Defenses Against Medium and High Side Kicks G1 -Training Syllabus

Here we see the general defense against a sidekick. Start by turning your body, shifting your weight, and stepping backwards. You should come to a sideways position towards your opponent. Here we are defending whether the kick is sent to a lower target, to the middle section, or towards the head. How much you retreat depends on how much the attacker is close or getting close to you. How much the attacker is advancing towards you. Move your leg away from the danger zone. Lift it in front of your body. With your hand, you’re defending the medium section, the area of the hips, which is the closest one to the opponent’s kick. The upper body moving away, this is the dynamic, the body defense.

As soon as possible, counterattack with a kick. Usually the counterattack will be sent towards the opponent kicking leg that landed. Continue as soon as possible with more relevant counterattacks, because the opponent is sideways to you, usually sideways cannot strike and continue with more counterattacks. Finish by moving away from the danger zone.

The hand defense is the simple deflection from side to side with the forearm defending the kick which is directed towards the hip. In the end of the hand defense, the wrist and the palm is creating what we call a scooping motion, or a scooping defense. Practically, the defense is being done with the forearm, not with the wrist.

Here in the dry drill, we see the retreat with the body turn. Lifting of the leg with the hand defense at the same time. The other hand is sent towards the opposite side near the face, as protection mechanism of course. Continuing with the earliest possible counterattack, with a kick towards the kicking leg, or towards the base leg. Continuing with a hammer strike sideways, and attacks as needed.

Sweeping forearm defense with the front hand, with advancing with the back leg against a side kick. Start by sending your hand diving as if towards the kicking leg. Continue with a strong sweeping motion backwards. At the same time, spin on both balls of the feet, advancing the angling forward with the body, and then with a step. The strong pivot on both balls of the feet with bending the front leg, creating a body move the angling forward. Eventually this enables the leg that is in the front, or was in the front, to become a back leg. Advancing the angling forward and punching, striking as soon as possible with the right hand, with the back hand it was.

This type of sweeping motion prevents the forearm from sinking to the hole which is created by the bent of the knee, and the bent in the ankle area. If the forearm sinks there without the sweeping motion, then the kick could hit its target. Pay attention that the spin on the balls on the feet is turning the body, the pelvis changes position, and it’s easy now to advance to burst forward the angling in order to reach with a counterattack towards the opponent’s head. Continue with more counterattacks as needed.

The dry drill. The natural response is to defense with a front hand. Meaning the kick will be directed to the area under or above the front hand. Starting with a hand defense, sending the hand dangling forward, shifting the weight a bit to the front leg, turning strongly, pivoting on both balls of the feet. The forearm is executing a strong sweeping motion that can strike dangling backwards behind you. The strong body spin change the position of the pelvis and the shoulders, thus the hand that was in the rear, the right hand, is now forward, enabling a strong and early strike towards a vulnerable point. By the way, if this hand cannot reach, then it should grab and the back hand should give a strike, or use the back leg for kicking.

Sweeping forearm defense with a back hand against a kick to the midsection. Hand, body, and step are all combined together. Start with a hand defense, sending dangling forward and down to meet the kicking leg. A strong sweeping action towards the rear, towards the back, is deflecting, redirecting the kicking leg. We need a sweeping action in order that the defending forearm will not sink into the hole of the knee pit.

Body defense with a turn with a pivot while advancing the angling forward. The front hand should deliver the first counterattack. If it cannot reach, then control with the front hand and deliver counterattacks with the back hand. This kick is utilized so the natural response will be to defend with a back hand.

The dry drill. The sweeping hand defense. Defense is done with a forearm. The forearm should be as vertical to the ground as possible, while it’s striking backwards, while it is sweeping the kicking leg. At the same time as you are redirecting and deflecting the kicking leg, you’re moving the angling forward while turning the body. The pivot of the torso and the hips is serving also as a body defense. By stepping with a front leg dangling forward, you should be able to reach your target, punching with the front hand.

Defending a high side kick when it’s coming towards the center of the body or the head. Here two hand body and step. The hand defense is a strong sweeping action with the forearm. It is preferred to do the sweeping action while closing the fist. The forearm with its sweeping action, does not sink into the area of the knee pit, thus able to deflect strongly and sweep the shin of the kicking leg. As usual, we do 200% defense, meaning while we do the sweeping action with the forearm, we are also doing a body defense. A dynamic defense is moving the angling forward with the toe and spin of the pelvis and torso. In the end of the sweeping action, prepare for a hammer strike sideways. Stepping the angling forward, closing the gap, being able to strike with a hammer to the vulnerable point in the opponent’s head.

If you cannot reach with your hammer strike, then grab with the forward hand and deliver counterattacks with the back hand. Continue with more counterattacks and move away from the danger zone, or as needed and fit for the situation. As in the previous techniques, the sweeping action, the hand defense is being done against the area of the ankle of the kicking leg. The lower part of the shin.

Here in the dry drill we see the hand defense, the body defense, stepping forward and counterattacking. Sweeping action, the forearm defense with the strong body talk, enables the sweeping of the kick. While performing the sweeping action, turn the body and advance the angling forward. The other hand is in the vicinity of the face. As early as possible, change the sweeping action into an attack. Lift the elbow and continue with the hammer strike sideways. The hammer strike sideways is usually followed by a straight punch with the rear hand. Continue with counterattacks as needed.

Being rather sideways to the opponent who is delivering a high side kick triggers a natural response of bringing the forearm upwards. Sending the forearm upwards while turning it and closing the fist. The body’s being tilted to the opposite direction, away from the kick. Lower yourself, even bend your base leg. As with a side kick to the base leg or to the groin area of the opponent. As needed, make a small step with the base leg in order to bring the foot under your center of gravity.

After the first counterattack, continue with more counterattacks as needed, and then get away from the danger zone. Additional counterattacks usually are suitable with kicks. However, if you close the distance, use your strikes. The hand defense brings the forearm into a horizontal plane above your head. At the same time, your head moves away and downwards as a dynamic body defense against this kick. As an integrated simultaneous action, lift your forearm, tuck with the base leg and deliver a side kick as the first counterattack. Emphasize that your elbow is being lifted strongly above your head. The hand defense is combined of three actions. Lifting the upper arm, turning the forearm, and closing the fist is recommended.