Front/side kick to the kneecap...effective?

**mrm1775** · Posted On: 5/18/2008 1:13am

The knee only bends one way, so it might cause a lot of damage under ideal conditions, but how often does that happen? Much easier just to shoot a front kick right under the patella, it hurts like hell and its faster too.

**jdinca** · Posted On: 5/18/2008 1:18pm

The knee is a great target. There's a number of kicks that will work whether it's the front, back, outside, or inside aspect.

**piwiman** · Posted On: 5/18/2008 1:30pm

I've been kicked in the knee and went down from the pain, it hurts like hell. He was doing a leg kick and since I didn'r raise my leg toblock fast enough, it accidentaly hit my knee. But he hit me on the side of the knee. Kicking someone in the front of the knee(If their leg is not straight at least) usually is more painful for the one kicking.

**piwiman** · Posted On: 5/18/2008 1:31pm

by the way that was a shin kick, I'm not sure if a side/front kick would have the same effect

**TheMightyMcClaw** · Posted On: 5/19/2008 11:37am

I've occasionally seen setups (mostly from CMA) where the leg will be pulled out with a foot sweep, leaving it extended for a stomp to the knee.
Generally a lead leg foot sweep, though. Ringworm, could you please elaborate on what a "back spinning footsweep" is? Are you referring to the low spinning "Mortal Kombat" sweep where you put both hands on the floor?
I think knee/shin kicking might also be partially subject to footwear in terms of guaging it's effectiveness. A bare foot hitting a knee is likely to hurt the foot more, as the knee is harder. But what about a hard dress shoe hitting the knee?

**Domite** · Posted On: 5/19/2008 2:53pm

One of my sparring partners hits me with a side kick to the front of the knee sometimes, and it doesnt do **** except open him up to get punched. It does not hurt at all.

**Happy Panda** · Posted On: 5/19/2008 3:25pm

I sparred someone a few months ago who liked to teep and sidekick the knee straight on. Caught me off guard at first since I've never seen it before, but once I knew to look out for it, it wasn't any trouble. Doesn't really hurt, and it's easy to avoid.

**jdinca** · Posted On: 5/19/2008 3:31pm

Originally Posted by TheMightyMcClaw

Ringworm, could you please elaborate on what a "back spinning footsweep" is? Are you referring to the low spinning "Mortal Kombat" sweep where you put both hands on the floor?

There are two "back spinning footsweep" kicks we teach. One, you go to a knee when you spin and sweep the foot and the other one you don't go all the way down to one knee. They're not moves for people with bad knees, that's for sure.

**Draven** · Posted On: 5/19/2008 4:35pm

The teep to the kneecap is definatly used in Muay Thai. Its not a fight finisher, it is, much like any teep kick used to disrupt your opponent and bring him out of his game. Do it to him while he is moving forward. Try it in sparring sessions, just do it slowly and with minumum force in training to avoid injuries.

**Yohan** · Posted On: 5/19/2008 4:56pm

YouTube - LeeMurray.vs.AndersonSilva pt 1

YouTube - LeeMurray.vs.AndersonSilva pt 2

YouTube - LeeMurray.vs.AndersonSilva pt 3

I recently made a thread on this fight over at MAP because it's the only MMA fight I've seen where someone employs straight kicks to the knee effectively. In the 2nd and/or 3rd round, Anderson Silva starts kicking the dogshit out of Murray's lead leg - roundhouse kicks, stomps to the knee. He destroys that poor boy's leg to the point where he can hardly get around anymore. It was beautiful and painful to watch. Brilliant fight otherwise as well.