Side kicks causing pain

[okimura]

I've been doing Muay Thai about a year now. I just joined this new gym, and the instructors, I'm pretty sure, are former TKD and American Kickboxing, so they've got me doing side kicks, which I never did at my old gym (There's another thread about that topic). I don't like side kicks very much, and I would probably never use one in MT sparring, but because I think it's imporant to learn as much as I can, I want to be able to throw decent side kicks. The problem is that I can't kick very high. In MT, this wasn't a problem because you don't have to kick very high. But with a side kick, even kicking low is really hard for me. And I must be doing something wrong, because I actually start to have some pain, in, well, my gluteus if you want the technical term. If, say, I try a side kick with my right leg, I get pain in the right glute and also in my lower back nearer the right side, which I'm guessing, is coming from my sciatic nerve although I don't know for sure because I've never had any pain or problems with my sciatic nerve. I also have pain in my outer thighs of both the kicking and standing leg, and occsionally I'll hear a pop and feel that in my hip.

So I'm wondering if someone can help me out. I want to improve my flexibility and I want to be able to kick higher. Are there any specific techniques or stretches? What muscle is doing the work during a side kick and are there techniques and stretches to target that muscle? I'm guessing it's your quadricepts for chambering and sending the kick, and your hip abductor to lift your leg sideways, but I don't really know. What's causing the pain and what can I do about it?

Thanks.

[Hardball]

You need to adjust your daily stretching regime. Also, Try warming up better. Maybe warm up in the shower or bath tub in addition to your regular warm ups.

[WildWest.]

Don't worry about not being able to kick high with a side kick, it's much more effective as a body shot anyway. Same with turning back kick.

Unusual that a MT club teaches it but they must see a use for it, and there is, so don't worry about it too much. If they start teaching you to spar a la Olympic TKD then be worried!! It's s pretty good kick, but the problem is your body ends up quite side on as you do it and does put you in a vulnerable position should you miss your opponent or not hit correctly.

As for your pains, talk to your instructors and maybe talk to a doc or physio about it. It shouldn't hurt you to do the kick, but as Hardball said, look at you warm up and stretching routine. Maybe you aren't warming up and stretching the appropriate area enough.

Good luck.

[Patrick G.]

My sidekicks cause pain too...




Just not to me...

[GranFire]

The warmup/stretching, plus the technique may be at fault.

the sidekick can be a very usefull tool to back an opponent off...I am speakin theoreticaly here, not that I ever tried it myself

[Hardball]

When I was a lower belt, I loved to use the sidekick. Now it feels arkward unless the enemy is out to my side. I really prefer thrust kicks (foot Jab) or roundhouse kick. More economy of motion. Also, front leg side kick is much faster and much more economical

[Slaya]

I'm no genius but with you guys probably just don't flex and use those muscles in that manner averagely. I don't suppose you walk around in a side kicking manner, no? So every day just try and stretch the muscles and areas that are in pain while you throw the kicks. By the way, I don't walk around throwing side kicks anyway, but I know if I throw any kick without stretching I do feel pain there fore make sure you stretch and flex normally. As for increasing your flexibility just stretch more and more each day, slowly of course, but adventually stretch a little more and a little more this way your body adapts, but this is all common sense. Another question, are you like, bulky? Whether it be fat or muscle bulk, that can cause some discomfort and prevent you from kicking high as well. How to fix that I have no clue nor do I want to make an uneducated recomendation about it. Another possiblity like one of the other fellow's stated is, technique. Perhaps you're just throwing it wrong, ask your teacher next time.

I'm kind of double jointed in my legs or close to it so I don't really have that problem, but yeah, I've heard of other people having those problems. I wish you guys the best of luck.