Leg Targets

[Uchiha_Anbu]

I'd like to hear what people think the most effective targets on the legs are. Also any comment on the timing and technique best suited for the target mentioned would be greatly appreciated. If anyone knows any good combos following or proceeding a low kick tell me please.

Thanks

[MrPoopy]

I've not had much training in striking the legs but I believe the upper outside part of the leg is a good target for thai kicks and of course the knees are a good target.

[jules]

inner and outher thighs right above the knee.

[cakegirl]

It depends on your circumstance - are you looking to injure someone - temporarily or permanently - or are you looking to score a point in a tournament?

Temporarily injure, I guess the thigh targets mentioned above.

Permanently injure, probably attacking the knee would be a good option.

To get away in a self-defence situation, a stomp to a foot while wearing a stiletto works! A swift kick to the shin, too!

Cakegirl

[Cain]

in the ring, you can kick round kicks about 3-7cm's above the knee. Here the different parts of the quadriceps meet, so it is veyr painfull and will reduce a opponents will to fight or even make him unable to continue. I would also recommend this for people in self defence.. much less chance for injury on self when kicking to the thigh.. versus kicking knee.. imho..

[Cain]

and i use to block lowkicks and kick almost before my blocking foot is down again to the base leg of my opponent.. or you can jab, cross, hook, lowkick..
just experiment, what works for me doesen't work for you.. and vica verca..

[Nit]

In self defense situation a good hard strike to the points of the leg which are 'weak' will give you time to run away. So a stomp on the kneecap and down the shin with a shoe causes discomfort and if you get the kneecap right you can disable them from walking for a while.

If you have a pointy object then you can drop down and direct a blow to the main nerve runnings which I think are in the centre of the thigh (front) halfway between knee and hip, and the inner thigh between where teh main front and main rear muscles meet again about halfway between the knee and the hip (My description here is not medically accurate, but you get the picture). Although it would be rare that you find yourself in a situation where you can do that effectively without years of practise.

Also forcing the knee to extend in adjacent angles to the joint can either disable or cause an upset balance (kick their knee sideways or backwards, sideways is best as there isn't a knee cap to prevent it bending).

In sparring we use many techniques to upset balance, mostly based on rotation and positioning.

One of these is the Naihanchi stance
Link.
Before everyone gets up in arms about horse riding stances let me explain that we don't stand in a fight like we are crapping out of our Gi bottoms, I am mearly about to state one way in which a portion of this stance can help to upset the balance of an opponent (And thats my opinion not a fact, only it works for us when we use it inter-club sparring)

Basically if you move your right knee to point to the right of the opponent then slide your foot diagonally forwards (left a little then right) tucking your knee under their knee (helps if you stand a little pidgeon toed), then return your knee to normal position you will lever their knee and leg in a way that they cannot use it as a supporting structure. Depending on which leg they have in front you will either cause them to lose balance or drawn them into you (note this is not a static technique, usually I use it when the opponent is advancing and I want to influence their direction of travel. So far the people I have sparred moveback too far to use this offensively.

Another one which is a favourite of the flashy points fighters is to perform an axe kick (gedan) into leg sweep (same leg) and then continue turning into a spinning cresent kick (gedan or Jodan depending on how flashy you are).

[Cain]

http://www.blackbeltmag.com/archives/blackbelt/1992/apr92/naihanchi/tech4.html

[Nit]

Thanks Cain, didn't realise I messed up the link

[Thai Bri]

God Almighty. The content of that link was ridiculous.

No offence.

[Cain]

that was kind of my point..

[Thai Bri]

I'm sure glad you haven't gone over to the dark side.

"Pressure-point training is dangerous when conducted without proper instruction and supervision. There is great danger in hitting another's points "just to see what will happen." And under no circumstances should an individual attempt self-instruction of kyusho-jutsu."

Let one of these guys hit my points. I'll tell you what will happen. I will knock their teeth out. How can people believe this tripe? I like the bit about Funakoshi spending the first 10 years of his training on these Katas. It sure explains alot.

[Nick]

...

^I went to one of that guy's seminars^...

Anyway, you can knee someone in the front of the thigh, too.

Later...

[Nit]

All in all I was linking for the pictures, I didn't read the article at all... my mistake. I should check before I google

[Cain]

but stomping kicks, straight to the knee, from the behind foot, I have seen been used before. But most european thai competitions outlaw them.. most nhb's too.. so not very often.