PDF Brief #9:

Kicking In Close Combat

And Self-Defense

THE legs and feet as weapons offer the hand-to-hand combatant who is
skilled in their proper combat use the following advantages:

1. The ability to deliver enormously powerful blows, compared to

those blows that can be delivered with the hands
2. The increased element of surprise, since in real violent encounters
attackers rarely if ever use kicking to initiate their onslaught, and
violent types do not expect such kicks as we teach them to be used
by an intended victim against them. What is more, when
occasionally some street scum does kick it is usually a rather
clumsy, easy-to-see-and-to-avoid, relatively slow-moving action. It
roughly and amateurishly resembles a front kick as taught in martial
arts, but cannot approximate the formidability of a well-developed
correct front kick executed by someone who trains to deliver this
kick on a regular basis, and intently
3. The ability to use combat style kicking enables the individual to
employ these extremely powerful blows against some of the human
body’s most decisive targets: i.e. the knees; the shinbones, the
insteps, and the testicles (as well as the bladder, and the public
bones). When an attacker has been downed and the situation is one
 of life or death, kicking provides the best and final solution to
finishing a downed attacker.

The kicks that are popularly emphasized in karate, taekwon-do, hapkido,

and even in some ju-jutsu systems that focus a good deal on atemi-waza
(i.e. “body smashing techniques”) are in general not the very best to rely
upon in actual close combat. High kicking, turning and spinning kicks,
jumping kicks, axe kicks, and acrobatic kicks (like the head-level
roundhouse kick, the crescent kick, and a few others) are too
complicated, demand way too much training, and have a limited “shelf
life”. No one in his later years is going to either attempt such
foolishness, or retain the flexibility and agility to perform these
kicks well. These kicks are not even very practical for all young men to
develop, since the natural propensity for flexibility varies greatly
between individuals, and only those who find these kicks relatively easy
to master (with lots of daily practice) can actually do them well. IF THE
GOAL IS SELF-DEFENSE AND CLOSE COMBAT ABILITY
THEN ALL OF YOUR TRAINING TIME WITH KICKING
SHOULD BE DEVOTED TO THE PRACTICE OF THOSE VERY
FEW KICKS THAT CAN BE RELIED UPON FOR A LIFETIME.

Our comments are of course directed to those solely concerned about

hand-to-hand combat for real. Classicists and competitors who train for
high kicking (or even fancy kicking) can and shuld train according to
their best needs. We are, once again, only concerned with real world
military close combat and practical self-defense that can be practiced
and retained for a lifetime.

Among the requirements for practical kicks is that they be very simple
and not require stretching, limbering, and warming up to employ. Also,
they must not require special clothing (i.e. a loose-fitting gi or ––– as
was ridiculously offered at one time in the “martial arts periodicals” via
advertisements: “stretch jeans” - which were dungarees made so that
high kicks could be employed!). All of this is plain bullshit, and while
we cannot blame children for being attracted to such horse crap, those
adults who gravitate to this really ought to know better.

Kicks must also be relegated to their proper place. Some of the more
spectacular classical martial arts, like the northern Chinese ch’uan fa
(“kung fu”) systems, and the Korean systems, which stress the high and
acrobatic kicks are in reality the least practical for real world use
against street attacks and other variants of hand-to-hand combat. One
great example of how this was once proven:
During the Vietnam War the Korean Tiger Division (hard, tough, Korean
commando types; all black belt experts in taekwon-do) were allied with
U.S. troops and fought the Vietcong in the jungles of S.E. Asia. These
men quickly discovered that their ability with jumping kicks and high
kicks was useless in real combat, and they reverted to open hand chops,
punches, elbow blows, and low kicks.

So What Are The Kicks You

Need To Master?

TWO very simple and very basic kicks: The front kick and the side
kick. The former to the height of the enemy’s groin; the latter to the
height of the enemy’s knee. In fact if you consider the “triangle”
formed by the knees and groin, there you have your primary kicking
targets.

Now consider this:

Such other kicks as may be employed are merely offshoots and

derivatives of the two basic kicks. These include: The knee to testicles
(nothing more than the initial stage of the front kick); the crook of the
foot kick to the testicles (simply a front kick delivered when the attacker
is too close for a standard front kick and a bit too far for a knee-to-the-
testicles), the inside-of-foot “snap” kick (a front kick that uses the
inside edge of the foot), and a low pivot kick (a front kick delivered at
an angle). Both the side kick and the snap kick have application as
scrape-stomping kicks which, after impacting at or below the enemy’s
knee, proceed to scrape down the enemy’s shinbone and crush the arch
of his foot.

These very non-dramatic and unimpressive looking kicking actions

provide a set of possible attacks with your feet that are practical and
versatile, easy to learn, easy to develop, easy to retain, and very broadly
applicable.

Let’s take a look at how each of the critical combat kicks should be
utilized:

The Front Kick

The basic front kicking action provides five variations of kicking, all of
which are effective and can be utilized in serious combat and personal
defense:
1. The basic front kick, using the ball of the foot, at the base of the
toes.
Because it is not entirely impossible that the defender could be
barefoot when he kicks an adversary (at the beach, at a picnic, at home
relaxing, as a prisoner, etc.) students should strive to bend their toes
back when applyig the basic front kick, so that the hard ball of the foot
––– never the toes! ––– impacts with the target (which is the testicles).
When footwear is worn it matters little if the toes or ball of the foot
strike, but over time, just be as prepared as possible, strive to flex toes
back when delivering the basic front kick.
There are a number of front kick variations. The front snap kick, the
front thrust kick, and the front push kick. This last is useless and should
not be practiced.
We believe that neithe a front snap nor a front thrust kick is best for the
combat trainee. We teach a snapping-thrust version. This form of basic
front kicking uses the thrust of the kicker’s hips and thughs and the snap
from the knee down. This creates a triple accelleration: The initial rising
action of the flexed leg which is augmented by the secondary thrust of
the kicker’s leg, which culminates in a final whipping-snap upward, as
the kick hits the testicles. This provides power, speed, accuracy, and is,
in our view the most destructive (hence the most effective) way to front
kick. Note: The front kick may also be delivered to the knee or shinbone
under certain conditions ––– and if you are shoved back against a wall
you should automatically throw a powerful front kick as you hit the wall.
If th person who pushed you does not attack further he will not be
kicked. But if he advanced to punch or otherwise followup, he will walk
into a front kick.
2. The shin-bone/instep kick
By flexing the foot downward and kicking upward between an
opponent’s legs, the crook (not the instep, itself!) can strike the testicles.
An excellent kick ––– which we actually used once ––– and is perfect
when an opponent faces you directly but is too close for a basic front
kick and too distant for thefinal variation of the front kick, which is . . .
3. The knee attack
Knee to the testicles. We urge seizing the attacker’s ears if
possible, and then ramming the knee up deep between his legs multiple
times to crush his testicles. You may actually grab anything, but the ears
are perfect targets, and may ripped off the head if desired. Remember
when grabbing, hit the opponent with open hands, then close them
strongly. This works on flesh and blood or on flimsy material. Do not
“take careful hold”, since this only warns your attacker and does not
distract him. Try to drive your knee as high as posssible (think of driving
it out between your enemy’s shoulder blades) and always flex your leg
sharply.
The knee attack must be done close-in, body-to-body. Don’t ever knee
out “at” someone.
(Note: There is a version of the knee attack that we teach exclusively to
Black Belts that utilizes a fast jump into the enemy. Derived from French
la savate, we do not urge this variation be studied until a student is an
expert.)
4. The snap kick using the inside edge of your foot
This kick derives from a low-to-shin kick once advocated in
French la savate. In this kick the inside edge of the foot is snapped
forward and into the adversary’s knee or ––– usually ––– his shinbone.
Some individuals love this kick, others are not too enthusiastic about it;
however, it is valuable for everyone when done while relatively close to
the enemy, and when the kick culminates in a powerful downward
scrape-stomping action against the shinbone, and ends by crushing the
instep of the foot.
5. The low hook (or “pivot”) kick
This kick never goes higher than to the enemy’s testicles. It is in
effect a front kick delivered at an angle inward as you pivot hard with
your body to lend destructive force to the blow.
We frankly include this variation of the front kick because we know that
about 50% of students like it very much and find it very simple and
practical to utilize, and because the late Dermot (“Pat”) O’Neill
emphasized this kick when training the First Special Service Force
(“Devil’s Brigade”). This kick, which clearly derives from karate’s
“roundhouse” kick is not a roundhouse kick, per se. Never is the kick
directed at anything higher than the enemy’s groin. The kicking leg
travels upward at an angle, not leaving the kicker as exposed as the
classic roundhouse kick does.

The Side Kick

The basic combat side kick is a powerful stomping-thrusting kick

delivered whenever possible with the heel of the foot. Same reason as
kicking with the ball of the foot in front kicking. With footwear the
outside edge of the foot is fine as a contact point.
This kick utilizes the hip and thigh strength from an angle that makes the
kick the strongest that can be delivered by a person! The key target is the
knee, which can be easily broken upon any impact that carries in excess
of 80 pounds force counter to the joint behind it. With practice just about
anyone can deliver 200 pounds of force behind a good side kick to the
knee. Kick the inside of the knee joint, the front or the outside of the
knee joint; all good targets.
The shin is also a great target for the basic side kick.
This kick may be delivered when the attacker is at arm’s length (proper
distance for kicking) or at any range closer, including body-to-body
simply by directing the kick more downward, against the enemy’s
ABOVE: THIS IS THE HIGHEST A SIDE KICK SHOULD EVER GO IN ACTUAL
COMBAT ––– TO THE KNEE. DIRECT IMPACT FOR OF 80 POUNDS OR MORE
WILL BREAK THE KNEE; AND LIGHT FORCE FACILITATES THE DOWNWARD
SCRAPE-STOMP TO SHIN, THAT ENDS BY CRUSHING THE INSTEP.

shinbone. When delivered thus, crushing the instep is a great followup

and should conclude the kick.
Never kick higher than the attacker’s knee. Lash out hard. Your intention
is to break the leg you kick!
Fairbairn’s “Flick” Kick is a simple variation of the side kick that
entails whipping the foot edge outward into the enemy’s lower leg. This
is a valuable but less powerful variation of the side kick. Juxtaposed to
the classical karate techniques, The basic side kick is like the side thrust
kick, and Fairbairn’s flick kick is like the side snap kick. Some find that
this variation of the side kick greatly facilitates the shinbone scrape-
stomp action, and they like to use it frequently. Fine!

Training in the side kick automatically builds a back kick, and the back
kick is never to be used except against an attacker who is already behind
you (grabbing, holding, standing ready to attack or moving in while you
deal with a frontal assailant. Never turn your back on any attacker
deliberately!

When an enemy has been downed the finishing actions (if it is necessary
to employ any) are kicks. Stomping kicks and knee drops to the head.
Kicks into the kidneys. Do not deliberately go to the ground with any
attacker or enemy in hand-to-hand combat!

Valuable ways to develop your kicking:

1. With sneakers on, practice fullforce kicks against trees and solid
brick walls.
2. Lean a heavy bag against a solid wall or tree and practice your kicks
barefoot into the heavy bag.
3. Use a ping pong ball suspended on a string to whatever height
(groin, knee, shin) you wish to develop accuracy in kicking. Don’t
hit the ping pong ball, but stop a half-inch short.
4. In whatever your normal daily (street and work) attire may be, work
on your kicking dressed as you normally dress.

Remember that low kicks make excellent opening actions when you
build combinations of attacking movements. If you are armed with a
knife or stick don’t forget that a fast kick can pave the way for
devastating followup.

Some people feel that footwear is crucial and they go so far as to

purchase and wear combat-type boots, heavy shoes, cowboy boots, and/
or even steel-toed sneakers or shoes. We have no quarrel with this, and
very definitely when kicks are properly delivered, heavy footwear will
enhance the results. So if that’s your taste, go for it. You must know,
however, that even a physically fit girl in her early teens who kicks
someone with a basic kick correctly using bare feet, will deliver quite
adequate force to injure her assailant seriously.
Personaly, we see heavy footwearmore as an asset in providing
protection for your feet against trauma, more than for enhancing kicking.

Conclusion

IN order to be effective and thoroughly prepared for self-defense and

hand-to-hand combat emergencies, basic kicking must be mastered.
However, all high and fancy kicks must be avoided. And blows that use
the hands, elbows, arms, and head, as well as clawing, gouging, ripping,
and biting should be relied upon as being more commonly usable, more
generally accurate, and more adaptable to the endless possibilities of
positioning and movement that occur in individual combat.

Because use of the feet and legs as weapons is less natural than use of
the hands and arms, more repetitious practice and serious drill is
definitely required for these weapons than for the hand and arm
weapons. Work for speed, balance, accuracy, power, and the ability to
lash out without warning, and to followup speedily and naturally once
you go into action.

––– e n d –––

©Copyright 2018 by Bradley J. Steiner ––– ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.