punching vs kicking

[Treebranch]

You're right, my bad. I don't know how I misinterpreted that, some how I did. Thanks for the heads up.

[Martial_Artist]

I'd practice them equally. I've ended fights with a single attack: a kick to the head. So, I wouldn't write-off kicks so quickly. Being fast and powerful you can do much more damage with your leg than with a punch. That being said, it is just as important to work your punches as well. In my opinion neither one should take precedence over the other. Both are very important tools used to handle different tasks. Why limit yourself by not training in high kicks?

 

I'd rather have every tool and not use them all, than not have a particular tool and really need it.

 

About range it is fairly simple to keep someone at kicking range for a long time, if you want. I have successfully done so at will several times. If I keep moving to control the range my opponent must adjust to compensate if he desires to hit me. If not, and I frustrate him by not allowing him close enough to hit me then I have already won the fight.

 

But, in case you lose the initiative to control the kicking range you had better have good hands to control the close range. Thus, I'd train both equally.

 

MA

[Treebranch]

I welcome high kicks, I like it. If the opponent is relatively my height and we are sparring or competing, why not. But I'm not about to under estimate someone in a street fight and throw my leg way up there for him to grab it. I agree it's good to have more weapons in your arsenal, but you have to admit that your balance can easily be taken when kicking to the head. At least I find it really easy to take someones balance when they're on one foot.

[Treebranch]

I want to say once again, I LOVE THIS SITE.

[Martial_Artist]

I haven't fought in a tournament so I can't answer as to how that works. But I have been in plenty of fights, regrettably. I have ended more than one with a either a front kick, side kick, or simple roundhouse to the head of my opponents.

 

About balance, true, there is a risk involved, but there is a risk with every attack you throw at your opponent, including punches. But if the kick is thrown properly, when I say properly that also involves timing, then you probably won't be caught off guard.

 

What that means is: if a high kick is a viable solution to the particular conflict in question(when I say conflict I am not referring to the whole fight, but each individual conflict that comprises a fight) then it is just as effective, if not more so, than a punch.

 

That said, I can easily disrupt the balance from a poorly thrown punch as I can from a poorly throw kick. If the kick is executed properly it will work.

 

This doesn't mean, though, that a kick should always be used. It's like I said in a previous post: it's a tool that should be in your arsenal, not that you may use it often, but when the opportunity presents itself it could be a tool you wish you had.

 

If your leg gets caught by your opponent it is safe to say that you threw the kick wrong. Either you timed it wrong, missed your window of use, were too slow, or poor form.

 

Conversely, the same can be applied to a punch. If you throw a poor punch, bad timing, slow, poor form I can just as easily use that against you as I could a bad kick.

 

It's the risk you take with every single attack you throw at your opponent, punch or kick. There is almost no guarantee that each attack you deliver will work 100% of the time.

 

I have been in a couple circumstances where if I had not been able to deliver the head kick that I did then the fight would have gone in a direction I would have rather it not. For example, a person once pulled back to hit me as they neared me. Before they reached the range to hit me I simply front kicked them under the jaw. The fight ended. Not being able to kick like that would have brought him closer to me in range. While I can equally handle the situation within that range, it was much more economical to just simply remove the threat before it even neared me.

 

Therefore, my advice is to train both punches and kicks equally. I have faced the opponent who focuses heavily on punches and for them to enter the range of usefulness for them, they have to break my barrier of distance from effective kicks. Conversely, I have faced the opponent who kicks like a blender they lost because they couldn't adapt to the close range of my punches.

 

I don't underestimate any opponent which is why I arm myself with every weapon I can.

 

MA

[Treebranch]

Very well said Martial, I agree with you that one should arm themselves with every weapon they have. Some weapons leave at greater risk than others, especially with a grappler.

[1ONEfighting]

If the opportunity to kick someone in the head presents itself, you are a fool not to take it.

 

You should train for all possible scenarios.

 

Consider if you are fighting someone who repeatedly steps in, throws hand combos, and drops his hands as he steps out of range.

 

If you throw hands to set up kicks to set up punches, you will realize that they are all just strikes.

[ninjanurse]

High kicks may not be practical in every situation but when practiced consistantly they improve your strength and balance very effectively and thus enhance your abilities to use all techniques.

 

[larryjf]

martial_artist has a very good point about being off balance even when throwing punches. This is one of the things taught in jujitsu - how to take someones punch and use their force to take them down to the ground.

[ramymensa]

Martial Artist: loved your post

 

I'm quite tall so kicking is a way to maintain the distance, still knowing to puch well is necesarry. It's indeed like an arsenal. You must arm yourself with all you can