Defending the side kick/front thrust kick

[Jiffy]

The bottom part of pain the fence works too.

[PlasmaShock]

I tend to "absorb" a lot of these kicks. I can get a partial block on them, and start pushing them out of the way, but they still tend to catch me a little. It is annoying. Sometimes I don't get a block down, and just end up taking off of my elbows and into the gut. That is not bad, because the attacker usually tears his foot up on my elbows, but I despise the contact being made.

I try to side step, but still get snagged at times. Maybe need to work on my timing here.

One thing that has worked: block/hook the leg and push it off to the side, making them off balance while sliding backwards about half a stance length. Then, I follow it up with a stepping in outer crescent up to the noodle. It works, but I don't like going backwards....I would rather gain ground than give it.

Any suggestions would be great!

Also, what is your favorite counter to use against the back leg round kick? I have a couple, but would like to hear yours. I usually block and then counter, but try to just counter sometimes. How about y'all?

a good startegy is to tell urself to never be in the way of the kick. when they go to kick you shift backwards or sideways to aviod the kick. you sometimes don't even need to block it if you shift away from it enough.

[bushido_man96]

I tend to "absorb" a lot of these kicks. I can get a partial block on them, and start pushing them out of the way, but they still tend to catch me a little. It is annoying. Sometimes I don't get a block down, and just end up taking off of my elbows and into the gut. That is not bad, because the attacker usually tears his foot up on my elbows, but I despise the contact being made.

I try to side step, but still get snagged at times. Maybe need to work on my timing here.

One thing that has worked: block/hook the leg and push it off to the side, making them off balance while sliding backwards about half a stance length. Then, I follow it up with a stepping in outer crescent up to the noodle. It works, but I don't like going backwards....I would rather gain ground than give it.

Any suggestions would be great!

Also, what is your favorite counter to use against the back leg round kick? I have a couple, but would like to hear yours. I usually block and then counter, but try to just counter sometimes. How about y'all?

a good startegy is to tell urself to never be in the way of the kick. when they go to kick you shift backwards or sideways to aviod the kick. you sometimes don't even need to block it if you shift away from it enough.

I can shift back away from the kicks well enough, but I prefer to cut sideways, to try to gain some distance. It just seems like I can't get the very end of the kick blocked, and I still get snagged by it. I am going to work some partner drills, trying to get my timing and sidestepping down.

[baronbvp]

Bushido Man, three things I like to do:

1. Sharp same-side down block with my open hand to slap it away, watching for the punch to that now-open side of my face;

2. For the roundhouse, step immediately and aggressively in, then kick or knee to the open areas as shotochem said (which is why I don't like high, exposed roundhouse kicks);

3. Grab the kicking leg and either pull the opponent off balance toward me, rotating to take the fight to the ground, or sweep/hook the supporting leg on his kick retraction to take him to the ground on his back.

From my experience, most guys aren't expecting you to grab onto their kicking leg and hang on. This assumes he doesn't have Earl Campbell tree trunk legs I can't hang on to.

[bushido_man96]

Thanks, Baron. I may be able to use some of that.

[baronbvp]

As I reread this, I didn't make it apparent that you rotate into the kicking leg if you are going to spin him to the ground. It keeps the rotational flow of motion in the same direction. So, if he kicks with his right leg to my left side, I step in with my right foot, grab his leg with my left arm, and move my left leg behind me to rotate us both counterclockwise as we go to the ground with me on top. The flow is clockwise for his left leg to my right side. I'm left handed, so the setup looks different for a rightie sparring a rightie but it works either way.

[ZCH]

off a side kick i side step towards their heelside while sweeping/pulling there kick to the opposite direction im moving, that throws them off balence and sets you up for a sweep.