Comparing kicks

[B.Y.O.B.]

Which kicking style is more effective? And why you think so?

[B.Y.O.B.]

Well I say Capoeira, cause it has the advantage in the ground n can easily hit in the mid-section n the head.

[SamuraiGuy]

Gonna go with the classic MMA response... Thai Kicks...

It's what im best at anyway.

[Bad Bird]

I would may say MT. But it depends on the practitioner

[danfaggella]

Capoera is not going to come in handy in too many self-defence situations. I usually don't see guys break dancing and doing handstand heelkicks when they get in fights. Practicallity should be of concern when training in martial arts seriously, and moves or styles that look "cool" or "awsome" or "sweet" or whatever kids say these days usually won't do any good in actual combat.

I think any style besides capoeira is pretty good, obviously in MMA thai kicks are very prevolent and hve proven very effective. I like a lot of savate as well, and even a little bit of TKD, minus the flashy jumping tripple-kicks, ect... I guess it all has its purpose and I'd like to study the theories and styles of kicking in all those arts more extensively if I was big on striking. I suppose doing some networking with real practicioners and reading books is a good idea when thinking about approaching different MA style/diciplines. All in all, using what works best for you is a good idea, and throwing away what is impractical. This obviously doesn't limit you to one style. You may find good personal and scientifically backed use for kicks from all styles.

[B.Y.O.B.]

Maybe is because theres ppl who dont know the art? So thats why you never seen them.

[Safadao]

Hmm, i know what i would prefer to watch. The kicks in capoiera are strong, and come from god know which direction, it's just i don't think you'd be able to break out the moves in a real fight.

I'd go muay thai as most effective therefore.

[jeff5]

Capoeira and Savate I haven't trained much so I don't know.

I can tell you that TKD and MT both have their strengths and weaknesses. If you take the flashy jumping spinning stuff out of the TKD kicks and focus on solar plexus and below their kicks are quite effective, and they have tons of variations. For pure power the MT kicks are hard to beat. All have their place.

If you consider kickboxing boxing with any kicking style, MT/TKD/Savate, etc., thrown in, then by definition it would be the most versitile since it incorporates the most.

[LoneHusky]

Capoeira for the ladies. Thaiboxing for kicking ass.

[crazyjoe380]

vote:

[Paco]

Dan, in another post I told you that with capoeira (as with any other art ) it depends upon the practitioner and his mind-set + conditioning. there's no right answer to this.

Some real-life examples:

1- Capoeirista who's also a purple belt in BJJ. Couple of guys come out a car in the west village in NYC. His brother is a BJJ black belt. He arm-drags one guy and slaps a choke. Another guy is going to pounce on him, the capoeira does a low kick/sweep (banda for you guys who know out there), the attacker falls down and my man is kicking him on the ground like Pele with a soccer ball. Moral: of course you can take one guy with the choke, but if his brother wasn't there the BJJ black belt would have been up the creek. I saw this one myself.

2- Classic war story from my old JKD school. Ex-Marine boxer and a TKD black belt sparring in the advance phase class. Marine did not wera headgear. taekwondo guy skinny but fast. Boxer lets his hands down, TKD slaps a spinning back and dislocates the guy's jaw. Is TKD for pussies? Looks like it did the job here...

3- I heard one MT kru say savate is "flicky". I know one American Silver Glove (trained by Richard Sylla) who's also a BJJ black belt and I wouldn't call his kicks "flicky." Savate guys have more precision than the MT kicker. They spar more, from what I have seen, than the average TKD, kung fu or karate fighter. UFC I- who would've thought Gordeau (older looking white guy, slight pot belly, no muscles) would kick a sumo wrestler's eye out?

[aseepish]

There's a time and a place for everything. Kicks are tools. You use the proper tool for the job at hand.

With shoes/boots on, a savate fouette to the solar plexus can be devastating. You can compare a Muay Thai kick to a baseball bat. The fouette is more like a jab from the tip of a police baton.

Other great kicks:
Oblique kicks and stomps (from a variety of arts, but specifically FMAs). These are low-line, hard to block, and relatively safe for the street.

Muay Thai's teep (front push-kick). Used kind of like a boxer's jab - to unbalance the opponent, and as a range-finder. In one fight I saw in Thailand a Thai fighter was able to completely nullify a French fighter who had superior boxing skills by keeping him out of punching range with his teep.

[Paco]

Just cuz you see some "capoeira" guy dancing in the movies and doing handstands all over the place does not mean real capoeiristas fight like that.
Like the MT foot jab, capoeira has the "bencao" which is like a push kick with the heel (on the solar plex or the chin it could finish the fight). I' ve seen people thrown across the room with those. Around 2000 there was a story from Brazil that somebody died after getting kicked like that in the chest cavity. There was also a Vale Tudo fight in Brazil where Amaury Bitteti was knocked out by capoerista Mestre Hulk (with a kick).
Capoeira also has its variants of the roundhouse (martelo), spinning back (meia lua de compasso) , side kicks (chapa) and crescents (inside/outside). But "street" capoeristas need look no further than a martelo, bencao and a "banda" (think somewhere between a low MT kick roundhouse and a judo deashibarai).
Any capoeiristas out there would love to get some backup with this...

[B.Y.O.B.]

Paco has a good point. When it comes to fight a person will not play around, they'll get serious.

[Tant01]

Something like that...

Just cuz you see some "capoeira" guy dancing in the movies and doing handstands all over the place does not mean real capoeiristas fight like that.
....But "street" capoeristas need look no further than a martelo, bencao and a "banda" (think somewhere between a low MT kick roundhouse and a judo deashibarai).
Any capoeiristas out there would love to get some backup with this...

Okuriashi Harai and Deashi Harai would both knock a guy off his feet! It's all in the timing! Interesting how a "kick" can be applied, eh? In Judo you would simply sweep it (gently) but a fight.... rock on.


I don't play Capoeira but I have played with a few players... I like the smile