Alive and Kicking

Last 2 months we have been working on our kicks, specifically Muay Thai low kicks. For warm-ups, we have been doing 2,4 and 6 punches, each followed by 2,4,6,8 and 10 kicks. This adds up to 30 kicks per set and on the average about 90 kicks per session. By then, I would be totally exhausted and burned out. What a warm up!

Finally I get to learn the much feared Muay Thai thigh kick. But our variation involved a switch step. I failed to understand why this is so (or I forgot to ask) because personally I prefer the typical "step 45 degree and kick" technique. I was taught to switch step fast and use the hip rotation + swing the arm back to generate the power for the kick. Easy to understand, hard to do for me. I'm afraid I have little flexibility left in this "chubby" and "seldom workout" body of mine. Still I'll train hard coz this is one kick I really want to learn.

During sparring, what I suspected became true: I was too slow to execute the kick without telegraphing it to my opponent. Without the switch step however, it's easier to execute, especially after some neat punches. Some of the my kicks landed on the side (the lower ribs) of my opponent instead of the thigh. Not sure if this is good. I also found out that I'll get deck in the head if I don't protect myself when kicking. The plus side is that it means I can move in and use boxing to counter kicking.

Wanna see a clumsy old man kicking? Click HERE.