TMA kicks look fancy and all but the power difference is huge IMO.
1. Not all TKD tournaments outlaw punches to the face. You can punch to the face in ITF TKD. But I'll admit that not allowing kicks below the waist seriously limits its street effectiveness. TKD practicioners should definately work on that in sparring.
2. I love MT, but sometimes I think the old TMA snap kick would be harder for someone to grab onto than a teep. Like even an untrained guy could just fall forward and clutch onto your foot if you are pushing it against his chest, where the front snap kick just makes contact and is immediately withdrawn.
3. Pooh, are you talking about Remy Bonjansky? He's tall and black. And the only guy who wears the Spartacus trunks is Michael McDonald.
I know a bit about TKD, since I was a TKD student for years before switching to studying MT, BJJ, etc.
TKD kicks can be powerful enough to knock out. As mentioned, it happens in TKD tournaments. However, those same tournaments (generally WTF style) you see the parishioners practically ignoring their hands. They have just horrible posture, offence and defence with their hands.
Anyway, as far as striking the advantage goes to the strikes thrown with power and commitment, and to the practitioner whose training has made him tougher and more resilient to blows. In general, that's what tends to separate Muay Thai guys from a lot of TMAs.
One day at the gym I work out at, I walked in to see a challenge match between a TKD guy and a Muay Thai guy. (You can imagine the glee I had in being there at the right time, as a MA fanatic).
Anyway, the TKD guy was very fast, had all the kicks, and was actually bigger and taller than the Muay Thai gjy. But time after time the power and toughness of the Muay Thai guy cut through the TKD like butter. The MT guy covered well, easily blocked and absorbed the TKD guy's head kicks and launched fast, brutal leg kicks and punches. Several times the leg kicks whipped the TKD right off his feet, because they came on his balancing leg as he was delivering his own kick.
The MT guy also clinched virtually at will with knees.
It wasn't long before the TKD guy, who could barely walk, said "enough." If it had been on the street as well I know who I would have put my money on.
One thing that I derived from this and other such encounters is that TKD people can be vulnerable because to deliver kicks with knockout power takes a type of power commitment that reduces the ability to do fancy switches and follow-up kicks. Plus, they aren't used to their balancing leg being attacked before or during their kicks.
Prof.
YES!
Amazing. Truely amazing. Just this weekend I was thinking how much I'd like to get a clean copy of that fight but didn't know where to start. Of course the starting point is always here.
Are those two known for their leg kicks? Cause it as a leg kick festival in that fight.
i'll see if i can find something with that fight on it.
sheardog had a short clip of the fight but you can't appreciate the level of kicking they did from it.
http://207.44.200.49/k1/k1batb1/k1batb1_bonjaski_vs_mcdonald.zip
i'll see what else i can find.
I will always remember to get voilent with my kicks about the groin when in the street.
"Hey mister! Would you like to buy some boy scout apples to support the..."
(Several screams as I repeatedly kick the goin)
Beware the scoop kick!
Stop it man! You're making me laugh out loud over here!
"Mark DellaGrotte at Sityodtong does just an amazing job of teaching you how to leg kick.Z"
God I love hearing about my gym on this site
"I forsee them as being used in the the future in American Muay Thai more then teeps..."
I can see them being used, but more than teeps? Come on, a teep is the perfect set up for alot of MT's weapons, while the side kick leaves u to turned to really throw anything else without resetting
"Mark DellaGrotte at Sityodtong does just an amazing job of teaching you how to leg kick.Z"
I would not want to be kicked by him either!
"Crocop HEAVILY relies on his athletic skills"
As do athletes pretty much by definition.
An olympic level TKD practitioner would take your head off with just one head kick if he connects.
...How often does someone run into a fighter of that caliber, let alone a street fight? You could turn it around and say what if the MT guy was a World champion?
i have always loved the low kick to get things started, whether in the street or in competition.
i had guys come into my school and challenge me. i always kicked them in the thigh with my shin. never had to go further except to help them up.
favorite tech for the street: low kick to front leg, grab hair and rip backwards and follow up from there. i used to use the low kick to the front leg and hair grab in point tourneys and bounce their heads off the ground. kinda loosened things up.
"Crocop HEAVILY relies on his athletic skills"
"As do athletes pretty much by definition."
No, that cant be always said. Some athletes get to where they are because of hard work and technique, while some can rely on pure natural ability, which is what i think what Da Swede was trying to say.
Look at the difference between RJjr and Bernard Hopkins, or James Toney. Both Toney and Hopkins are as good as they are because they work their asses off and are VERY technical.
While Roy is technically the worst boxer out there and relies on his god given abilities.
I have seen a professional MMA fight end as a result of ONE hard low leg kick.
BIG JOHNSN, how would you like to know what it feels like to be launched through a window via a scintillating front thrust kick old boy?
The Baron.