Beginner fundamentals
If you’re new to kickboxing, here are ten fundamental aspects of the sport that you should be aware of, including some foundational techniques and concepts:
- Stance and Footwork
- The basic kickboxing stance is a balanced and stable platform, where your lead foot is forward if you are right-handed, and your rear foot is back, on the balls of your feet, ready to move. Proper footwork is essential for maintaining balance, defending, and setting up attacks.
- Jab (Lead Straight Punch)
- The jab is a quick, straight punch thrown with your lead hand. It’s used to gauge distance, create openings, and set up more powerful strikes. The technique involves a quick extension of the lead arm, rotating the fist to land with the knuckles, while the rear hand stays up to guard the face.
- Cross (Rear Straight Punch)
- The cross is a powerful straight punch thrown with the rear hand. It’s typically set up by a jab and involves pivoting your rear foot and hip to generate power while the lead hand returns to guard.
- Hook (Lead or Rear)
- The hook is a looping punch thrown with either hand, aiming for the side of the opponent’s head or body. When throwing a hook, you pivot on your front foot for a lead hook or your back foot for a rear hook, swinging your arm in a horizontal arc.
- Upper Cut (Lead or Rear)
- An uppercut is a vertical, rising punch thrown with either the lead or rear hand. It’s especially effective at close range and can target the opponent’s chin or body. The power comes from a slight dip of the knees followed by a sharp upward thrust of the arm.
- Front Kick (Lead or Rear)
- The front kick is executed by lifting the knee and snapping the foot out directly in front of you, striking your opponent with the ball of your foot. It’s versatile, being used for creating distance or targeting the body or head.
- Roundhouse Kick
- The roundhouse kick is a powerful and common kick in kickboxing, where you strike the target with the shin, not the foot. It involves pivoting on the supporting foot and rotating the hips to generate power.
- Teep or Push Kick
- The teep or push kick is similar to the front kick but is used defensively to maintain distance or offensively to push an opponent back. It’s performed by thrusting the ball of the foot into the target, with the leg relatively straight.
- Defense (Blocking, Parrying, Dodging)
- Learning to defend against strikes is as important as learning to execute them. This includes blocking (using arms to stop or deflect strikes), parrying (redirecting a strike), and dodging (moving the head or body out of the way).
- Combinations
- Kickboxing is not just about individual strikes but how you put them together. Combinations involve stringing together a series of punches and kicks in quick succession to create openings and overwhelm the opponent.
Remember, proper form is key to effectiveness and injury prevention, so it’s crucial to learn these techniques under the guidance of a qualified instructor. Additionally, conditioning, strategy, and sparring are integral parts of kickboxing training that help develop your skills and prepare you for actual combat situations.