The best kick for self defense

[Spartacus Maximus]

That is exactly the point. Asking what kick is effective in self-defense is like asking what colour shoes to put on to go for a run.

There can be no specific answer and it all depends on what is available. The best answer is a general guideline, not recommending a specific technique. If the kick is used effectively with the correct strategy it does not matter if it is a front kick or a side kick or whatever.

[Luther unleashed]

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

Haha that's funny! I hear you, pick what you will but pick or your done for lol. You know, the days of many battles is over, these days you can't fight like that, even compared to 15 years ago it's gotten tight with the laws and people going after each other the legal way, society has changed quite a bit. Even when I was a kid ~I'm 38~ I got into fights and that is just how we did it, it was common. My point is that if we are being honest then we should acknowledge that martial arts has taken a different path in today's society. I tell my kids, "what's the best self defense"? Some say "a roundhouse kick" some say "a punch" but the answer I am looking for is "NOT TO FIGHT"!!! I have always been a very real world martial artist and I like to dissect things to put its use to the test for myself, but in the end the real world dictated that martial arts is much better served as a way to "LEARN TO FIGHT SO WE DONT HAVE TO"!

Maybetrue, I don't think anybody is getting to serious, I just think there's a great deal of guys here who are passionate about what they do. Your welcome to your opinion and I'm not personally disliking you, I just disagree but I typically enjoy the debating of these things so it's all good.

I hear you about the students knowing one form better then knowing 20 average! As instructors we all have a decisions to make about standards!

[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.

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.

I agree with what you're saying, but I think you took my post a little too literally.

My Hajime Kazumi reference wasn't meant as if he can do it, anyone can. It was meant as a reference to combinations with kicks to the thigh in them. I'm pretty sure most people could learn a 1-2 roundhouse to the thigh followed by another 1-2 combination. Who'll benefit from it and will make it effective for a self defense situation? Those who practice it with intent. Same as any technique really. Who'll make a spear hand/nukite an effective self defense technique? Those who practice it with intent. I've never practiced that one outside of at the air in kata, so I'm guilty too.

Never limiting your options doesn't mean teach everyone every single technique out there. Teach the basics - how to stand, then how to move; how to make a fist, then how to punch; how to block, then how to move with minimal blocking without getting hit. How to effectively throw a kick at someone's knees, then higher up. And on and on.

Everyone wants to be Bruce Lee, but seemingly no one wants to put in his amount of blood, sweat, and tears.

How do you makes kicks effective in self defense? Practice with intent. The old Japanese saying - Ren Ma - keep polishing.

For the record, I'm not an instructor nor an expert. I was preparing for my nidan test, got an offer for a graduate assistantship I couldn't refuse, then my 2 year break turned into 15 years somehow. I've been back at it for about 6 months now. And your posts are valuable IMO. They take people out of their comfort zone and force them to think about why they do what they do.

There's a lot of very good people here. I'm pretty sure you're one of them.