KICKBOXING
The origins of kickboxing can be traced back to ancient civilizations like China, Japan, and Thailand. In China, martial arts were practiced for self-defense and were also used by soldiers in battle. Some forms of Chinese martial arts, such as Shaolin Kung Fu, incorporated kicks and punches. Muay Thai and other Southeast Asian martial arts were designed for unarmed combat on battlegrounds with records dating back to around the 12th century.
Kickboxing took on a separate development in East Asia in the form of Kyokushin Karate around the 1950s. This further evolved into Japanese kickboxing when it merged elements of Kyokushin with Muay Thai. In the 60s, Kickboxing as a combat sport included elements from Western boxing such as the boxing ring, boxing gloves, referees, and rounds.
The first Kickboxing World Championships were held in Tokyo, Japan, in the 70s. Kickboxing continued to evolve as a sport with the formation of various organizations and the development of different rules and regulations. Today, kickboxing is a popular sport around the world and is also commonly used as a form of fitness and self-defense.
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KICKBOXING TECHNIQUES
JAB / KIZAMI ZUKI
The Jab is a quick straight punch from your lead side to your opponent's head or body, that is used to set him up for further blows and drive him back. Because it is fairly weak on its own, the jab is used in conjunction with other punches, such as a cross to create an effective and powerful combination.
CROSS / GYAKU ZUKI
The cross, which is more commonly known as the straight, is a punch thrown with your rear hand directly at your opponent's head or body. It’s the second most used punch after the jab and is the best punch to use within mid-range to long-range. It’s the quickest way to reach your opponent with power when you’re not on the inside.
UPPERCUT / AGE ZUKI
The uppercut is a punch that travels along a vertical line at the opponent's chin or solar plexus. Uppercuts are useful when thrown at close range, because they are considered to cause more damage when at close range. Uppercuts usually do more damage when landed to the chin, but they can also cause damage when thrown to the body. When performing an uppercut, the attacker should stay close to the target, so as to prevent the opponent from detecting that the punch is coming.
HOOK / KAGI ZUKI
The hook punch is performed by turning the core muscles and back, thereby swinging the arm, which is bent at an angle near or at 90 degrees, in a horizontal arc into the opponent's head or body. A hook is usually aimed at the chin, but it can also be used for body shots, especially to the liver. Hook punches can be thrown by either the lead hand or the rear hand, but the term used without a qualifier usually refers to a lead hook. The hook is a powerful punch with knockout power.
FRONT KICK / MAE GERI
Delivering a front kick involves raising the knee and foot of the striking leg to the desired height and extending the leg to contact the target. The actual strike is usually delivered by the ball of the foot for a forward kick or the top of the toes for an upward kick. Thrusting one's hips is a common method of increasing both reach and power of the kick. The front kick is typically executed with the upper body straight and balanced. Front kicks are typically aimed at targets below the chest: stomach, thighs, or groin.
ROUND KICK / MAWASHI GERI
The round kick is a powerful and effective technique by swinging the leg around in a semicircular motion, striking with the front of the leg or foot. This type of kick is utilized in many different martial arts and has many variations based on stance, leg movement, striking surface, and the height of the kick.
SIDE KICK / YOKO GERI
The side kick is a technique delivered sideways in relation to the body of the person kicking. It is one of the most adaptable kicks, useful as both an offensive move and as a defensive counter to a blitzing opponent. There are two areas that are commonly used as impact points in sidekicks: the heel of the foot or the outer edge of the foot. A standard sidekick is performed by first chambering the kicking leg diagonally across the body, then extending the leg in a linear fashion toward the target, while flexing the abdominals.
HOOK KICK / URA MAWASHI GERI
The hook kick is another powerful kicking technique using the heel or flat of the foot from the side. It is executed similar to a side kick. This kick is considered a very high level technique due to the skill, speed and flexibility required for this move to be effective. The hook kick is mainly used to strike the jaw area of an opponent, but is also highly effective in the temple region.
CRESCENT KICK / MIKAZUKI GERI
The crescent kick has some similarities to a hook kick. The leg is bent like the front kick, but the knee is pointed at a target to the left or right of the true target. The energy from the snap is then redirected, whipping the leg into an arc and hitting the target from the side. This is useful for getting inside defenses and striking the side of the head or for knocking down hands to follow up with a close attack.
KNEE STRIKE / HIZA GERI
Knee strikes are an extremely powerful weapon for close-range combat used to attack your opponent's groin, ribs, solar plexus or even the face. The three basic knee strikes are the front knee, side knee and jumping knee strikes.
