There are Kickboxing gyms where you can see and understand these moves firsthand. But you don’t necessarily have to take kickboxing classes to know about some of the common moves these athletes use when they kickbox.
What are the three basic kicks in kickboxing?
Kickboxing is a combination of boxing and martial art moves. So, there can be an endless number of moves. However, most of them are based on the basics: the lead kick, rear kick, and hook kick.
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Lead kick
With the lead kick, a kickboxer strikes using the lead leg. While the rear leg is rooted to the ground and fists are close to the chest, you bend the lead leg at the knees and kick straight.
Now the lead leg forms a 90 degree angle with the rear leg. The quality of the move is key, and a top kickboxing gym can help to improve striking forms.
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Rear kick
Execute the rear kick by bending the rear leg at the knee. Leaning most of your body weight over the lead leg helps to perfect the movement.
Like the lead kick, strike at an angle of 90 and rotate the hips to hit with the shin.
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Hook kick
The lead leg executes the hook kick. Bend the lead leg, lean backward to put most of your weight over the rear leg, and strike high.
Unlike the rear and lead kicks, the hook kick aims for the torso area. Flexibility in the hip is also important to execute the move with deft.
What is the best kick in kickboxing?
The Question Mark Kick
One of the best question mark kicks ever was in an Israel Adesanya vs. Stuart Dare fight in 2017. This is one of the most deceptive and deadly kicks in the sport.
It starts like it’s aimed for the sides but moves up towards the head with striking speed. Bam! Also known as the Brazil kick. Some people refer to the question mark kick as a variation of the roundhouse kick.
Another equally deadly kick is the spinning back kick which is very taekwondo-like. You need to kick back and land the attack with your heel. Like the question mark kick, it can instantly end the fight.
Meanwhile, a low kick is aimed at the lower body and might not conclude a fight. But it can effectively wear out the opponent’s legs.
What are the kinds of punches in kickboxing?
- Straight/ Cross
The straight or cross is a fully extended punch. This upper attack is meant to land a fatal blow on the opponent.
- Jab
A jab is a quick strike with the hand. This type of punch is often used to test the opponent’s defence.
- Hook
A hook punch engages your back and core as you hit horizontally. This usually aims at the jaw and sides of an opponent.
- Uppercut
This is an upward swinging punch that targets the opponent’s chin.
Punch and kick combinations in kickboxing
- Jab — Cross — Left Hook — Low Kick
This is a beginner kickboxing combo. The jab-cross aims high and forces an opponent to put their guard up.
While the left hook should keep them anticipating an attack from your fists, the low kick is expected to connect with an unguarded part of the opponent.
- Double Jab — Right Hook — Left Kick — Left Kick
The combo sets your opponent for a heavy barrage of attack at the top, leaving them unguarded low. However, you must be quick with the kicks to do any damage.
