Does anyone else use the front leg hook kick?

[Bay Area]

I use it in point sparring only. I do throw some step through hook kicks with the rear leg in contact sparring...but never the front leg hook. Someone said it earlier in here...high risk - low reward.

The rear step through version seems low in terms of reward. It seems like its hard to generate power with that one. I prefer to do a step through rear leg side kick to the face, rather than the whipping motion. But thats me.

 

[Dogmeat]

I only ever landed it once in sparring. I threw a fake lead roundhouse and then came back with the hook kick. It landed perfectly on my partners face.

No power though (not a TKD kicker). It was like I'd bitch slapped him and he gave me a "WTF?" expression

 

[Bay Area]

How DO you set it up with your hands? I though it was supposed to be used in teep range as a surprise attack? Or when you miss a roundhouse kick. In kicking range anyway.

Well you wouldnt be actually hitting your opponent with your fists, then hook kicking him because you would be too close to do the kick. You would throw some puches as you are walking in, get him to think about your hands, then hook kick him

 

[SAAMAG]

Haha.


Saagmag, how do you usually set up the kick?

I just throw the rear off the right hand once in a blue moon to keep my opponent guessing. I see TKD guys and such throw similar things as counters, but given their ruleset, it's difficult to tell how much is applicable.

A good setup that I used was to toss out a few lead leg round kicks to the body or chest. Once I got them bringing down their arms each time to block their chest or lower body, I'd swing it over their lead shoulder since their guard was down to come from the outside to the inside aiming for their temple.

Another method that I'd use is to switch to southpaw for a moment (other guy being a left-lead) and use it to catch them square in the face as they're coming in for a lead jab or punch. I would try to get it to land perpendicular to the target so that instead of slapping the chin from side to side the heels hits square on the nose, if that makes sense.

A more common method is to simply lead with the hook kick as someone comes in with their hands down, slapping them across the face so to speak and then following with a flicky round kick if it misses.

 

[Sidecontrol87]

My instructor does this and he generates a ton of power. Actually won a kickboxing match with one, at least according to him. I'm not flexible enough for it. I messed around with doing a hook kick to the thigh, but it didn't really seem worth the time.

 

[Bay Area]

Everyone keeps saying "slapping". Thats not the goal really, to hit with the toes or the foot. You wanna hit with the heel

 

[SAAMAG]

I said slapping only twice.

 

[...El Ray]

I used hook kicks a lot when I used to compete in TKD. I don't use them in my MT classes though. Too risky, for a relatively 'weak' kick.

 

[Yodsanan]

I used hook kicks a lot when I used to compete in TKD. I don't use them in my MT classes though. Too risky, for a relatively 'weak' kick.

this. dont think its really usefull in fullcontact fights like in MT,Kickboxing or K1.

 

[Discipulus]

Can't throw it with my lead leg, but I enjoy throwing the hook and axe kick off the rear leg, usually after establishing my right low kick first. Not sure if I'd do it in competition, but it's fun to see the look on someone's face when you slap their mug with your foot as they were attempting to check a low kick. I say slapping because I wouldn't feel good smacking my partner with the heel.

 

[barnowl]

How DO you set it up with your hands? I though it was supposed to be used in teep range as a surprise attack? Or when you miss a roundhouse kick. In kicking range anyway.

Jab, Cross, Jab, Lead Hook kick to right behind ear. You should be able to land with all 4. I often used it as set up kick for a weak lead round. Becuase it can hook around the guard it was a great combo for smashing someone's nose behind the guard. You do have to have very good flexibilty to get mileage out of the kick and practice a lot on targets that let you pull through to develop the muscle memory and training to have force when hitting non-giving object.

 

[Jukai]

Jab, Cross, Jab, Lead Hook kick to right behind ear. You should be able to land with all 4. I often used it as set up kick for a weak lead round. Becuase it can hook around the guard it was a great combo for smashing someone's nose behind the guard. You do have to have very good flexibilty to get mileage out of the kick and practice a lot on targets that let you pull through to develop the muscle memory and training to have force when hitting non-giving object.

Smashing someone's nose behind the guard? Is he looking to his right or something as he's blocking?

 

[Hotora86]

Well you wouldnt be actually hitting your opponent with your fists, then hook kicking him because you would be too close to do the kick. You would throw some puches as you are walking in, get him to think about your hands, then hook kick him

I think it's a once-a-fight technique anyway. It might surprise the opponent since it's so obscure and unexpected but once he's seen it once, he won't get fooled again. Unless he's KOed.

 

[Hotora86]

A good setup that I used was to toss out a few lead leg round kicks to the body or chest. Once I got them bringing down their arms each time to block their chest or lower body, I'd swing it over their lead shoulder since their guard was down to come from the outside to the inside aiming for their temple.

Another method that I'd use is to switch to southpaw for a moment (other guy being a left-lead) and use it to catch them square in the face as they're coming in for a lead jab or punch. I would try to get it to land perpendicular to the target so that instead of slapping the chin from side to side the heels hits square on the nose, if that makes sense.

That sounds more like a lead snap side kick. Yoko-geri-keage?

 

[Hotora86]

Smashing someone's nose behind the guard? Is he looking to his right or something as he's blocking?

My thought too. Besides, it would be impossible to land that hook kick if he's still in jab/cross range after the exchange. It would either get stuck on the opponent's lead leg or land behind his head. And you'd probably get punched in the face while you're attempting to move your leg all the way around the guard and whip.
The only way I see this working is that when you throw the 1-2-1 the opponent just puts both hands up in front of him, turns his head to the side in fear, takes a step back and doesn't look at you while you throw the kick.

 

[Frode Falch]

You put a picture of bruce lee.. Bruce Lee called the roundkick/roundhouse for a hook kick.

 

[Bay Area]

You put a picture of bruce lee.. Bruce Lee called the roundkick/roundhouse for a hook kick.

He did indeed. I think the hook kick was called a sweep kick or somehting

 

[DCnMO]

I've been knocked out with this kick before.

It was promotion time, I'd already done my requisite sparring amongst my belt level (orange belt) and did well. But for some reason, my instructor thought it'd be a good idea to use me as a fill in for a black belt who was going for his 1st dan. Everything was going well, we were having a good match, then next thing I know... I hear a loud slapping sound, I hear all the spectators and other students 'oohing and ahhing'... then I find myself on my back staring at the ceiling.

What happened, is that the black belt took a quick shuffling step forward (basically replacing his front foot with his back foot), which I interpreted as a front leg side kick, but unfortunately turned out to be a hooking heel kick. It landed square on my jaw, and put my lights out instantly. I was only out for a few seconds, but I wasn't able to get off the mat for about 30 seconds.

 

[uechiryu]

Hook kick works. Heel to face hurts

 

[SAAMAG]

That sounds more like a lead snap side kick. Yoko-geri-keage?

Nope...I'm talking about the kage geri, though I use that kick as well to jam someone in the face more squarely.

There are several ways to get it though. You can step back into a south paw to get just out of punching range (that's the defense) as you lift the right foot and hook it into their face (that's the counter). Or you can parry to lead punch and grab it (defense) as you bring your rear leg up and hook it into their face. The latter isn't really switching to southpaw as much as it is simply using a rear leg hook kick though.