Countering the low kick?

[MilesP4P]

What is the best way to counter the low kick?
You obviously don’t want to reach and try to grab a low kick because that’s how you eat a leg kick so what is your favorite method?
The inside leg kick is a staple in the MMA meta currently , to me guys like Mighty Mouse use it like a boxer uses a jab.
Frankie Edgar seems to be good at catching kicks, who else should I watch for low kick counters?

 

[Higus]

There is no best way, there are just different ways depending on the situation.

Checking is usually enough to make someone think twice about throwing them.
Stepping in and throwing a straight right down the middle is a pretty good response. Holloway used it against Aldo early when they fought and it dissuaded Aldo from throwing them for the rest of the fight.

 

[j123]

• Teep. This relies getting good with timing. If you can do it then you put them on their ass

• Other one I like is a simple right cross. Really you need near perfect technique to block or position away from punches everytime you deliver a low kick, but its sparring/fighting so people get lazy sometimes and it ends up costly.

• Another is to evade and explode in. As you step in, come in with heat

• Checking -> combination, etc

 

[shinkyoku]

^^ agree there is no best way. But there are plenty of ok ways

 

[MilesP4P]

Teep. This relies getting good with timing. If you can do it then you put them on their ass

Other one I like is a simple right cross. Really you need near perfect technique but its sparring/fightibg so people get lazy sometimes

Another is to evade and explode in. As you step in, come in with heat

Checking -> combination, etc

I think I really like the idea of using a teep to counter.

Stepping in with a jab can be a good idea, its what i usually do and if I can land the jab while someone is throwing the kick it usually results in a knock down.

 

[j123]

I think I really like the idea of using a teep to counter.

Stepping in with a jab can be a good idea, its what i usually do and if I can land the jab while someone is throwing the kick it usually results in a knock down.

Its a great tool, works with nearly everything. If the guy's technique for a low kick isn't perfect and there's a telegraph you can see it. Look at the usual spot (chest), and you see a twist in movement, then teep him, usually closer to the hip, and he flies. Not to mention getting style points in a fight with it. It works even better if he's the type to pre-pivot on a kick. That pre-pivot comes, you know the only thing that's coming is going to be a kick, nothing else comes from there (nothing with decent power that is)

stiff jab is the same idea with the cross. I usually counter with combinations. I get hit with punches, one of my go to combo is kick, 1,2. If they throw a leg kick, I explode with 2,3, kick (+ more if I have the chance)

Check to superman + kick is great as well. If the Superman comes fast and hard when they're being lazy on the return of the kick, its knockdown city

 

[aerius]

Check it properly. In MMA and even in a lot of kickboxing, fighters check low kicks by lifting their leg straight up and taking kick on the side of their lower leg. It's better than eating the kick but it doesn't really deter the other guy from kicking.

What you want to do is turn the shin into the path of the kick so that you go shin on shin against him. When you do it that way, you put the strongest part of your upper shin into the weaker part of his lower shin or his foot. It hurts the kicker a lot more than the person defending the kick and he's not going to want to do it too many times.


And if you do it just right and the other guy's unlucky, you get this:

Spoiler

 

[j123]

Check it properly. In MMA and even in a lot of kickboxing, fighters check low kicks by lifting their leg straight up and taking kick on the side of their lower leg. It's better than eating the kick but it doesn't really deter the other guy from kicking.

yeah thats not good either, at best, the force behind the kick will spin you around, you lose balance and are in a bad spot.

 

[ARIZE]

@j123

For the teep, are you talking about the basic rear leg one, or the front foot teep? Or is it the same to you as a counter?
Personally, I wont recommend the rear teep. If you can pull it off, it work wonders, but usually it's very risky. Since your front planted leg is the one been attacked, if you don't make contact first, but at the same time, your strike will loose all power. And your opponent's not as much. Meaning your straightened leg will absorb a full low... that's the worst scenario.
He has to be able the read the strike, and counter first with a clear difference in timing... Hard to pull.

Now for the front teep, my opinion it's that's a lot better for countering the low.
First, it's a lot faster. But most importantly, you are moving the target out of the way. And the first part of the move is the same as a check (without the outward angle). Meaning that even if you mess the timing, you'll have raised the leg and still be able to defend the low. Even if it's not an ideal check, it's a lot better than taking the full blast on the planted leg of a rear teep...

For the OP, from a MT point of view.
3 different situation. Defense, counter, respond...
-Best defense is the check... No way around it.

-Best counter is the front teep.

-Best response it's a bit more complicated.

If you eat it raw, you should, if possible, throw immediately a low kick of your own (at least at the same intensity) to get back the point you just lost. The problem is that most experienced fighter are aware of the "mirror" strikes (the same strike you throw just after you got tagged), so they will expect it. Anyway, a good clean retaliation is necessarily, for 2 reasons. One is, like a said, for the judges. It's very important to get back immediately a point lost. Second is for the psychology of your opponent. Make him pay for every clean strike he gets... He should be worried for a retaliation for any strike he lands.

If you check it, then you should use that check to step in and to use a rear strike. A good round house, or if closer, a rear knee or elbow. If you don't step in and still in a long distance, the rear teep is now a good strike to throw.

You are probably asking for MMA, but my answer is from MT... Then again, any question worth answering in life, has a MT explanation...

 

[j123]

@j123

For the teep, are you talking about the basic rear leg one, or the front foot teep? Or is it the same to you as a counter?
Personally, I wont recommend the rear teep. If you can pull it off, it work wonders, but usually it's very risky. Since your front planted leg is the one been attacked, if you don't make contact first, but at the same time, your strike will loose all power. And your opponent's not as much. Meaning your straightened leg will absorb a full low... that's the worst scenario.
He has to be able the read the strike, and counter first with a clear difference in timing... Hard to pull.

Now for the front teep, my opinion it's that's a lot better for countering the low.
First, it's a lot faster. But most importantly, you are moving the target out of the way. And the first part of the move is the same as a check (without the outward angle). Meaning that even if you mess the timing, you'll have raised the leg and still be able to defend the low. Even if it's not an ideal check, it's a lot better than taking the full blast on the planted leg of a rear teep...

For the OP, from a MT point of view.
3 different situation. Defense, counter, respond...
-Best defense is the check... No way around it.

-Best counter is the front teep.

-Best response it's a bit more complicated.

If you eat it raw, you should, if possible, throw immediately a low kick of your own (at least at the same intensity) to get back the point you just lost. The problem is that most experienced fighter are aware of the "mirror" strikes (the same strike you throw just after you got tagged), so they will expect it. Anyway, a good clean retaliation is necessarily, for 2 reasons. One is, like a said, for the judges. It's very important to get back immediately a point lost. Second is for the psychology of your opponent. Make him pay for every clean strike he gets... He should be worried for a retaliation for any strike he lands.

If you check it, then you should use that check to step in and to use a rear strike. A good round house, or if closer, a rear knee or elbow. If you don't step in and still in a long distance, the rear teep is now a good strike to throw.

You are probably asking for MMA, but my answer is from MT... Then again, any question worth answering in life, has a MT explanation...

Front. I rarely throw the rear actually. The amount of energy put in, I'd rather just throw a body "swing" kick, has much more power in it.

 

[Silver tongue samurai]

Front. I rarely throw the rear actually. The amount of energy put in, I'd rather just throw a body "swing" kick, has much more power in it.

what about a rear side kick if you have spacetime speed?

 

[j123]

what about a rear side kick if you have spacetime speed?

I'm not poor

 

[Mad Dollar]

I'm a tall southpaw and most of my sparring partners always kick the shit out of my legs so I'm definitely going to try out the front teep counter next sparring session!

 

[LEGS MAHONEY]

Not something i personally do but an interesting punishing defense none the less

 

[j123]

I'm a tall southpaw and most of my sparring partners always kick the shit out of my legs so I'm definitely going to try out the front teep counter next sparring session!

Then you can change your fight name to "the manlet slayer"

 

[Silver tongue samurai]

Then you can change your fight name to "the manlet slayer"

yeah, yeah feed those manmore egos. We all have difficulties in life boys and some peoples is being under 6'1

 

[j123]

yeah, yeah feed those manmore egos. We all have difficulties in life boys and some peoples is being under 6'1

lol @ 6'1 being tall. 6'1 is manlet status bud

 

[Silver tongue samurai]

lol @ 6'1 being tall. 6'1 is manlet status bud

Was gonna ask what this is based on but then i figured out its life...

 

[ctrlaltdelete]

I try to check it when I can and return with my own, but when I get caught too late and eat one, I try to rush in with a left hook or a right straight.

Its natural to try to "Just Bang" after eating a solid kick, which is why people like @j123 harp on the lowkick - 3 - 2 combinations to catch people like myself rushing in to get one back.

 

[j123]

I try to check it when I can and return with my own, but when I get caught too late and eat one, I try to rush in with a left hook or a right straight.

Its natural to try to "Just Bang" after eating a solid kick, which is why people like @j123 harp on the lowkick - 3 - 2 combinations to catch people like myself rushing in to get one back.

Kick for kick is a traditional thang', but it isn't effective. It ends up being more of a pissing contest. Works well in my favor.