Question on quickest way to end the trouble

[larryjf]

I think a roundhouse kick to the head can be pretty devastating

 

no matter how fast you are, your legs are always slower than your hands. And, if your opponent's hands are faster than your legs, he will catch your roundhouse and take you to the ground.

 

personally i've noticed that roundhouse kicks are especially easy to catch since they do not come straight forward.

 

the higher your kick, the more off balance you are. And, the higher you go, the more your groin is exposed.

 

anyway, that's just my experience.

[Martial_Artist]

no matter how fast you are, your legs are always slower than your hands. And, if your opponent's hands are faster than your legs, he will catch your roundhouse and take you to the ground.

 

personally i've noticed that roundhouse kicks are especially easy to catch since they do not come straight forward.

 

the higher your kick, the more off balance you are. And, the higher you go, the more your groin is exposed.

 

anyway, that's just my experience.

 

If you are fast enough then your leg won't be caught. It has been my experience that people who cannot throw high kicks well, i.e. fast enough, strong enough, in perfect form, are the ones who discredit its effectiveness.

 

A properly executed roundhouse will not leave you off-balance. Also, a properly executed roundhouse can end the fight in one hit. I have personally ended a fight that way. Only hit was ever exchanged between us. It was my roundhouse to his head.

 

Now, you've got to understand, throwing any attack is not just a matter of throwing the attack. It's placing the attack at the proper moment, timing, placement, setup.

 

Just to add something to the overall thread, something quick to end the fight. Try a quick front kick under the jaw. Whiplash, spinal shock, broken jaw, just a few of the side effects.

 

Bon's advice is very good.

[metalhead]

Alot of good advice in this thread. Heres my two cents worth:

 

Assuming that I cannot avoid the fight, I would take whatever target presented itself and I felt confident in hitting. My intent would be to end the threat to myself in the quickest most efficient manner possible.

 

Many options are available:

 

Throat Punch

 

Eye Gouge

 

Knee Kick

 

Foot Stomp

 

Instep Kick

 

Groin Kick

 

Etc, etc.....

 

All followed by my departure at the earliest, safest moment.

 

For Bon - My father always told me from a very young age "When given no choice but to fight, strike first and strike hard." We must be related - LOL

[LeaF]

Strike first, strike hard. It's best to avoid the situation altogether though.

 

It seems like I may be all alone here but personally I prefer if my oppenant attacks first. In many sitautions you could prevent possible injury(to yourself and you oppenant) if you just wait for them to attack because many a time an oppertunity presents itself leaving you a way to exit thus preventing a fight all together, or they are just all talk and nothing really goes down.

 

There are several other reasons I like it if my oppenant strikes first. Firstly you can tell how well trained they are or proficent with fighting. For instance their may be a drunk in a bar you is bothering you. Well rather then going right ahead and kicking him in the chin which can cause serious injury as someone pointed out if you let him attack you may come to the realization that he can barly keep himself standing and a simple throw to the side can slove the situation. The also helps when dealing with some of the legal aspects of situations. If they throw first then you can gauge yourself so you do not demonstrate "excessive force".

 

Lastly I like defending first because assuming you are quick enough to block there are tons of openings available when a person strikes that were just not present before they attacked.

 

oh well thats my two cents

[larryjf]

martial_artist wrote:

people who cannot throw high kicks well, i.e. fast enough, strong enough, in perfect form, are the ones who discredit its effectiveness

 

that is quite an assumption to make that because i don't think high kicks are the most effective way to end a fight that it's because i can't kick high.

 

i will tell you this - i have no problems kicking high and i do so in sparring matches all the time. Since you don't know me, you should just say that you disagree with me without trying to insult my skill.

 

by the way, you don't think you are more off balance when 1 of your legs is over your head?? Anyone can tell you that you are more balanced with both feet on the ground.

 

i wonder if the opponents you used the roundhouse to the head and "won" had less skill than you. In a real situation you usually don't know the level of skill of your opponent - and, if they are more skilled than you and faster than you, they will catch your leg and throw you. Unless of course you are the fastest and best fighter out there, then you don't have to worry about that.

 

Most people in a fight will have there hands by the head already, and you have to move your leg to get there - that alone takes more time with the kick.

[Martial_Artist]

Larrjf,

 

You seem to have taken this personally. I never made any assumptions about you. I quoted you, yes, but I didn't direct anything towards you. I wrote my post for everyone to read. Thus, my statement stands, in my experience those who cannot perform are usually the fiercest opponents.

 

I believe you about being able to perform high kicks. I never said anything about you to the contrary. I don't know you so why would I insult you? I only comment on other comments.

 

I never said whether you were more off balance or not when standing on one foot when compared to two. I simply stated that when done properly you are not off balance when throwing a high kick. If done correctly then a high kick does not place you off balance. But I never said that it was more of less than standing on two feet. In fact, I never mentioned just standing.

 

Would it matter if the person I fought had more or less skill than me? I wasn't in a tournament. I wasn't fighting for contest. Someone attacked me on the street with the intent to hurt me. Whether their skill is greater or lesser is irrelevant. Only the result. It wasn't a contest of skill or a measurement of ability. It was a fight to survive. But, to answer your question, I have had fights with those that do possess skill; people I know to have studied a martial art and then attacking me witht the intent to hurt. Not a friendly match, not a contest. And high kicks to the head have been effective. I have had plenty of experience. BTW, I don't fight tournaments, contests.

 

For the sake of redundancy: I stated,

Now, you've got to understand, throwing any attack is not just a matter of throwing the attack. It's placing the attack at the proper moment, timing, placement, setup.

 

Now, when fighting anyone, regardless of skill level each attack is a planned action. Throwing a kick blindly into the defenses of your opponent is just plain stupid. Thus throwing any attack without timing it, planning, executing it properly is dumb against a skilled opponent or against a heathen.

 

So, a properly executed high kick is highly effective. Keep in mind that when I say properly executed I am referring to the whole gambit: timing, form, placement, etc. Not just to throwing your high kick redundantly at your opponent, regardless of his skill level.

 

I may be wrong, but by your statements alone that seems to be your strategy. If I am wrong, which I may be--one never knows these things-- then why would the possibilty of being caught be an issue in throwing a high kick if you would only throw it when it would count? Obviously you wouldn't. I wouldn't. Would you? So why state most people have their hands near their heads in the first place? What bearing does that have? There is no significance there. If his hands are in the way, then feign them away.

 

My comments were only in the defense of high kicks, not on the mechanics governing them. We can discuss the how, why, and when of high kicks, if you like. But I believe that has already been done under another thread.

 

I am sorry you took it personally, maybe I struck the wrong nerve.

 

About being the fastest and best fighter out there, I wouldn't know; but I do know where I have been and what I have done. Where I go is simply a matter of choosing the paths I haven't followed.

 

ps.

 

If their hands are in the way, it is quite easy to feign, or maneuver their hands away with a simple fake. However, I am not one to stick to any set formula. Each fight is dynamic and just because high kicks can be effective and most useful doesn't mean they're cut to fit every situation.

 

Your claim to great skill should already have realized that. Peace.

[LeaF]

well said martial artist

[Ti-Kwon-Leap]

My personal preference is kicking/stomping the legs or feet.

 

Reasons are:

 

1. Nearly impossible to block.

 

2. A less mobile opponent will have a harder time delivering an attack and/or chasing you.

 

3. Less risk of causing permanent damage or killing your opponent.

 

4. Lesser likelyhood of the opponent grabbing you and pulling you to the ground.

 

Again these are my personal preferences for a hit and run strategy.

 

If for instance I were backed into a corner, I would go for the vitals:nose/eyes/temples/ears/groin/throat. (not necessarily in that order)

 

Heh.