Head Kick Defense?

What is the best (most proper) method of defending against the head kick? With me standing orthodox and the kick coming from either side.

I've been taught to raise your hand from your normal guard position (hands at your face around cheek\eye socket) in a sliding motion to where the hand is above and slightly behind your ear with the elbow pointed slightly away from your body. The hand should be pressed against your head for bracing. Creates sort've a triangle with the upper and lower part of the arm that should completely cover the neck and head area. Immediately after blocking a kick return to normal guard as your ribs are now screaming "KICK ME" to your opponent.

I'm no expert, weigh differing opinions accordingly!!

There are SO many things you could do as defense, I'll name some of them...

EVASION:

1. Skip back out of the kicks way.

2. Lean backwards so that the kick passes just over your head.

3. Duck (be careful with this one!)

BLOCK:

The "three point defense" is best. With shoulders high, keep both arms in tight to your body. The arm on the side thats getting kicked should be glued tight to your body, the opposite arm slaps down on the incoming kick (slap down near the knee). The kick will connect on three points at the same time (if done correctly): upper arm, forearm, and the arm that's slapping down.

You should take a step AWAY from the kick as it comes in to help absorb the blow. When I say step away, I don't mean step back. If you're getting kicked on your left, you take a step to your right. You'd be amazed at how much power you can take off of a kick by stepping sideways.

Or, instead of stepping, raise your leg high, with the knee up in your chest, as though you intend to use the leg shield. This may sound like a wasted motion, but it serves two purposes. For one, by being on one leg, it allows your upper body to aborb the kick more freely then when you stand on both feet and rooted. Second, a good kicker can be rather deceptive, feinting high and kicking to the middle. Remember the downwards angled kicks that I've mentioned? Those kicks start high, but then go lower when the hip rolls over.

It should go without saying that you want to be careful about lifting your leg for a high kick if you're worried about feints. A guy can fake a kick high to get you to raise that leg, then throw the "Submarine Kick". However, I will say that if the kick is truly coming at you high (head level), it would be EXTREMELY difficult to roll it over into a Submarine/Cut Kick. It is more likely to be rolled over into a mid-body kick.

COUNTER ATTACKS:

The most effective defenses are the counter attacks.

1. Straight punch: Nothing stops a kick quicker than a hard, stiff punch coming down the pike.

2. Push kick: The absolutly MOST EFFECTIVE kick defense. A properly placed Push Kick will dump your opponent right on his ass!

3. Submarine/Cut Kick: This one requires some timing. As your opponent starts to kick, you step at an angle to kick his support leg out from under him. For instance, he is throwing a right kick (coming at you from your left). You step at an angle to your right and take your opponents support leg out from under him.

4. Spinning Elbow: Hard to pull off, but what a finish!!! As the kick comes in, you step in with your block. You spin into your opponent with your block and throw the spinning elbow. For instance, your opponent kicks high on your left. You step into your opponent with your right foot and block at the same time. You then step and spin in with your left foot as you throw the left elbow. You want to bring the elbow in over top as opposed to horizontal, because your opponents guard will be up and can block the horizontal elbow relatively easily (though it will definately get his attention).

There are literally endless other defenses, combinations, counters, and variations beyond what I've listed. But, this should give you a start, and you can build on it from there.

Khun Kao Charuad; SuriyaSak Muay Thai

Nice synopsis Khun kao.

lol, thanks

Thanks! Wasn't sure if i was missing something.