Silly question about round kicks, kicking side arm up or down?

**Anna Kovacs** · Posted On: 10/01/2007 1:19am

More like jab, stick my right palm in their face in a way vaguely punch looking but with all my hip rotation commited to powering my leg,not my hand.

I'll post a video in the future when I feel like going to the gym again.

**Backdraft** · Posted On: 10/01/2007 7:11am

I think throwing the arm back also helps in freeing up the abdominal muscles, wich help in powering the kick, but since I'm a Muay Thaï noob, I'm not sure.

**Asriel** · Posted On: 10/01/2007 7:18am

I find that throwing the arm back helps turn the hip over and makes your foot pivot better

**Craigypooh** · Posted On: 10/01/2007 7:41am

Conservation of angular momentum: The backward angular momentum of the arm is transfered to the leg as extra forward angular momentum/power, which is then transfered to your opponent in the form of pain. :icon_blac

**MSphinx** · Posted On: 10/01/2007 8:09am

Originally Posted by AnnaTrocity

More like jab, stick my right palm in their face in a way vaguely punch looking but with all my hip rotation commited to powering my leg,not my hand.

Yeah, that's a good one. It great if mixed up with the 1-2 to keep your opponent guessing whether the right hand is a punch or hiding a kick.

**PunchyMcFace** · Posted On: 10/01/2007 10:48am

Originally Posted by Craigypooh

Conservation of angular momentum: The backward angular momentum of the arm is transfered to the leg as extra forward angular momentum/power, which is then transfered to your opponent in the form of pain. :icon_blac

That's exactly it. It's the same reason you kick your leg out backwards when you do a superman punch. It's more linear, but the principle is the same, you create forward momentum by kicking backwards.
Don't do it. It's a great way to get punched in the face, at least that's what I was taught, and my instructor made the point quit clear when we sparred. A great example of this is Tim Sylvia vs Ricco Rodriguez, UFC 41. Sylvia eats the leg kick, smashes Rodriguez right in the face, finishing the fight. Keep your hands up.

**Ryno** · Posted On: 10/01/2007 12:51pm

I've never really understood the whole idea of throwing your kick side hand out, other than it could work as a counter-balance and help you recover to an orthodox stance. I've tried it, and it doesn't seem to help with my power, and makes me nervous about someone stepping in with an overhand counter.

I know that I'm probably going against the grain here, but I don't mind switching my stance to absolutely bury a kick in someone's thigh. With hands high and tight, it definitely is a bit more difficult to recover to convetional stance without the arm counterbalancing the leg. But I'd rather just drive it through anyway if I see it's open or set it up well. I just hate pulling out of leg kicks if they are open. To me that's like a check-swing single, when you could've smashed the ball out of the park with more follow through.

I've actually dropped a few folks by landing a single leg kick. But I'm a rather low-tech caveman-smash type fighter who just happens to be a heavyweight with large thighs, so take that all with a grain of salt.

I wouldn't suggest that people should always keep their hands pinned to their jaw like I do, as there are some fantastic fighters who don't and I must assume that they have some reason not to. But personally, I've never had balance or power issues with my kick while keeping hands high, and unless someone could show me any specific reason as to why I should open up that guard, I'll probably just keep doing it like I do it. It might not technically be seen as right by some trainers, but I've also never been proven wrong.

**wado kai karate** · Posted On: 10/04/2007 11:33pm

dropping the arm is understandable for beginners because is would lower your shoulder and help increase ralaxation however, throwing it in the opposing direction of your hip is just flat out foolish, thats like trying to turn left in a car by turning the steering wheel right...its gonna cause problems.

**Wolf** · Posted On: 10/05/2007 12:20am

Throwing the hand, not just dropping it, adds a counterbalance so you can throw all your force into the kick without worrying about overbalancing while putting your hips into the kick. If you don't have that counterbalance it makes it harder for you to force your body to commit to a full power kick.

**Wolf** · Posted On: 10/05/2007 12:25am

Originally Posted by wado kai karate

dropping the arm is understandable for beginners because is would lower your shoulder and help increase ralaxation however, throwing it in the opposing direction of your hip is just flat out foolish, thats like trying to turn left in a car by turning the steering wheel right...its gonna cause problems.

tell that to this man...