are paying for karate so yes you should teach them the forms and such when they are ready for them, it's not up to us to decide what you THINK they will do with them. Our job is to teach a curriculum.

I'm ok if a person doesn't believe in certain techniques for the street, I just think that some things will always work for some people better than others and we each have our strong and weak points. It is just an interesting angle to be a karate instructor and tell students not to use kicks in a fight, the weapons we teach in class should be explored as options imho as they were designed for that purpose

[Maybetrue]

You should be happy that instructors like me are so narrow minded. More students will gravitate to other schools that teach everything.

No student tells me what to teach, i teach what i feel fits the masses of students that are training and what i see as needs to be drilled.

I rather have my student perfect ONE kata or technique than the student know 20+ katas or a bunch of techniques average or even kind of good.

these are just my opinion and coming thru the internet. dont even take anything i post as serious. for all you know i could be a white belt with no idea what i am talking about.

"boku no iken dakedo"

[Spartacus Maximus]

The question is not so much what techniques one should or should not use. It is more about the When and the How, not the What. The instructor's role is much much more than merely teaching how to punch and kick a certain way. Strategy is essential to martial arts and each style or system has a strategy. Without this, all techniques will fail when most needed.

A front kick has its application , a side kick also. The situation dictates which one is applicable and learning to judge what, where and when is an important part of training.

[sensei8]

Whichever technique(s) one decides to use...one better do something, and if not, one better start running for the hills!!