A LOW BLOW

 by Phillip Starr

Thanks to Hollywood, many martial arts devotees have been led to believe the kicks to he head are genuinely effective in real combat. And I agree that a head kick is truly effective. But it's a far, far cry from being practical and it's a great way to put your dentist's kids through college and grad school. You may think your high kicks are very fast and maybe they are...but rest assured that they're very likely not fast enough. At all.

They LOOK nice and may score points in tournaments but in combat, trying to kick someone in the head makes about as much sense as trying to punch them in the foot...unless the opponent has been struck powerfully in the body (like the groin) and he's doubled over in pain or laying on the ground. Then kicking him in the head is possible. Otherwise, I can't recommend it. Why use the bodily weapon that is furthest from the head to try to strike it?

Practicing high kicks is a good way to strengthen the legs and hips and they promote good flexibility but that's about it. Traditional Okinawan karate forms, as well as those of traditional Chinese sets (even those from the north) don't much feature head-high kicks. Most kicks are directed to targets at waist height or lower and the southern Chinese forms, such as White Crane, Dragon Fist, Southern Mantis, and others, rarely kick higher than the groin.

But. Even arts such as xingyiquan an baguazhang, which don't appear to feature kicking techniques...do. They're generally hidden within the footwork of the forms (this is also found in old Okinawan karate forms); what appears to be a simple step camoflouges a kick to the ankle...

The ankles, and points above them a bit, if struck properly, will not support the opponent's weight and he'll collapse in considerable pain. If he can't stand up, he can't fight... such “small” kicks are very quick and hard to see, but very effective!