Stomp kick--Effective?

[joesteph]

In the May issue of Black Belt, an article starting on p. 62 titled "The One" by Mark A. Jordan concentrates on the stomp kick.

Using it as a front kick, the photos on p. 64 show that it's a low kick, and it reminds me of how I've practiced against a WaveMaster, using the heel (although it seems as though it's the middle of the bottom of the shoe, not the heel, that's making contact).

Jordan also has, on the same page, photos of applying it against the instep of an attacker having him in a headlock. On p. 66, he's grabbed from behind with an second attacker in front, first uses it like the front kick, above, and then stomps down on the instep of the one holding him. These also have him wearing shoes (that look like work boots).

Photos aren't always the best way of presenting something, so I found two videos of him demonstrating at the Black Belt magazine web site.

Against the head lock:

http://www.blackbeltmag.com/mark-jordan-budoshin-jujitsu-kirby-stomp-head-lock/videos/236

Against the attack from behind:

http://www.blackbeltmag.com/mark-jordan-budoshin-jujitsu-kirby-stomp/videos/235

Do they look feasible to you? I think that he's not shown protecting his face against a punch in the headlock video because he's explaining the stomp. Can someone really be accurate against a grab from behind?

[tallgeese]

I'm not a huge fan.

For starters, in both instances you have an individual that's already grabbed you and can directionally destablize you. Lifting a foot at this point is asking to get toppled.

You'll notice that when the tactic is employed (with questionable success) in the UFC it's when one has the other pressed against the cage. This creates a more stable platform to allow it.

Now, add adreniline, footwear, jeans to protect agaisnt the raking action, possilbe alcohol or drug effects that the attacker has going for him and you've greatly reduced its potential to injure the bad guy.

I've heard people argue it as a distraction. It might be, but you have to do the cost benifit work on possibly getting a distraction vs. getting put on the ground.

Personally, there are better responses to both instances that allow you to keep your foundation.

[GeoGiant]

I tried a version of this kick while sparring last week. I used a stomp-like kick to the chest although it felt more like a push-type kick. It worked and I shoved my opponent back about 2 feet. It worked so well that my opponent told me, "good job".

I wouldn't consider my kick a stomp but I was thinking about the BB article when i tried it. I do like the kick that I did, whatever it was, because (1) i lifted my knee really high and the way I moved my leg really masked what I intended to do & (2) I'm tall with long legs which helps, but using this style of a kick allowed me to close a large gap very easily.

[KarateGeorge]

A "stomp" style kick is how you kick down a door as well. Basically bringing your leg up kind of like a front snap kick, but higher, then rather than snapping the foot out and striking with the ball of your foot, you crash your heel through the target. It's not one I would likely use in a fight against a person, but if I ever needed to bust down a door, that's immediately what I would use.

As far as stomp kicks in general go. With a stomp to the ground, if you're stomping someone on the feet, unless you're in a dojo, they're likely going to have shoes, boots or some sort of other protection on their feet, so the effectiveness is definitely lessened. You probably won't be able to do any severe damage with it, but it might be something to buy you an opening. If you're doing a stomp kick to someone who you've knocked to the ground but you're still standing, I would be very careful of what you're doing, as you're putting yourself in a precarious position. You could do some serious damage to someone and even if you're the defender, unless there was just reason for doing so, you might just as easily land your own self in trouble for using excessive force.

So, they have their uses, but I think the effectiveness is limited and may not always be the best option. However, if your options are limited, it is something at your disposal to use.

[Pajarito21]

I don't use the stomp kick to the feet as a attack in anyway. I actually use it to stop someone from stepping back. I stomp on there foot and hold it down when they try to step back. It is very frustrating for the opponent and throws them off when I do it. Is it a cheap move? Yes, but I like it. lol

[Toptomcat]

That's only cheap when you do it to someone who doesn't grok grappling. You will get swept so hard the first time you do that to a decent judoka. Uke stepping on tori's foot is *the* setup to ashi barai.

[ninjanurse]

We train to use "stomp kick", which we call "push kick", to keep people from advancing or to kick them back and off balance to set up another technique. Most of the time it is used to intercept one of their techniques and if it lands properly they usually fall to the ground.

[joesteph]

I stomp on there foot and hold it down when they try to step back. It is very frustrating for the opponent and throws them off when I do it.

You will get swept so hard the first time you do that to a decent judoka. Uke stepping on tori's foot is *the* setup to ashi barai.

In Jeet Kune Do, there's stepping on the foot as a quick control, immediately followed by a hand strike. Toptomcat, do you mean that uke is about to stomp on the foot, but tori turns it into a foot sweep?

I found two half-minute videos on de ashi barai. An interesting move.

[MMA_Jim]

Tallgeese summed it up pretty well- this isnt a very practical attack to escape from holds.

To repeat what he said, the moment this guy is grabbed, his weight is now off balance and as such he will be unable to generate any amount of power behind his attack.

Put a determined attacker on him, and that foot stomp will not save him from the position.

To go further into detail and explain from a grappling perspective- Its a bad idea to attempt to exchange blows from someone from an inferior position. Say you're in the bottom of the mount- you dont want to start punching otherwise you're going to be in for a world of hurt and your punches will have no power.

The same applies to the headlock and rear bear hug scenarios shown. He is in an inferior position at the start. If he and his opponent start to trade strikes, he will lose virtually ALL the time because he has no base, balance, and power and his opponent has all three. Nevermind the fact should the attacker turn the headlock into a hip toss, or pick him up from the rear bear hug and slam him to the ground.

Grappling problems require grappling solutions plain and simple. He should either look into and train his grappling, or simply avoid teaching such a technique that hes unable to make work himself

[Toptomcat]

I stomp on there foot and hold it down when they try to step back. It is very frustrating for the opponent and throws them off when I do it.

You will get swept so hard the first time you do that to a decent judoka. Uke stepping on tori's foot is *the* setup to ashi barai.

In Jeet Kune Do, there's stepping on the foot as a quick control, immediately followed by a hand strike. Toptomcat, do you mean that uke is about to stomp on the foot, but tori turns it into a foot sweep?

I found two half-minute videos on de ashi barai. An interesting move.

Yes, that's it exactly. Interfering with the opponent's footing to set up a hand strike is a sound idea, but I'd be uncomfortable trying to accomplish it by stepping on their foot because of the opening it gives to get yourself swept: accomplishing the same goal by making an abortive or not fully committed foot sweep would be my preference.