Front Kick to the Shin

[Guest]

Imagine doing a very low, shin high, Front Kick, connecting with the ball of your foot.

Being on the receiving end of this must hurt like hell. Has anyone either dished one out or received one? If so, how efective was it?

[Tim Mousel]

I've been on both ends of the shin kick. It hurts like hell! Instead of the ball of the foot, it works to turn your foot sideways like you're kicking a soccer ball.

Tim

[Szczepankiewicz]

That, my fine English Twit, is what we call a Front Lower Hook(or a lower crescent kick). Using the ball of the foot to strike anywhere on the shin from just below the knee down to the instep. It's a great kick for really close in situations. You really need to lift your toes out of the way, as striking with the toe is not a good idea. But you already know this.

The path of the kick is from a knee lift (figure 4) position striking down then out in a crescent arc.

We also have the Side Lower Hook using the 'outer knife edge' of the foot. This we use when the target is, of course, off to the side.

And, the Back Lower Hook, using the 'outer knife edge' of the foot, but striking backwards when the target, is of course, behind you.

This is a high percentage, short range strike that has potential to cause pain to the attacker with relatively little chance of doing damage to your own foot.

The primary use is to create a little space between you and your opponent. This allows you room to either escape or sets you up for any number of follow up strikes.

But, that's just how we do it....

Hope this helps.

SZ