Kickboxing is a competitive sport that depends on well-executed punches and kicks for an athlete to claim victory. Like the sport of boxing and other martial arts, kickboxing requires an athlete to level blows against his opponent and avoid them at the same times. It requires speed, strength, quickness, accuracy and strategy if an athlete is going to perform well.
Use the Jab
In kickboxing, the best fighters are active. To stay active, you must use the jab to set up your other punches and kicks. The left jab should be thrown with your chin tucked in your shoulder in order to protect it from your opponents. The jab does not need to be thrown with the intent of knocking out your opponent. It needs to be thrown with the intent of knocking your opponent off balance. If you can throw your jab and connect it with it regularly you scan set up more powerful punches and kicks. Your opponent will start looking for that jab and that may take his mind off of the more dangerous blows that will come later.
Develop All Your Kicks
It's not just enough to deliver a front kick or a side kick in kickboxing. While those are effective you need to deliver the ax kick and the roundhouse kick when the opportunity presents itself. The front kick is best thrown when your opponent throws a left jab. As he flashes out his left fist, you can deliver a front kick with your right foot to his rib cage. The side kick can be executed in the same way. The roundhouse kick requires you to pivot on your stationary leg, then deliver a crushing blow with your other leg. The ax kick is a potential knockout blow. It comes when you bring your leg up and then come straight down with power on the head, shoulder or chest.
Footwork
This is perhaps the most underrated aspect of kickboxing. This is not a stationary activity. To deliver effective blows on a consistent basis, you have to constantly move and circle your opponent. This will allow you to find out where he is most vulnerable to your kicks and punches. If you are a right-handed fighter, circle to your left. If you are left-handed, move in the opposite direction. As soon as you see this opening, you must take advantage of it if you want to win the fight.
Posted in: Kickboxing