Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 34

Thread: crescent kicks

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Huntington, NY, USA website: TenTigers.com
    Posts
    7,718

    crescent kicks

    that roundhouse kick thread got me thinkin...
    So, what do you see as good application of the crescent kicks, both inward and outward?
    Outward Crescent
    For me, I can hit to the head from close range (a la Billy Jack)
    Possibly a desperation kick to a bottle holding hand-the kick crosses the body, thus protecting the stomach, groin, and femoral artery. (maybe a bit Fantasy Island..but good to have in your bag of tricks)
    Not really crazy about this kick as my friend had his knee tore sideways, by having the kick jammed. The foot kept going, the knee stopped.
    I figure a hook kick to be a safer alternative.
    Arm breaks with the kick while holding the arm.
    Inside Crescent
    Arm break as well
    not really much else-too many of the applications I was taught in TKD, TSD, Northern, etc were "in a perfect world..."
    "My Gung-Fu may not be Your Gung-Fu.
    Gwok-Si, Gwok-Faht"

    "I will not be part of the generation
    that killed Kung-Fu."

    ....step.

  2. #2
    I've never really found that much use for it. Roundhouse covers the same territory with more power and less risk of damage. Even when I did TKD and Muay Thai no one ever hit me with them. They're usually way too easy to see coming. Really I think the best use is hitting a downed opponent a la Anderson Silva.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    NW Arkansas
    Posts
    1,392
    Only time I've ever gotten it to work was when I had my sparring partner concentrating on my hands and just snuck it in there.

    I would think some of those kyokushin guys with the gumby knees could do it well
    It is better to have less thunder in the mouth and more lightning in the hand. - Apache Proverb

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Arizona
    Posts
    526
    Quote Originally Posted by TenTigers View Post
    Arm breaks with the kick while holding the arm.
    Inside Crescent
    Arm break as well
    Years go my kenpo karate instructor used to teach this and at the time I believed him. But now that I have more education I don't think it's likely. I'll believe it when I see it. Holding someones arm would put you at a closer range, your kick would be jammed.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    NW Arkansas
    Posts
    1,392
    Also, inward crescents make even less sense
    It is better to have less thunder in the mouth and more lightning in the hand. - Apache Proverb

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    SF Bay Area
    Posts
    2,111
    Some punk came at me with a linoleum knife.

    I crescent kicked it out of his hand.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    CA, USA
    Posts
    4,900
    I used to use the outside crescent in sparring and competition. I never hurt my knee doing it, maybe because I did not use it with the knee straight throughout. I began the kick with the knee bent, and turned *very* slightly outward, then whipped the lower leg out. So instead of the outside edge of foot, I hit the face or head more with the outer instep. This 'whipping' outside crescent also has better velocity (and thus sharper power) and is easier to fire off from different positions with less telegraphing. Depending on the position of the impact, I would either drive through, or bring the leg back the way it came.

    I do believe the hook kick is a bit safer knee-wise, but the outside crescent, IME, can be very deceptive if set up and used right. Not many people actually use it in sparring, though, and it shouldn't be used very often, nor from far away. It's positioning is totally different from the hook kick, so I never considered them an either/or issue. It worked best in combo with hands.

    I've never used the inside crescent effectively, though, except as occasional standing foot sweeps.
    Last edited by Jimbo; 10-15-2012 at 11:44 PM.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Shell Beach, CA, USA
    Posts
    6,664
    Blog Entries
    16
    Quote Originally Posted by Bacon View Post
    I've never really found that much use for it.
    You may only look at crescent kicks from the offense point of view. Both kicks have value in defense application.

    The waist level outside crescent kick can be used to escape inner hook (Ouchi Gari) that your opponent uses his leg to hook your leading leg from inside. In the following clip, all you need is to use your left outside crescent kick to move your left leg out of your opponent's right leg attack.

    http://www.judoinfo.com/images/anima.../ouchigari.htm

    The waist level inside crescent followed by side kick can be used to deflect a incoming front kick. You then kick back on his standing leg. This way you don't have to use your arm to block his kick and leave your head open.
    Last edited by YouKnowWho; 10-16-2012 at 12:07 AM.
    http://johnswang.com

    More opinion -> more argument
    Less opinion -> less argument
    No opinion -> no argument

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by YouKnowWho View Post
    You may have only look at crescent kicks from the offense point of view. Both kicks have great value in defense application.

    The waist level outside crescent kick can be used to escape front cut, inner hook, sickle hook, ... that your opponent uses his leg to hook your leading leg.

    The waist level inside crescent followed by side kick can be used to deflect a incoming front kick. You then kick back on his stamding leg.
    Meh. I'll stick to low line wing chun kicks and Thai kicks. That covers me for long and short ranges.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    DengFeng
    Posts
    1,469
    Hey Tigers

    I love the crescent kicks.

    I am speaking from the SongShan Shaolin point of view;

    Inside: Kick upwards at the kidneys with the BALL of the foot. Ok, this requires flexibility but its a great kick. When we strike the torso we like to kick upwards (there is no way for the body to dampen upwards force so the impact is greater). Leg straight, kick up to the soft area below the floating rib, aim with the toes, 45 degrees, accross and up. You won't hit with the toes (if you are wearing shoes) you will end up striking with the ball of the foot which makes a very heavy impact. Try it now with a bag or a wall or a Bob.

    What is important is that it is combined with the hands. With correct position the Crescent kick is much shorter range than the roundhouse. This is to its advantage as the hands can reach the same target.

    Example;
    Right inside crescent; grab his left arm from outside with your right hand. push down wards on it. Strike left hand accross in large obvious sweeping motion. Simultaneously kick at his kidneys. With correct action the your body is uneffected by kicking and you can do so 'invisibly' without telegrahing it. Follow by uppercutting with the right hand. (XiaoHOngQUan).

    The crescent kick morphs itself to the target, so if you do the same as above but kick to the side of his knee, you can use the whole sole of the foot instead.


    The outside crescent is also great. If an opponent is standing side on you can not kick them straight in the nuts, kick from the outside crescent.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Rottweil, Germany
    Posts
    180
    I can honestly say I've pulled off a crescent kick once since 1978 when I first started. Jump spinning inside crescent kick that I landed on (of all people) a taekwondo teacher. I think it took both of us completely by surprise - I know it sure as hell wasn't going through my head when I hit it.

    It didn't knock him out or down, but it dazed him enough that I could put him away with my hands.

    That would have been 91 or 92 - never done anything remotely like it since.

    I was always taught the inside crescent kick to the hand slap was to simulate having someone by the hair and the 'slapped' hand was their face. It never made a huge amount of sense to me, even as a kid. I used to think, if I had someone by the hair, there are other things that'd come to mind before i decided to put my foot in his face.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    DengFeng
    Posts
    1,469
    Quote Originally Posted by jimbob View Post
    I was always taught the inside crescent kick to the hand slap was to simulate having someone by the hair and the 'slapped' hand was their face. It never made a huge amount of sense to me, even as a kid. I used to think, if I had someone by the hair, there are other things that'd come to mind before i decided to put my foot in his face.
    We also slap the foot, but it is to make sure your hand stretches out as far as the foot. In application we hit to the ear with a cupped slap, to distract from the kick. But the kick rarely goes above the hips. Sometimes into kidney level as I stated above.

    A strike straight into the core of the hips is also a good one. Again, ball of the foot, upwards.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Ontario
    Posts
    22,250
    Crescent kicks are the "WTF was that?" kicks.
    They are designed and work when they "come out of nowhere".
    They are not "distance kicks" nor are they finishers, but they can be quite sneaky.
    Psalms 144:1
    Praise be my Lord my Rock,
    He trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle !

  14. #14
    I've contacted with outside crescents exactly twice ever but I don't use them frequently. I agree with the earlier post that they can be effective close range when nobody is looking.

    I've only successfully used the inside as a set up for something else rather than a kick unto itself. Two examples I can think of are back-leg inside crescents to set up a spinning back or hook kick (which are both risky themselves) or, preferably, a back leg crescent to set up a back sweep.

  15. #15
    back in my WTF TKD days, I remember competing in one of those Oly-style tourneys that heavily biased towards head kicks; I remember standing right up against some guy w/out fear of being punched, clinched, swept, etc., and repeatedly hammering him w out-to-in crescents on the side of the head; it was awesome; and could only happen in a strange venue like that...

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •