The Best ...

[Kellen Bassette]

Describing it as "front jamming kicks using the instep"

Yeah, the "instep" part threw me off. i couldn't picture how to strike with the instep using a front thrust.

We call that technique a cross kick and I absolutely love it. It was basically non existent in the UFC until Jones started throwing them. Now they're catching on.

[EarthDragon]

its also comminly called and Axe kick

[iunojupiter]

Fu ren jiao

excellent kick. Used a fair amount in mantis.

[-N-]

Fu ren jiao

excellent kick. Used a fair amount in mantis.

Yep. We have a few variations of that kick. It is the first one that we teach, and the most commonly trained.

It is in every line of our 14 Routes Tan Tui.

We expect a very in depth level of mastery for that kick. There's a lot more to it than might appear at first look. We have a lot of combination attacks incorporating that kick in a lot of ways.

For us, if you have only one kick, that would be the one.

I start beginner students sparring after they learn that as their first and only technique.

[GoldenBrain]

We call that technique a cross kick and I absolutely love it. It was basically non existent in the UFC until Jones started throwing them. Now they're catching on.

I can't even imagine not having this kick in my tool box. I'm sure I've used it a hundred times or more in sparring matches and it almost always gives me an instant advantage since it has the affect of making my opponent look like they stepped into a hole all gimpy like. Of course I'm not trying to crush my sparring partners knee or anything so I use it a bit more gently on the hip and thigh.

[Jimbo]

The cross kick is an excellent kick, and in my observation, is included in almost every CMA system. I had it in Mantis, and we also have it in CLF. It's one of, if not the, best kicks to use simultaneously with the hands. But most people really don't expect it at all; everyone looks for the front/round kicks and knees.

Low side kick is also great. When side kick is mentioned, a lot of people assume it's easy to grab, but that's mostly assuming a mid-level kick. And anyway, that depends greatly on WHO is doing the kick. Everybody's side kicks aren't equal. For one example, in his prime, I doubt many people could have grabbed Joe Lewis' side kick. But back to low side kick, it's very quick, easy to recover from, and can target the shin to avoid harming the knee in practice. The low side kick is not easy to grab or try to grab, especially when that isn't the only thing you're doing.

[Kellen Bassette]

When side kick is mentioned, a lot of people assume it's easy to grab, but that's mostly assuming a mid-level kick. And anyway, that depends greatly on WHO is doing the kick. Everybody's side kicks aren't equal.

A good side kick is very difficult to catch. A slow lazy one is easy. Sanda players are probably some of the best kick catchers out there; and they throw side kicks all the time. If your side kick is getting caught on any kind of regular basis you need to do some serious work with that technique.

[Jimbo]

A good side kick is very difficult to catch. A slow lazy one is easy. Sanda players are probably some of the best kick catchers out there; and they throw side kicks all the time. If your side kick is getting caught on any kind of regular basis you need to do some serious work with that technique.

Yes. The side kick seems to have become almost a lost art nowadays. Now I understand people's love for MT-style kicking, but it seems many people either don't train side kick, or work it half-heartedly and conclude that it doesn't work. And sure, there are some instances where it works better than others, like any other move. ANY technique you use has the potential to fail catastrophically if used in the wrong way or time.

[Kellen Bassette]

I really think the main reason the side kick isn't that popular in competitive fighting, (though it is becoming discovered through Jon Jones and others,) is because most people fight with their hips square, facing their opponent. I feel like there's some misconception that you need to be in a side stance to throw a side kick.

This is of course, not the case. It is very simple to throw the kick from a square fighting stance. It simply requires the pivoting of the supporting foot, as does the MT round kick. I think another problem is some people think the side kick is weak, because they don't understand the difference between the snapping side kick, (with the blade of the foot,) and the thrusting side kick, (with the heel.) I've had people tell me the side kick is too weak and they are afraid they'll just be overrun. Then they proceed to show me a weak snappy side kick, side thrust kick is a whole different animal and a very powerful kick.

[bawang]

Yes. The side kick seems to have become almost a lost art nowadays. Now I understand people's love for MT-style kicking, but it seems many people either don't train side kick, or work it half-heartedly and conclude that it doesn't work. And sure, there are some instances where it works better than others, like any other move. ANY technique you use has the potential to fail catastrophically if used in the wrong way or time.

its hard to hurt somebody with a side kick. it looks cool but its not as useful. side kick was never popular in traditional kung fu. it got popular with bruce lee movies.

I really think the main reason the side kick isn't that popular in competitive fighting

side kick was never popular in traditional chinese kung fu.

[Kellen Bassette]

its hard to hurt somebody with a side kick. it looks cool but its not as useful. side kick was never popular in traditional kung fu. it got popular with bruce lee movies.

Throw side kick to the ribs when your opponent strikes. If your kick don't suck, he will be hurt.

[bawang]

Throw side kick to the ribs when your opponent strikes. If your kick don't suck, he will be hurt.

its much more obvious than the round house, and easily defended.

[-N-]

Yep. We have a few variations of that kick. It is the first one that we teach, and the most commonly trained.

It is in every line of our 14 Routes Tan Tui.

We expect a very in depth level of mastery for that kick. There's a lot more to it than might appear at first look. We have a lot of combination attacks incorporating that kick in a lot of ways.

For us, if you have only one kick, that would be the one.

I start beginner students sparring after they learn that as their first and only technique.

The cross kick is an excellent kick, and in my observation, is included in almost every CMA system.

[...]

Low side kick is also great. When side kick is mentioned, a lot of people assume it's easy to grab, but that's mostly assuming a mid-level kick.

We tend to target the shin with the cross kick. We call it jat tui.

One of our first combination kicks is jat tui with low side kick followup.

We slam and drop down on the low side kick. We don't snap it in that combination.

[SPJ]

most people focus on hand techniques

however, foot or leg methods are also important.

stepping methods

--

my favorite is side stepping or bian bu,

many of my mantis hands methods are started with a side stepping.

[Kellen Bassette]

its much more obvious than the round house, and easily defended.

Roundhouse is the most telegraphic of all kicks.