Thai boxing is a type of sports (and combat) martial arts. It came from the ancient national martial art of Thailand, Muay Boran. Muay Thai, also called Thai boxing, in translation means "free fight". A kick kick is associated with this particular martial art. In modern Thai boxing, kicks and fists, knees, elbows and lower legs are used. That is why it is often called the "fight of eight limbs."
Low kick plays a special role in Thai boxing, being one of the key in the combat technique along with elbow punches. It is often used for self-defense, and the effectiveness of this strike is quite large. Often, an opponent after getting a hard low kick in the hip cannot even rise for a while.
Low kick
The meaning of the blow is to ensure that the enemy could not stand on his feet in pain, and, accordingly, could not fight.
Translated from English, “low kick” means a lower kick. There are many of them: circular, on the hips, under the knee, etc. Most often, such attacks are applied to the thigh from the outside. On the inner side of the thigh and under the knee - less often.
The low-kick technique, firstly, allows you to strike with your hands, as there is no need to lift your leg high. Secondly, hitting the lower level will always be stronger and tougher.
Types of low kick
There are two types of low kick: internal and external. The latter is applied at three points: the thigh (ideally you need to get to the center), the knee, and the peroneal and calf muscles. The internal blow mainly affects the calves and knee joints, as it is inconvenient to apply it to the thigh.
A correct low-kick is a hit to the thigh, but it doesn’t matter which part is internal or external. Its effectiveness lies precisely in the fact that it is very difficult to block it. With the right technique, wizards can easily break a hip with just one blow. You can protect yourself from it by lifting your knee. In this case, the blow will be in the lower leg.
In this case, the low-kick technique consists of two stages:
- the first is knee extension;
- the second is the blow itself (applied by the outer part of the foot or lower leg), accompanied by rotation on the supporting leg and rotation of the thigh.
For an unprepared person, a blow is not very convenient, since when the lower leg touches the shock surface (the opponent’s foot), sharp pain occurs. Therefore, you need to train hard for a long time.
Low kick - strike technique
Rules and recommendations:
- Mostly low kicks are applied with a shin, and they are often compared in strength to a rebar hit;
- it is better to strike with a leg lift in tight shoes, in which case only the opponent is injured. If the strike is made barefoot, then there is a high probability of injuring yourself;
- when they hit a low kick, their hands should not fall down, because the body becomes open and allows the enemy to inflict a series of blows in response;
- you need to beat sharply, you can not freeze;
- you can use the power of the blow - a substep to the enemy with the other foot, if this possibility is rational.
disadvantages
Each strike has its drawbacks. For example, in low kick, even if you beat with a shin, in any case, the blow stumbles on a hard shield, which is the opponent’s leg, and you can easily damage your own limb. So strict implementation of the technique is very important.
Variety of strokes
How to beat a low kick? Blows can be made from a place, with a sharp entrance to the battle distance, and when moving away. But the most important thing is that only the prepared part of the leg should come to the point of contact. Initially, it is precisely the accuracy of the blow that is needed, and strength and speed are secondary.
One hit option simply does not exist. It can be carried out with a different slope and height of the leg. In the inner part of the knee or thigh, it is better to beat with a slope to the vertical of 45 degrees. In this case, the lower leg will come into contact at the required angle of 90 degrees. But no less effective blow to the exterior of the thigh. However, it will be very painful if you hit from top to bottom. An unprepared person can be forced to lose coordination with one low-kick, and if you hit the supporting leg, then completely knock it to the ground.
Insight
What is a low kick insight? Such a blow has advantages over the usual one. First, it is much more painful for the enemy. The second is to block it even harder than normal. Third - for the striker, he is less traumatic if the enemy puts a block.
A good combination is a double punch and insight. The value lies in the fact that after a good insight, the enemy remains almost only on one leg. The subsequent low kick just knocks him down.
Insight, unlike usual, beats from bottom to top. After the correct insight into the thigh, the opponent’s leg simply “withers”. It is at this moment that the next blow is made, and ideally - on the other leg, while the enemy is in the stance. This causes the opponent to lose balance and fall.
Low kick defense
You can defend against low-kick by raising your knee, taking a kick with your lower leg. In Thai boxing, the tibia undergoes a good hardening in sparring, punching and sacking. There are some “padded" exercises to protect against low kick.
Training
It is very important to work out the blow correctly from the very beginning. The state of the body and its physical form have their own limit, after which weakening begins, which occurs due to a large waste of energy. It is just important to maintain it with constant training and proper nutrition.
It is also impossible to sharply increase the intensity, since the quality of the impact will not get better from this, but it can lead to muscle wasting and accumulation of microtraumas. Therefore, regular training, correctness and accuracy of impact training are very important.
Breath
No less important is breathing, since the important and necessary accuracy of a blow depends on it. Often fighters even delay him so that there are no glitches. In Muay Thai, the emphasis is on exhaling with the mouth and inhaling through the nose. This eliminates the excess carbon dioxide that accumulates in the lungs. When you exhale, the abdominal muscles stretch, and this protects the nerve centers, abdominal cavity, etc.
Therefore, when you receive a blow, you must exhale. Due to the fact that there is no air at this moment, breathing does not go astray, and this is a protection against knockout. But on inspiration, knockouts are effective, because the enemy will not only not be able to resist, but even simply inhale.