As the Muay Thai practitioner prepares to throw a round kick, they will often step outward slightly with front foot to open the hip in contrast to the pivot in Karates version. That doesn't mean that what they teach is effective self defence. I've been trying to learn the differences between the highly revered muay thai round kick, and the roundhouse we have in karate and it's spin offs. In consensual combat specifically those where a pulsating distance is deemed to be mutually advantageous kicks are way more relevant and hence are way more effective. for example, karatekas are taught to retract kick back after each kick, so you don't lose your position and can kick over and over again.

By continuing to use this website, you consent to our use of these cookies. We make it our mission to find the best athletes, coaches and specialists on Earth and bring their wisdom to you. Due to the major influence Karate has had on other major kicking arts such as Kickboxing and Taekwon-Do which are very similar in kicking techniques, this article will focus mainly on the similarities and differences of kicking techniques from Thailands famous martial art, and the ancient art of a traditional Japan. This is probably due to the fact that it reigns supreme when we have some distance as is most often the case when karateka fight each other but its not that useful when clinched up. I've seen so many debates online over the years about leg kicks and how to kick. 1. Thai kicks will generally be thrown with less chamber than a karate kick with the hip and body pivot creating the power. Dynamic Striking has some of the very best minds in the world of striking. The smartest way to use your valuable training time is to focus on what you are most likely to use, and the kata does exactly that. Kung Fu is starting to pique people's interest now because of one specific fighter in the UFC, Zabit Magomedsharipov. A good kicker in Karate or Thai will be creative and vary what they do. But outside of class, I'm keen to strip it back to things that work when debilitating fear prevent the higher thought needed to choose a target, take aim, fire and precision shot etc.

You may have already seen this, but Rick Hotton has an interesting way of teaching the karate round kick. Good video Les! This is why Muay Thai kicks are so powerful compared to karate kicks: they swing the leg like a bat. The other lad managed to trap my arm with one hand while repeatedly punching to the side of my head with the other. While there are some Thai fighters with creative and pinpoint spinning techniques like Saenchai, LAST DAY! That doesn't fit. When it comes to spinning kicks, there are minimal similarities between the two martial arts besides both styles hit mostly with the heel, and spin on this type of technique. The world of martial arts features a distinct variety of kicks. Both styles have the same common target areas being the legs, the body, and the head. The thing is, I'm sure we all learn the 'official' way first, and then tweak it. Low kicks to the thigh might cause a fair amount of pain but they do not reliably end the confrontation. But then sometimes they don't. But if you pay close attention, you can identify some differences. A big difference is the way the kick is chambered. When it comes to spinning kicks, there are minimal similarities between the two martial arts besides both styles hit mostly with the heel, and spin on this type of technique. For example, its not down as a leg technique in Funakoshis first book. Neither kick is a fight-ender if it lands lower. No mention of the effectiveness on living subjects. I can see why. uchimata-geri (stamp to inner thigh when clinched), sotomata-geri (stamp to outer thigh when clinched), fumikiri-geri (stepping on the foot to break balance), namikaeshi-geri (the returning wave kick from Naihanchi Shodan; which Funakoshi states is for kicking the enemys inter thigh), etc. Mention of Yoshitaka experimenting with "circular kicks" and their introduction of said kicks into the Funakoshi Karate.

His experimentation involved the use of cadavers, sourced at his employment, at a Tokyo hospital. Muay Thai, also known as Thai boxing, is a martial art whose origin can be traced back to Thailand. But some are better than others. One of the things that appeals to me about martial arts is the fact that it's basically the science of the human machine. To answer your question about either style adopting each other's kick: I personally don't see why Muay Thai would ever replace its characteristic roundhouse kick, as it works well the way it is. Incorporates a 1956 biography (written prior to Funakoshi elder's death) by Togawa Yukio ( a student of both men). I've seen fights ended by the intended recipient of a punch do nothing while the attacker loses his balance and falls over before the would be victim even realises he's under attack. If you want to see an example of some of the kicks, watch the video below: Compared to all other martial arts, Shaolin Kung Fu holds a top tier when it comes to acrobatic kicks. Why dont we have a guard up?, Why is the footwork so basic?, This arm position is a guard, This is a double block, Where are the roundhouse kicks? etc. High kicks run the risk of your leg being caught and you to be taken off-balance. They had to do it again 2 days later. The name emanates from two Japanese words: 'Kara' which means empty, and 'te', which means hand. Thanks folks! Why doesn't karate adopt the muay thai version, or vice versa?

Muay Thai is one of the most prominent martial art styles in the world. "The Legendary Fight That Changed History."

To each his own, but the point Im making here is that all of these kicks are karate roundhouses in that they were taught under the label of karate to me by karate instructors who regarded it to be a karate kick. ), http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Le8AOxtskp8, (You must log in or sign up to reply here. In a ranking method, Kung Fu martial art takes up the top tier as the martial art style with the quickest kicks, followed by Tae Kwon Do, then Karate, and lastly, Muay Thai. Therefore the fact that kata contain mainly close quarters techniques, rather than stuff like roundhouse kicks, makes perfect sense. Higher risk of injury if you hit your opponent's defense, or if you hit a hard surface on their body.

MMA Life is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and other affiliate programs. Roundhouse? Due to this variation of the kick, Muay Thai fighters will set up whatever leg they are planning to kick with by placing it behind them as the back foot, even if placing the foot back only to throw it right after as seen in Muay Thais patented switch kick.

The karate way felt overly refined to the point of losing impact. In a self defense situation, I doubt I would use either of them, although I have heard of cases where both have been used with effective results.

It is a devastating technique to be sure, whether you would ever get to deliver it in a confined environment from a suprise assault, etc. Just a quick question for Mitch, ap Oweyn, or anybody else that may like to answer: depends on what kind of sparring.

By that I mean we focus on details of body mechanics, energy, the mind, and how it all fits together to make a single functioning unit. To suggest they can is frankly lying. I would hedge my bets that grappling & close quarter techniques would be more beneficial of more practice/understanding.

Which do you think causes more damage? That is the kind of violence kata seeks to address, and the role of kicks is limited. Personally, I know two people who ended high school fights by round kicking their opponent in the head, and that is what I had in mind. With the Muay Thai teep, you use your hip to extend the kick, as opposed to using your leg to snap the kick. Kickboxing (at least the dutch school) normally bends the knee in the roundhouse. I think the same is true in many karate styles. As such, with any pragmatic art, you will get a variety of expression based around what the person is trying to achieve. Equally as a school kid I lost a fight once. In fact, Shaolin Kung Fu boasts thirty-six kicking techniques with a variation in position to each kicking technique, thus putting it at the number one position. I personally find the Muay Thai version to be more useful for sport fighting, but you can use either one effectively. This is my belief as well. This is an often overlooked benefit. They are rather long range, they require you to stand on one leg and pivot your supporting foot away from your opponent. The fight demonstrates the absolute monstrosity of muay thai leg kicks. These techniques are achieved through a variety of movements in the legwork, the use of different kicking techniques, particularly high kicks, as well as the use of acrobatics.

At very close quarters, twisting to the side while jamming a knee and a shin between you and the assailant may create the opportunity to create distance and loosen a grip. What's right, wrong. Sometimes they are thrown with the hip held back a bit for a speedier delivery and transition into something else (dutch style kickboxers sometimes do this with their leg kick because they are looking to set up hands). I can see why they use shins. I think it's a little more forgiving to use the shin--if I make a mistake, there's less of a chance of me hitting the top of my foot on the edge of a thai pad. Good point and true! Which Martial Art Style Has The Quickest Kicks? I don't have a local muay thai school to learn at, and I'm not sure I'd want to anyway. This is through developing coordination, toning the body, building stamina as well as stimulating reflexes. Muay Thai kicks frequently are taught with little to no knee bend when the kick is coming up. Well said. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. It hurt. This website uses cookies to help us give you the best experience when you visit our website. However to protect the kickers toes when throwing the kick against a quick, dynamic target, the round kick is thrown by hitting with the shin, Karateka usually mobilize the hip by pivoting the standing foot, then driving the arm of the kicking leg in the opposite direction of where the kick is being thrown. Which Martial Art Style Has The Most Acrobatic Kicks?

In comparison to this type of spinning technique, Karate has a much more technical approach. It is to create an opportunity to escape. Likewise a shin or knee to the groin might cause an attacker to briefly, for a split second, loosen their grip, creating the opportunity to break away. Any thoughts on the pros and cons of each, specifically in relation to the roundhouse kick? The Karate Front Kick Versus The Muay Thai Teep. However, in exchanges that support a wider array of kicking styles (i.e. I think both are effective. With respect, I think the whole 'fight ender' concept that so many martial artists refer to should be placed firmly in the huge pile of martial arts myths. You are simply not allowed to kick below the waist and therefore will be reprimanded or even disqualified. The knee of the kicking leg will drive towards and point at its target before the leg snaps, just like the Karate front kick.

Tae Kwon Do (TKD) is a Korean martial art style developed by General Choi Hong Hi. Unless you are really flexible a good mawashi requires distance and awareness of the attack, (i.e you know it's coming). The four martial arts referenced above all have their own distinct philosophy when it comes to kicking.

How you use it in any given circumstance determines the effectiveness. Another taught both that way, and also with the chamber, whip, pivot, lean and recovery more commonly associated with karate. I personally kick with shin, more details in a clip below. I got the idea from watching a Kyokushin competition, I think. The most effective roundhouse variation I've used in self-protection drills has been a kick to the inside of the thigh. I do find that strange as it's almost a "revered" kick in the style in the modern day ( I dislike it only because I'm getting old haha). It is therefore unwise to use a typical karate competition style roundhouse kick. It results in kids that believe they can fight when in fact what they can do is demo techniques in a safe environment. ). High kicks have all the obvious disadvantages. Whether you would get the oppurtunity to use it in a non-consensual scenario, I'm not sure. Muay Thais variation of the spinning kick takes the heel, and hits anywhere with it. The kicks are low. (I realize this is a very rough explanation, and a real kick is thrown fluidly.) This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. As for why Karate hasn't adopted the Thai style of roundkicking?it has.at least the styles that do knockdown have. One instructor (who has also trained in Thai) taught it the Thai way exclusively. See Henning Wittwer's translation book:http://amzn.eu/d/7Z8gAzkFunakoshi Gichin & Funakoshi Yoshitaka: Two Karate Masters Page 49. However, it was not a karate kick at all until relatively recently. Loads of great information and insights! A good instructor will acknowledge this. There will always be a time where it will be more advantageous to throw a certain variation of a technique over another. Besides, Karate has helped many people improve their mental health; develop self-confidence, composure, and a deeper insight into one's mental capabilities. Much is made of stepping across and yet I've seen good damaging kicks landed that start with a step BACK (to create space or open up a good angle of attack). You can see good kicks landed that vary. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website.

So a muay thai kick with the shin into the thigh would be a bad technique if you fight by karate WKF competition rules. 2. Karate practitioners use the front kick as an offensive weapon primarily used to deliver pain. While there are some Thai fighters with creative and pinpoint spinning techniques like Saenchai, generally speaking most Muay Thai kicks that involve a spin do not go straight back at the opponent but rather aim towards the opponent as the fighter continues spinning, swinging the leg back to the floor and landing in their fighting position. One can practice Karate for numerous reasons. For example, the style of kicking we see in WKF tournaments is relatively consistent, as is the kicking we see in Olympic TKD, Kyokushin tournaments, and so on. Even if the opponent blocks the kick, it can still do damage to whichever part of the body they used to block it. I gave in. can you guys give me a general run down how you kick/what are the general difference between these styles of kicking? Tae Kwon Do is known for its quick kicks and agile kicks. Muay Thais variation of the spinning kick takes the heel, and hits anywhere with it. While there lay a few similarities between the two martial art styles, one note of distinction is in that Karate emphasizes on punches and strikes while Taekwondo thrives on the use of kicks as explained further below. There are very few techniques at all that will reliably defend (in any sense) a kid against an aggressive adult, and if that is the goal then I would focus on strikes to the eyes, throat, or groin. I don't fancy that myself. Kung Fu is a broad term used to describe all Chinese martial arts. Keep in mind that each of these styles offers something different depending on what you want to learn. the ball of your foot, Less powerful in general. Fighters should take a look objectively at what techniques work for them instead of discarding a whole set of effective techniques because it belongs to a different style. To which I answer, if your technique depends on the opponent not knowing how to fight, then it is not an effective technique. It's still harder to recover from than a Karate kick, but good fighters don't expose their back like you suggested. This is only one kick though (hammer kick). Lots of karates with lots of roundhouses. Absolutely. Kyokushin, Enshin, Shidokan, Seidokaikan, etc. We also have those really skilled individuals who can kick for all seasons as they move between differing types of combative exchange.

Is Kyokushin Karate An Effective Martial Art? I feel that Muai Thai and Kickboxing kicks are essentially the same but the training and conditioning differs greatly, so things like rythm, posture and fight strategy change a lot. My personal tweaks turned my roundhouse into something close to the muay thai version even before I started researching the latter. I dunno anything about how kickboxers kick tho. As an aside, even when not in panic mode some techniques often don't go well. Like any sports, speed focuses on the practitioner's physique; however, research has noted that speed can be improved depending on the tactics used. Axe kick? People who train Karate or Muay Thai are much more rooted in their stance compared to Tae Kwon Do practitioners. I'm very much open to opinions on how I might make such child friendly drills. In karate we fire straight from where we're at, pivoting the supporting foot as we release. My ego was hurt. Both can crack ribs and do tons of damage and each has its place. You can watch the video below: Though it takes a while to hone the skills of fighting with the shin properly, this technique helps the fighters break through their targets, giving them the upper hand in the boxing ring.