5 spectacular kickboxing moves that even a beginner can do

Peizulla Magomedov

CMC in freestyle wrestling and kickboxing, two-time champion of Moscow in Thai boxing

What should a beginner learn at the first kickboxing lessons? What techniques will a beginner be able to do?

Kickboxing is a relatively young kind of martial arts, which rapidly gained popularity in the 80-90s of the last century thanks to Hollywood movies with Bruce Lee and Jean-Claude Van Damme. Since those times kickboxing has grown a large audience of fans and athletes: tournaments and promotions appeared, kickboxing stars began to appear more often on the screens, and by today elements from kickboxing are in the arsenal of every mixed martial arts fighter.

Read about how martial arts affect our emotions here.

What important rules are taught to beginner kickboxers

Each coach has his own methodology, but it is possible to highlight a few general rules that are instilled from the first training session.

Keep your hands up. When you stand in a stance, both forearms are in front of your face, protecting it from punches. As soon as you drop your hands and forget about the defense, you’ll get “hit” and the fight will likely be over. It’s good if you remain conscious at that point. Keeping your hands in front of you at all times is hard enough, but over time you will develop a useful habit.

Move during the fight. In a static position, your fighting potential is about the same as a dummy. Proper movement not only protects you, but also allows you to counterpunch, which makes it harder for your opponent. And after a series of strikes, you should not stand, but keep moving.

Don’t close your eyes. This is a natural reaction of the body to the opponent’s lunge and the most common mistake of all beginners. By closing your eyes, you stop seeing your opponent’s actions. Over time, this fear will atrophy, but you need to work on it in sparring.

Do not be afraid to miss a punch. To work on the “pear” or “paws”, of course, safer, but so you are unlikely to feel kickboxing really. Fear of strikes disappears after hundreds of sparring in the gym, and for this purpose beginners begin to work in partial contact – in helmets and gloves.

5 spectacular kickboxing moves available to the beginner

Jab

Everyone starts with this technique and it is also common in boxing. The jab is a straight punch to the head. It is delivered from a fighting stance with the leading fist straight forward, with the body turning slightly with the flying hand. As the fist moves forward, the elbow is straightened and the shoulder is raised, giving additional protection to the chin.

To make the jab stronger, you need to step forward. With the jab, you not only throw punches, but also scout your opponent and prevent him from shortening the distance.

Low kick

The most popular kick in kickboxing is the low-kick, or a kick to the lower body (thigh or shin). It should be aimed at the middle of the thigh of the opponent’s leg closest to you. Low-kick is best performed not with the foot, but with the lower part of the shin. For the kick you will need momentum, namely, a swinging rotation. First, take a step with the supporting leg and slightly turn the foot in the direction of the blow, then the second leg hit and at the moment of swing turn the body for more power.

Low-kick can be upward, horizontal and downward (the last two variants are for more skillful fighters).

Front kick

With this kick you can not only start your attack, but also stop your opponent’s onslaught. A front kick is a straight leg kick. For it, you need to shift your weight to the supporting leg, and lift the kicking leg bent at the knee. Then it is necessary to sharply throw the leg in the direction of the opponent’s body. For balance, the supporting leg should be slightly bent at the knee and slightly deviated back. The blow is delivered by the toe of the foot – so its force will be concentrated in one point, not across the foot. The toes of the kicking foot should be clenched.

Side kick

Like the front kick, this is ideal for counter-striking. The side-kick is delivered sideways, with the outside of the foot. For beginners it is better to start with body kicks, more flexible fighters can kick to the head. To perform the kick correctly, it is necessary to push off sharply with the kicking leg and shift the weight to the supporting leg, then raise the leg bent at the knee and throw it sharply into the opponent’s body. The body is rotated to the side of the kick and tilted back slightly for balance.

Roundhouse kick

A roundhouse kick is a circular leg kick. It is used at medium to long range, usually aimed at the head or body. To kick, the weight must be shifted to the supporting leg, and the other leg must be raised and bent at the knee. From the raised knee position, the front leg begins to straighten and the knee itself turns inward, bringing the shin over the side in a circular motion. The foot of the striking leg is pulled forward with the toe. The strike is delivered with the top of the foot. As the leg straightens, the pelvis is thrust forward, giving the kick additional length, height and force. The body may be tilted slightly to the side.

Each kick should be well practiced individually before incorporating them into your series or combination. It is best to start with the basics, especially the arms and defense, while working on stretching and muscle elasticity. Then the legs can be used as well.