Elbow position when blocking a low kick.

[7even]

Do you prefer the elbow on the outside of the thigh or inside of the thigh?

 

[DoctorTaco]

Why is your elbow anywhere near your thigh when checking a low kick?

 

[THE RAS]

Why is your elbow anywhere near your thigh when checking a low kick?

Because it's the proper way to check when you are not sure it's a low or middle kick?

Do you prefer the elbow on the outside of the thigh or inside of the thigh?

Elbow always outside of thigh/knee. If it turns out to be a middle kick, the thigh will help the arm absorb the impact. There is nothing to gain from having it the other way around.

 

[DoctorTaco]

Because it's the proper way to check when you are not sure it's a low or middle

Elbow always outside of thigh/knee. If it turns out to be a middle kick, the thigh will help the arm absorb the impact. There is nothing to gain from having it the other way around.

It feels like if my thigh is high enough to touch my elbow then a low kick would fly right under my leg. Also it would mean their kick hits the lower part of my shin rather than the top (if it makes contact at all)

 

[THE RAS]

A calf kick maybe, but for a thigh kick I doubt it if you put some pressure against it, as you always should... Unless it a feint and he goes for the trip on purpose, but that's another situation.

But again, it's for when you are not really sure how high the kick will go, and you raise the check above what you would usually for a low.

 

[shincheckin]

Aimed at your right dorsal fin

 

[Monte Moku]

I'm certainly not raising my check high enough to touch my elbow for a low kick.

But again, it's for when you are not really sure how high the kick will go, and you raise the check above what you would usually for a low.

Idk man, sounds like a really easy way to get set up if you're raising your check that high just because you're not sure what's coming.

 

[THE RAS]

I'm certainly not raising my check high enough to touch my elbow for a low kick.



Idk man, sounds like a really easy way to get set up if you're raising your check that high just because you're not sure what's coming.

Ok... so then what do you do? What do you guys teach/are taught to do when a low/mid kick is coming that you are not sure about?

 

[Monte Moku]

Ok... so then what do you do? What do you guys teach/are taught to do when a low/mid kick is coming that you are not sure about?

I've been focusing on my inside work / getting on the inside lately, so if that happened in a sparring session now I'd probably eat the kick on my guard and respond with an inside low kick immediately or an appropriate punch based on whatever hit me and follow up from there if there's an opportunity.

 

[DoctorTaco]

Ok... so then what do you do? What do you guys teach/are taught to do when a low/mid kick is coming that you are not sure about?

it’s pretty rare that I can’t read someone’s posture and set up to know if they’re throwing a body kick or a leg kick. On the rare chance when you can’t tell/read which one it is then a high check makes sense but doing it for every low kick is suicide

 

[aerius]

Ok... so then what do you do? What do you guys teach/are taught to do when a low/mid kick is coming that you are not sure about?

Block low, catch & sweep if it goes mid.

 

[THE RAS]

On the rare chance when you can’t tell/read which one it is then a high check makes sense but doing it for every low kick is suicide

That's all I am saying. Never said to high check the low kicks. Just that some times, it happens to "over react" to a low kick because of reasons, and in that case, it's better to have the elbow outside.

And I know you know, that beginners have no fucking clue what kind of kick is coming. So i prefer to tell them to shell up that side instead of eating it raw to the arm or the ribs.

And it's not just beginners, you can often see top players getting mid kicked while they just "low checked", or even getting KOed with a head kick because they thought it was a mid one coming.
It doesn't happen 10 times in a round, but it does happen...

So i am a bit surprise that you guys here can always predict the kicks... I know i can't but what do I know?

Block low, catch & sweep if it goes mid.

Ideally yes, but often it's a lot easier/faster to just raise your check a bit more than to go for the catch when you are not sure.

 

[DoctorTaco]

That's all I am saying. Never said to high check the low kicks. Just that some times, it happens to "over react" to a low kick because of reasons, and in that case, it's better to have the elbow outside.

And I know you know, that beginners have no fucking clue what kind of kick is coming. So i prefer to tell them to shell up that side instead of eating it raw to the arm or the ribs.

And it's not just beginners, you can often see top players getting mid kicked while they just "low checked", or even getting KOed with a head kick because they thought it was a mid one coming.
It doesn't happen 10 times in a round, but it does happen...

So i am a bit surprise that you guys here can always predict the kicks... I know i can't but what do I know?



Ideally yes, but often it's a lot easier/faster to just raise your check a bit more than to go for the catch when you are not sure.

my guys all have good reads before they spar hard enough for it to matter because we drill vs. low kicks exclusively, then against body kicks exclusively, then have their partner mix them up. We train the eyes along with the body. Once they look good enough in drills they can do timing sparring which further trains their distance and reads.

I understand what you’re saying but it’s just not a problem I or my fighters encounter.

 

[SummerStriker]

I was taught that the elbow goes on the outside, but in practice I just bring up my shin as a flinch and it never looks like the picture. Maybe if I was faster, I could.

 

[shincheckin]

Elbow outside is correct. Elbow on top of the knee or inside, does not provide any support to the arm, and the kick will knock it out of place.

Practice will help you realize a low kick from a mid from a high.

Your leg shouldn't be lifted high enough to touch your elbow for a low kick check. And as already mentioned, if you think it's a low kick and it's a mid, switch from the check, to a catch.

Check dudes elbow position while checking my low kick.

Just stay in your guard, raise the leg slightly and check.

 

[JohnPJones]

That's all I am saying. Never said to high check the low kicks. Just that some times, it happens to "over react" to a low kick because of reasons, and in that case, it's better to have the elbow outside.

And I know you know, that beginners have no fucking clue what kind of kick is coming. So i prefer to tell them to shell up that side instead of eating it raw to the arm or the ribs.

And it's not just beginners, you can often see top players getting mid kicked while they just "low checked", or even getting KOed with a head kick because they thought it was a mid one coming.
It doesn't happen 10 times in a round, but it does happen...

So i am a bit surprise that you guys here can always predict the kicks... I know i can't but what do I know?



Ideally yes, but often it's a lot easier/faster to just raise your check a bit more than to go for the catch when you are not sure.

maybe this can help clear up confusion in the fusion, but when someone is asking a fairly general question giving answers for specific instances should be clearly stated as for specific instances and not a general answer.
That’s why doc responded to you the way he did.

 

[THE RAS]

From my part, I think is all good. The main concern from OP was answered (elbow outside), and from there there was a discussion about when and if there is a time for a low kick check high enough to reach the elbow.

I personally don't think there were nonsense told from either sides, so all in all, (again, for me) it was a good exchange.

 

[Madmogwai]

To check a kick you only lift about 6 inches so he hits just below the knee hurting his shin.
Elbow will be above the knee in-line with the knee