Avading/ taking an inside thigh kick

[tmd]

We all know this kick works wonders but I have to ask - is there an exercises to stop it hurting so much, a good evasive move. I have some moves, my best one leads to a really good kick but, especially when I start to tire I still get caught sometimes.

[mary222]

take a step back so you leg is out of the way. if your fast enough (wich i'm not, but i have this used against me) use the shin block

[Dent]

Osu!

Very tough one, TMD. If it's done properly, ala Kazumi, short range, up and under, it is very difficult to avoid. From a distance there's time, but with the short range one... Well, conditioning is there for a reason.

Good luck, and I'll be keeping an eye on this thread to see if there's some way for me to avoid them too.

Osu!

[Bloke]

Pulling it back out of the way is best but as Dent says from short range its very difficult to avoid.

[jcc]

Have you tried gritting your teeth? :D

One solution is to change your leading leg. This obviously needs plenty of practice - I´m lucky in being ambidextrous - which means I fight equally badly with either leg leading...

OSU-EN2

[tmd]

Have you tried gritting your teeth? :D

One solution is to change your leading leg. This obviously needs plenty of practice - I´m lucky in being ambidextrous - which means I fight equally badly with either leg leading...

OSU-EN2

Am also ambidextrose - sweet on both sides :D So yeah, I've tried this ended up with two cattled legs :D

NO ONE IS HELPING HERE!!! I guess it's what I suspected so the other question, do you know of any good conditioning exercises for this area??

[mary222]

getting hit a lot
sorry mate i know it all comes down to tha same thing but by my experience kyokushin achivement comes trought sweat, pain and blood. no way around it.

[Miguel]

One of my sensei always reminds us to punch before the kick makes contact, so that by taking the opponent off balance the kick loses it's power..you could try that, but of course it won't work with every single kick and you need to have very quick reaction time.

[jcc]

Am also ambidextrose - sweet on both sides :D So yeah, I've tried this ended up with two cattled legs :D

NO ONE IS HELPING HERE!!! I guess it's what I suspected so the other question, do you know of any good conditioning exercises for this area??

No, much help, I know, but this is a difficult one! For conditioning the usual, squats, weights etc. For defence, maybe try swivelling slightly and use your knee against the attackers shin or instep and hope that you hurt them more than vice versa :)

OSU-EN2

[Deaken]

OSU,

This is avery good question, which I also don't have any "right" answer. I can share what we do, but I won't claim that its the solution you're looking for.

The first choice is to block as said above, but to reiterate, it's very hard to block all of the time, especially when in close.

The second is to let your leg move with the kick outwards to minimise the impact and pain. I have a hard time doing this myself, but when I watched the top fighters at the WT this is what they seem to do so they must practice this as part of their training to counteract this technique.

The third is conditioning. Other than strength as already covered by another post, also do partner impact. Work with a partner and kick each other to the inside of each leg. Don't do this to the point of extreem pain, but to discomfort, so that you build up resistiance over time. Do about 30 on each inside leg 2-3 times per week with rest days inbetween to heal. Adjust the rest days based on soreness etc.

If anyone else has some good ideas I look forward to hearing them. This is a hard one....

[powerof0ne]

One of my sensei always reminds us to punch before the kick makes contact, so that by taking the opponent off balance the kick loses it's power..you could try that, but of course it won't work with every single kick and you need to have very quick reaction time.
You could push, too, which I think would be more effective...Plok/pushing is used all the time in Muay Thai to push your opponent back before a kick lands.
I generally will step back or check the kick, myself.

[powerof0ne]

No, much help, I know, but this is a difficult one! For conditioning the usual, squats, weights etc. For defence, maybe try swivelling slightly and use your knee against the attackers shin or instep and hope that you hurt them more than vice versa :)

OSU-EN2

A technique I use sometimes! I don't use it too much in sparring though because if done properly it will hurt your opponent a lot.

[Deaken]

Unfortunately, at least for the traditional Kyokushin IKO's, pushing is not premitted and should result in a warning or if repeated a penalty. Is it permitted in World Oyama tournaments?

[Willem]

Something we use at our dojo when defending/evading inside thigh kick is to lift the leg that is hit by the inside thigh kick, this will bring the attacker out of balance and will save you from some pain. I hope you understand what i mean.

I`ll try to explain from the defenders perspective. The attacker comes from outside (low) with a kick to hit you on the inside of your front leg. When the leg from the attacker connects with your leg (timing is important) you lift your front leg a bit so the attacker kicks further then he expects, this way he gets out of balance. This way you can use a good counter! Also not all power is absorbed into your leg.

Osu.

[jcc]

Something we use at our dojo when defending/evading inside thigh kick is to lift the leg that is hit by the inside thigh kick, this will bring the attacker out of balance and will save you from some pain. I hope you understand what i mean.

I`ll try to explain from the defenders perspective. The attacker comes from outside (low) with a kick to hit you on the inside of your front leg. When the leg from the attacker connects with your leg (timing is important) you lift your front leg a bit so the attacker kicks further then he expects, this way he gets out of balance. This way you can use a good counter! Also not all power is absorbed into your leg.

Osu.

This one sounds quite good. As far as the "pushing" thing, I like to use my 100+kg :) but rather than just push, I´ll use a shuto uchi komi, with a bit of push at the end. With proper timing you can also use this to block - for example, shita tsuki, striking at the bicep area - very effective.

[Paedde]

You could drop lower so your opponent gets a penalty because he hit your groin. Hmm maybe better not :D

I would say try a shin block or mae geri with that leg. But you need to be pretty fast for both of them. You can also just try to counter with a combination of yourself and do more damage than you received.

But then, it's just theory, I also get caught a lot by senpai.

Osu

[DKKC]

Something we use at our dojo when defending/evading inside thigh kick is to lift the leg that is hit by the inside thigh kick, this will bring the attacker out of balance and will save you from some pain. I hope you understand what i mean.

I`ll try to explain from the defenders perspective. The attacker comes from outside (low) with a kick to hit you on the inside of your front leg. When the leg from the attacker connects with your leg (timing is important) you lift your front leg a bit so the attacker kicks further then he expects, this way he gets out of balance. This way you can use a good counter! Also not all power is absorbed into your leg.

Osu.


Yup, this is what we do too! if you 'push' with your arm at the same time you get an even better effect. Now I know that pushing is not permitted - but you can easily get around this by pushing with your fist closed like a sloppy punch. Many times it's about where you place your fist onto your opponent to stop his bodyweight going into the kick rather then the pushing action itself.

[tmd]

Many times it's about where you place your fist onto your opponent to stop his bodyweight going into the kick rather then the pushing action itself.

I do try and lift my leg and just let it kinda go with the kick - where do you suggest I strike too?

[DKKC]

I do try and lift my leg and just let it kinda go with the kick - where do you suggest I strike too?

You want all the secrets tmd!! :D It depends on the movements of your oponent - how commited his body is to the kick etc. and your position as well as this attack doesn't always come when you're both in a clean fighting stance. As a general rule I would say as closer as possible to the hip of the kicking leg, but really, this comes down to training, repetitions and trial and error.

[Fabian]

not adding anything new - we also turn our knee inwards and aim it for our opponents foot quick short movement which can then be turned into our own inside thigh kick or mae geri.

[niceguy]

wish we could all do more sabaki training ...it can only help:D

[Martin H]

there is always soto kaiji uke -turning the hip and knee inward and tensing the tight to absorb the impact, but then there is the risk of steering the kick upward to your groin, and tend to put you in a bad position for his next technique (I have always regarded the inside tight block to be the least effective low block variation -which, on reflection, probably is why it is seldom taught or used. not like the outside and front kaji uke, wich are more commonly seen).

If someone has a good way of conditioning the inside of the tight (other than many squats) I would like to know too.

[Dent]

Osu! Martin,

I think it's just one of those spots that has to be ready to take some punishment. One of my not so nice Sempai from years ago had worked that kick to a science, and aside from running away, everyone got it. Over and over again. In the same place.

Funny, makes me want to find him again, just so I can return the favor.

Best I go do some squats now too.

Osu!

[seienchin]

).

If someone has a good way of conditioning the inside of the tight (other than many squats) I would like to know too.

Horse - riding. And when that is easy, no stirrups. and when that is easy...bareback. :)

[Dent]

Osu! Seienchin,

And if you ever get kicked by said horse, it'll put the gentle Mawashi into perspective too. ;)

Osu!

[seienchin]

Osu! Seienchin,

And if you ever get kicked by said horse, it'll put the gentle Mawashi into perspective too. ;)

Osu!

Nah - the horse wouldn't have a chance - I'd leg check, and give him a big bruise, right before I offered him a carrot....

[Dent]

Osu! Seienchin,

Once again I bow to your superior technique. ;)

Osu!

[Kenpo4life]

Fabian stole my answer :) I find that timing it with a reverse punch works for me. Also, using the momentum to use a rear leg knee or roundhouse to the body.. I also like pushing because all tourneys aside, Karate is all about self defense baby!!

[jcc]

Some really great advice in this thread, but no one has thought of tobi mawashi oshiro geri - how about it, tmd? :)

[tmd]

Some really great advice in this thread, but no one has thought of tobi mawashi oshiro geri - how about it, tmd? :)

I always use this, doesn't work :)

Completely agree though, all the advise I ever needed!! Basically keep trying to do all the things I've not been able to master yet!!

I think basically I NEED MORE SPARING :D

[eamoncramb]

bring your leg up and do a gedan kakato geri or a front leg mwashi jodan just flick them in the face its possible their hand is down as a lever for the kick

[jcc]

I always use this, doesn't work :)

Completely agree though, all the advise I ever needed!! Basically keep trying to do all the things I've not been able to master yet!!

I think basically I NEED MORE SPARING :D

Well, that´s what it´s all about, a process of learning by practice and repetition. Imagine how boring our lives would be if we got everything right the first time :D

OSU-EN2

[RJC]

I get hit alot on the oustide of the leg, but I don't find it too hard to check the inside kicks. This check does put me in a bad stance balance-wise though.