the pavement and backwards until he slammed painfully into the side of the paddy wagon. He sort of stuck there for a second and then began to crumple, like the Roadrunner in the cartoon does after he hits the side of a mountain. The big drunk slid down the side of the wagon and onto his butt, where he sat for several minutes listening to little chirping birds all about his fuzzy head.
Two Basic Methods of Chambering and Kicking
Some people launch their side kicks by first bringing their kicking knees straight up in front of their bodies, as if they were chambering a front kick. When their knees have reached the desired height, they snap their hips around and launch their side kicks. Although it’s a variation used by several champions, I have had many students complain that it hurts their knee joints after a few repetitions.
Perhaps the most common method to side kick is for the kicker to position the side of his body toward the target, chamber his leg as high as he can and then thrust. This is a powerful version, though not as fast as snapping it out. The weakness with it is that you have to turn your body to the side, which takes time and can telegraph your intent if you don’t camouflage your movements.
Since this is the most common way to side kick, let’s see how you can hide your intention to kick.
Shuffle to Camouflage your Setup
If you are like most fighters, you probably fight with your body angled a quarter turn away from your opponent. This means you have to deliberately turn your body one extra quarter turn to the side to launch the side kick, a movement that takes time and announces your intent. Here is a way to camouflage your setup.
When sparring, keep your body in motion by twisting your lead foot, as if positioning it for a side kick, and making short, snapping movements with your upper body toward the side stance. Repeating these actions two or three times without actually kicking conditions your opponent to seeing them but not to expect anything further. Then when you really do follow through with a side kick, it takes him a second or two to realize that you are doing more than just that weird twisting thing. A second is all the time you need to nail him with the kick.
Practice camouflaging your set up in front of a mirror.
3 sets, 10 reps – both sides
Side-to-side shuffle This variation of shuffling to camouflage your side kick looks a little strange, but it works. Assume your left-leg-forward fighting stance. As you move about stalking your imaginary opponent, hide your intention to side kick by moving your left foot over to your right about two feet, as if you were going to hook kick from the floor, and then swing your foot back to your left about two feet, all the while maintaining contact with the floor. Repeat this three or four times to confuse your opponent so that he doesn’t know if you are preparing to throw a hook kick or a roundhouse. Ha! It’s neither. Right in the middle of that shuffle, when he is at his most confused, thrust your side kick into his ribs.
3 sets, 10 reps – both sides
Side Kick Check
This variation of the side kick is not meant to hurt the assailant (but that is okay if it does), but is used more to keep him and his buddies away from you, similar to the way a boxer uses his jab. Since you are not delivering a full-power strike, you need only a minimum chamber before you snap out your kick to his shin or knee, and then snap it back. Always hit with the heel half of your foot since it’s the strongest and is supported by your lower leg.
Consider using the side kick check when facing two or more assailants, especially the types who don’t charge straight in but hop in and out of range as they punch and kick at you. Right after you punch that one on the right, snap a fast side kick check to the shin of that guy coming at you from the left. The kick will either cause him to jump back, or at least distract him briefly, giving you time to follow up.
To practice this, set a heavy bag on the floor in the corner of your room and begin shadow sparring around it. Imagine an assailant stepping toward you and you stop him with a quick side kick check to his shin (the bag). Afterwards, move quickly away or follow up with a couple of fast hand blows to the air over the bag. You can also practice by standing sideways to an imaginary assailant (the bag) in a neutral stance, as if waiting for a bus. Imagine that he suddenly steps threateningly into your space. Side kick check the bag at knee level and then step quickly away as if to flee, or turn and face the bag and execute follow up blows over the top of it.
Shadow spar: 10 minutes – execute an equal number of side kick checks with each leg
From neutral stance: 2 sets, 15 reps – both sides
Bent over Side Kick
When you are bent over at the waist, it’s impossible to front kick and a roundhouse kick, though possible, is weak. You can, however, launch a strong side kick. Perhaps you are bent over because you just ate a hard kick to your stomach, or your assailant has you in an arm bar hold. Or maybe you are a tricky fighter and you are faking an injury so that your assailant relaxes his guard and moves into range. For whatever reason, your upper body is bent 90 degrees at the waist.
If your opponent has you in an arm bar, extend an arm out to your side to simulate the hold. Adjust your feet so that you are sideways to him and drive a side kick into his leg. If you are pretending to be bent as a result of a blow or you are trying to make him think you are hurt, adjust your angle so you are sideways to your imaginary target, and drive a side kick into his thigh, knee or shin. Both of these scenarios look a little odd when pantomiming by yourself, so make sure no one is looking in the window.
Arms extended out your sides: 2 sets, 10 reps — each leg
Bent as if struck: 2 sets, 10 reps — each leg
From a bent-over position, adjust your angle so you are sideways to your opponent. As quick as you can, drive a sidekick into his leg or hip.
Movement Continued
Side kick Exercises
These exercises not only build strength in the thrust portion of the kick, but also at the focus point, that place where your leg is extended and your foot is making contact with the target. These are not fun exercises, so don’t expect to have a lot of laughs doing them. They are highly effective, though.
Side kick and hold There are two variations to this exercise, one where you strive to increase the amount of time you hold your leg out, and the other where you push to increase the height of your kick. Both variations greatly improve your balance, muscle control, hip flexibility and all the muscles involved in your support leg. Here is how you do them:
Time: Slowly extend your side kick as high as you can with flawless form, and then hold it at full extension for 10 seconds per rep. Grit your teeth and fight to prevent your leg from sinking. Over the weeks, increase the time to 30 seconds per rep.
1 set, 10 reps, 10- 30-second each — each leg
Height:
