Round kick with ball of foot

[shincheckin]

This is a requuest for some vids of this type of kick being used in fights, on pads, and on the bag. Has anyone on here used it in a fight?

 

[panamaican]

Try Katsunari Kikuno, I think he used threw most of his kicks with the ball of the foot.

I took the gif from this article by Jack Slack, who used to post here all of the time before he got a real job writing about MMA, lol.
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1908450-kicks-arent-going-anywhere-part-2-katsunori-kikuno

 

[Azam]

From experience if you are new to this type of kick (roundhouse with ball of the foot) - it's best to avoid doing it on a heavy bag as you'll fuck up your knee & foot (especially if it's a 100+ pound heavy bag).

It's best to drill those type of kicks on pads - even better if you have a strike shield.

I've used this type of kick on others and had it done to me - usually in sparring.

If you'd like to see it used in fights Katsunori Kikuno is probably your best bet:

 

[KarateStylist]

From experience if you are new to this type of kick (roundhouse with ball of the foot) - it's best to avoid doing it on a heavy bag as you'll fuck up your knee & foot (especially if it's a 100+ pound heavy bag).

It's best to drill those type of kicks on pads - even better if you have a strike shield.

I've used this type of kick on others and had it done to me - usually in sparring.

If you'd like to see it used in fights Katsunori Kikuno is probably your best bet:

All that Kyo training didn't help with MMA KO defense. The first to do so what none other than Tony Ferguson.

Source: Wikipedia

 

[KarateStylist]

Try Katsunari Kikuno, I think he used threw most of his kicks with the ball of the foot.

I took the gif from this article by Jack Slack, who used to post here all of the time before he got a real job writing about MMA, lol.
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1908450-kicks-arent-going-anywhere-part-2-katsunori-kikuno

Interesting write up by Slack.

 

[Snubnoze707]

Hinata took out Kyshenko with a crescent kick. Kyshenko is one of the best Kickboxers on the planet. Only time Ive seen this kick finish a fight in Kickboxing tho.

 

[shincheckin]

Hinata took out Kyshenko with a crescent kick. Kyshenko is one of the best Kickboxers on the planet. Only time Ive seen this kick finish a fight in Kickboxing tho.

well placed and to the liver, its over.

I found my teep to be a lot stiffer if I really try to make sure I strike with the ball of the foot karate style.

 

[Snubnoze707]

well placed and to the liver, its over.

I found my teep to be a lot stiffer if I really try to make sure I strike with the ball of the foot karate style.

Yup, I do the same. Sucks taking one to the stomach.

 

[sweetviolenturg]

This is a requuest for some vids of this type of kick being used in fights, on pads, and on the bag. Has anyone on here used it in a fight?

Absolutely. It's particularly devastating to the body.

 

[rmongler]

You concentrate more force into a smaller area that way.

On the other hand, i've seen too many guys breaking their toes doing that when the other guy zigs instead of zags.

Front kick is a safe and natural place for it.

 

[JohnPJones]

i've used it sparring/fight night fights.
honestly it's the primary way i was taught to do a round house, and while it's not a bad kick, i've come to prefer the shin personally.

 

[shincheckin]

You concentrate more force into a smaller area that way.

On the other hand, i've seen too many guys breaking their toes doing that when the other guy zigs instead of zags.

Front kick is a safe and natural place for it.

Yeah high risk vs reward, thats why the shin is so much safer when kicking to the legs or body, the head is fine with the foot. All it takes is a foot slap to the face to put someone down.

 

[Azam]

You concentrate more force into a smaller area that way.

On the other hand, i've seen too many guys breaking their toes doing that when the other guy zigs instead of zags.

Front kick is a safe and natural place for it.

Yeah high risk vs reward, thats why the shin is so much safer when kicking to the legs or body, the head is fine with the foot. All it takes is a foot slap to the face to put someone down.

Usually the dudes that break their toes probably don't understand that this technique is more to do with proper placement than just throwing it out there during a combination.

If someone's elbows are tucked in you will obviously hit elbow and smash your toes. I've been using this technique in sparring for years - I haven't yet smashed my toes probably because I was taught early on about placement over volume. There is a time and place for it. Seeing how guys react to certain things - if they react to things and expose the area to land the kick for example - you can use this to your advantage.

This is why if you watch the Kikuno fights - he mixes in the round kick with the ball of the foot with head kicks & other techniques. The idea with this technique is to get them worried about exposing their body for a round kick with the ball of the foot - which opens them up for the head. The same sort of principles apply when you want to open up someone to a bodyshot - there is ground work to lay before doing it.

If you know how to open someone up so you can sneak the kick in - it significantly reduces the amount of risk.

It's also a kick that works very well the longer a fight goes on - when guys get tired they get sloppy. In sparring most of my success with the kick comes when the guys opposite are getting tired from round after round of sparring or when I've spotted a habit where they leave themselves exposed to it & I try to time it.

Timing wise it's the kind of technique that works best imo when the guy opposite has thrown his combination and needs to reset. That's the optimal time to throw the kick if the area is open for it.

 

[Azam]

Hinata took out Kyshenko with a crescent kick. Kyshenko is one of the best Kickboxers on the planet. Only time Ive seen this kick finish a fight in Kickboxing tho.

It's not that common though is it in kickboxing?

I mean it's more of a karate technique but it's not a widely practiced technique even among people that do Karate.

It's a niche of a niche of a technique.

 

[shincheckin]

Usually the dudes that break their toes probably don't understand that this technique is more to do with proper placement than just throwing it out there during a combination.

If someone's elbows are tucked in you will obviously hit elbow and smash your toes. I've been using this technique in sparring for years - I haven't yet smashed my toes probably because I was taught early on about placement over volume. There is a time and place for it. Seeing how guys react to certain things - if they react to things and expose the area to land the kick for example - you can use this to your advantage.

This is why if you watch the Kikuno fights - he mixes in the round kick with the ball of the foot with head kicks & other techniques. The idea with this technique is to get them worried about exposing their body for a round kick with the ball of the foot - which opens them up for the head. The same sort of principles apply when you want to open up someone to a bodyshot - there is ground work to lay before doing it.

If you know how to open someone up so you can sneak the kick in - it significantly reduces the amount of risk.

It's also a kick that works very well the longer a fight goes on - when guys get tired they get sloppy. In sparring most of my success with the kick comes when the guys opposite are getting tired from round after round of sparring or when I've spotted a habit where they leave themselves exposed to it & I try to time it.

Timing wise it's the kind of technique that works best imo when the guy opposite has thrown his combination and needs to reset. That's the optimal time to throw the kick if the area is open for it.

Yeah I agree, obviously you can hurt yourself if done wrong, but the analogy would be, I think its more like a quick poke with a dagger (ball of foot) vs a big smahing hit with a bat ( shin).... I actually was thinking to myself, I have always been trying to place my shin kicks nicely, to an open area. But I think I will start using it more like a battering ram instead. I have even hurt my shin kicking elbows though, caught the meat just to the outside of the shin, elbow struck a nerve, it was very painful, I finished the fight, but afterwards went into "shock" I was very pale, sweating, etc. and it was very painful.

Im gonna try to play with this kick today in sparring, as well as my snap kicks.

 

[shincheckin]

good clip of tenshin using it

 

[Snubnoze707]

It's not that common though is it in kickboxing?

I mean it's more of a karate technique but it's not a widely practiced technique even among people that do Karate.

It's a niche of a niche of a technique.

Ya you rarely see it. Honestly, even from Hinata I didn't know that was in his arsenal until he landed that as he is primarily a very heavy shin kicker.

 

[spacetime]

Are you supposed to do it with shoes on as well? Anyway, here's how mine looks with shoes.

 

[Christian Woodward]

I've used it in sparing a lot aiming that type of strike to the liver, and inside of the thigh. You get the torque of your hip with the penetration of a front kick. I honestly prefer the ball of the foot if I have time to the inside of the thigh due to hitting the femoral artery. Pinches blood flow there and a few of those or one really hard one can start bruising fast. Its really hit or miss and I use it on the slower plodding fighters. If they are fast and agile I prefer the shin..more surface area to connect with.

The one thing about training with ball of your foot, if you are not precise with your accuracy getting the toes smashed with a elbow or not fully pulling back your toes easy to break them. I've had my pinky toe broken twice due to miss timed / great block with the elbow, I don't recommend it.

 

[spacetime]

I've used it in sparing a lot aiming that type of strike to the liver, and inside of the thigh. You get the torque of your hip with the penetration of a front kick. I honestly prefer the ball of the foot if I have time to the inside of the thigh due to hitting the femoral artery. Pinches blood flow there and a few of those or one really hard one can start bruising fast. Its really hit or miss and I use it on the slower plodding fighters. If they are fast and agile I prefer the shin..more surface area to connect with.

Never jammed your toes compared to with the instep?

Haven't tried it myself.. TKD instructor always said instep for sparring, ball of the foot basics/forms