How can I improve my defense against kicks when I spar?

Question

I'm pretty good at sparring in karate, but I can't seem to block off kicks from my opponent. I learned how to spin the kick around once but that was years and years ago, I can't remember at all. Can anybody offer some advice?

Answer 1

There are several things you can do to improve your defense for this. First, think back and see if you can remember what kicks you tend to get hit with most. You may find one particular kick to a particular spot is the majority of the problem and you have a weak spot in your defense that people are capitalizing on. You then have to practice blocking or slipping that kick to that spot and that will help alleviate some of your problem.

Secondly if they are hitting you with several different types of kicks to different spots then that is an indication that you are not paying attention well enough and seeing the kicks coming or that you are not moving enough or a combination of both. Most kickers whether they do slide action, replacement, or step-touch have a set point that they launch those kicks from. If every time you move slighty and change the distance or your position and angle in relation to your opponent he then has to either readjust or go from where he currently is at and also adjust for the distance. This makes it harder for him to reach you or target you with his kicks and most opponents will instead reset and try to get to another set point. So they literally spend part of the time just getting to their point. Try moving slighty, changing the distance and angle just as they get to their set point and see if this does not help you some.

Another thing you have to start doing is blocking and countering by moving forward not back. This is partiuclarly effective if you are quick on your feet and have quick reactions. Effective fighters will block as they are moving in and either block or jam the kick and then use their hands to fire hand combinations to score. Your opponent will have one foot up in the air and not much power in his hand techniques and his balance will me much less than yours. Practice doing this with some of the people that you spire with and you may find you can beat the kick if you move in rather than a half a step backwards.

Another thing you can do is improve your on kicks and use them more and literally get your kicks over the top of his first. By doing this your opponent's legs and kicks are trapped underneath, getting pushed back down to the ground or he is forced to hold off on firing his kicks since they will be low. Obviously you had better have a good cup for this and be wearing it. You fire your kicks just as he gets to his set point and retract them a fraction slower and throw multiple kicks and he is stuck with his underneath and will usually then change his strategy. Work at all this and I think you will see some improvement in your sparring.

Answer 2

There are two things to practice. Closing the distance so the kick becomes ineffective, as well as taking an immediate offensive posture (which will mentally stun your opponent for a brief moment to allow a clean attack. The other is to take a slide half or full step back which saves your body completely and makes your opponent expend more energy to re-balance and reacquire. Repeated attempts may frustrate your opponent by taking a vital part of the style out of the equation (tae quan do students rely on kicking). The kick uses the strongest of the bodies muscles and can be very hard to grapple at times (depending on the type of kick), and can be detrimental to you as you would have to shift your focus away from your opponents entire body down to one of the bodies weapons.

As for watching your opponents eyes, I have found that the very experienced fighters use the eyes as a feint, and I feel better fighting looking at the sternum of my opponent. Peripheral vision is extraordinary when enough training is spent on it.

Good luck!

Answer 3

Against kicks I mostly like to dodge and stay in their range or evade and stay out of range until there is an opportunity to counter. Hardly anyone except for advanced tkd people can throw a hundred hard kicks and not get all slow. Roundhouse kicks are easily neutralized by moving into hook/uppercut range but you'll not always be in a position to make such a quick step forward and the kicker might just hop back to get the distance. Against side kicks or front kicks it is best to parry and let it roll off your forearms than to block because those kicks can off-balance you even if you have the strongest stance in the world.

Answer 4

One rule is to keep on the move if your not there than no one can get a good kick on you. (Unless you move into one lol) anyway stay on the move and try to close distance it takes away for power the kick gives but that also happens to you too. Just keep practicing and sparring and it will come back to you. Also you can try to jam kick by thrusting your leg into the opponents ankle of just above the knee with a snap side kick it's like a jab but used with the leg ask you instructor about jamming kicks that helps alot.

Answer 5

This may sound too simple, but you need to see have someone throw a bunch of kicks at you. It's probably not that you don't know how to block the kick, but that you are not comfortable with the technique.

Like everything else, repetition is the key. Learn to be comfortable blocking, jamming and passing the kick. There is no single right way. Every kick is different, what do you want to do after?

Train hard....

Bill.

Answer 6

Why block? Blocking is not really effective or practical.... I know but it's my view and I'm sticking with it. Just move. Why be in the way of the attack, avoid it. But if you are caught in it's path, cram it. It's better to get as close as possible to it than at it's end. AVOID, EVADE. Why bring force on force when you can blend and avoid. A simple 45 degree angle on the kick and you avoid the kick, leaving you within range for attack and, in most cases, your opponent isn't in position for another attack.

Answer 7

what type of kick?,
high or low? if they are low leg checking is fast effective and breaks up your opponents attacking rhythm.. go to some kick boxing classes and combine that with your karate.
I have know idea how anyone can get kicked in the head unless you have your eyes closed. the time it takes for the foot to travel that distance as opposed to you moving your head a few inches. basic physics

Answer 8

First off, you have to keep range in mind. If you're too far away, they can't kick you. If you're too close, they can't kick, but they can use their knees. Try stepping out of the way of the kick and pass it off. Or ground your opponent of you can. Be careful of how you block them because it may feed another attack.

Answer 9

What you do is be honest with yourself and pick the sport that does the best or nastiest kicks.
Get lessons from them, and then surprise everyone back at karate with the way you can handle them.

And you know what the nastiest kikcing sport is- muay thai.

I have no bias- I am not a kicker, I'm a boxer and wrestler. But I knew who to go to if I wanted to defend kicks.

So do you. Take advantage.

Answer 10

First of all, always keep eye contact with your opponent. Every time they execute a move the eyes will grow large in the brow before they follow through giving you the advantage of knowing when they strike. Practice will only give you the advantage of determining where the attack will come from.