Kick question

[gzk]

A lead leg roundhouse has good range and can quickly be shifted into another technique/kick, like a sweep.

The main drawback of a front leg round kick is that it lacks a lot of power, even if it is thrown to a low target. Throwing a belt level or higher front leg round kick wouldn't accomplish much in a full contact fight, unless one can generate and unusually high amount of power from it.

MT, Kyokushin and MMA guys (and shootfighting guys ) can certainly generate power on a lead leg round kick to the inside thigh. You either step your back foot out wide and point the foot out as you plant it, then swing the hip and slam the shin into the thigh roughly on a 45-degree upward angle, or you can also pre-stretch by quickly (almost imperceptibly to your opponent, ideally) rotating the rear hip forward (as if throwing a cross with the rear hand (or you can actually throw the cross), then swinging the hip back the other way and pivoting on the rear foot as you kick.

The "step-out" method has the advantage of taking you "off the tracks" (your opponent's centre line), the "hip pre-stretch" method is quicker and less telegraphed. You can set up a right cross with it, a takedown, because you kick that lead leg out wide, permitting a double leg, and because you force his weight on to the back leg, you could also get a high crotch or high single leg. Or you can just use it to stop your opponent's forward momentum from inside front kick range. However you use it, a hard swung shin to the inside thigh isn't fun

[joesteph]

tep your back foot out wide and point the foot out as you plant it, then swing the hip and slam the [lead leg] shin into the thigh roughly on a 45-degree upward angle . . .

I've practiced hopping/scooting the rear leg up, kicking the angled roundhouse with the lead leg, then returning the lead and rear legs back to "start" with a hop. It's easier for me to use the instep, but sometimes I get lucky and the lower shin has gotten in there. My art's sparring is non-contact, so I have less margin for error in that limited between-the-legs area, that I can "strike" and pull back. But it works just fine picturing the WaveMaster's side as the opponent's inner thigh and making impact.

[bushido_man96]

MT, Kyokushin and MMA guys (and shootfighting guys ) can certainly generate power on a lead leg round kick to the inside thigh. You either step your back foot out wide and point the foot out as you plant it, then swing the hip and slam the shin into the thigh roughly on a 45-degree upward angle, or you can also pre-stretch by quickly (almost imperceptibly to your opponent, ideally) rotating the rear hip forward (as if throwing a cross with the rear hand (or you can actually throw the cross), then swinging the hip back the other way and pivoting on the rear foot as you kick.

The "step-out" method has the advantage of taking you "off the tracks" (your opponent's centre line), the "hip pre-stretch" method is quicker and less telegraphed. You can set up a right cross with it, a takedown, because you kick that lead leg out wide, permitting a double leg, and because you force his weight on to the back leg, you could also get a high crotch or high single leg. Or you can just use it to stop your opponent's forward momentum from inside front kick range. However you use it, a hard swung shin to the inside thigh isn't fun

These are great ways to look at the lead leg round kick. Thanks for the pointers.

I should have clarified what I was thinking earlier, because the kick I was thinking of was one of just picking the front leg up, without any step with the back leg, or other set-up for the kick. But, these are good ideas that you mention here.

[RW]

Thanks so much for pointing me to the cung lee videos... he is one amazing fighter and also uses the side kick