MMA News Forums » Sports & Training » K-1, Kickboxing

[Frasedog]

I'm a purple belt in BJJ under Julio Fernandez (6th degree Carlson Gracie SR). Also train Muay Thai. I've competed in local BJJ tourneys, and am 0-1 MMA as an amateur. My next fight is in 3 weeks!! Burlington Brawl

[KevoOnTheRadio]

Other. Three Stooges Fighting System (SFS). NyuckNyuckNyuck

[phunt]

The majority of my experience is in Shotokan/Gosoku Ryu Karate (Rank Shodan) under Tak Kubota / Takemasa Okuyama. Have been in many point fighting tournaments, such as the Canadian Nationals at black belt level.

Have been training boxing and muay thai off and on for a few years, primarily focused on bjj right now which i started several months back.

[rampage9712]

Good boxing and good muay thai/kickboxing is a very deadly combination. In sparring you can easily kick the hell out of the guys with primarily boxing, and the guys with a good muay thai backround, they really dont have have the hands to deal with you. You can easily counter and fool them. I havent seen many TKD or karate fighters at the gym as an only style, but some of the kicks and techniques some guys use.

[Frasedog]

I'm not knocking karate, tkd etc, but there are a few guys at my gym that have those backgrounds and they throw some kicks at different angles and stuff, but I find their hands are typically low and they leave themselves open for counters. I really think a blend of Muay Thai and Boxing is the most effective. That combo of striking power and head and foot movement is the way to go. In my opinion anyway.

[deadstealth]

4 years American TKD (Jhoon Rhee => Alan Steen => L. Wheeler => me) This was a very competitive school. The difference between "hard rock" korean TKD and American, is that the korean style has almost no hands. They block with dodging or kicks. Chung Do Kwan TKD incorporates about 30% hands.

2 years American kickboxing. This class was either the TKD guys that wanted no rounds and more lax (real) rules or the local street toughs that couldnt/wouldnt be in the TKD class. So this was my intro to using TKD vs boxers and kickboxers.

It takes a while to build KO power with snapping kicks, but once you get to concrete breaking level, you can throw the kick, and the only thing they can do is not be there (or shoot if they grapple). I dont understand why people like muay thai style kicks so much over the snap kicks...if both have ko/bone break power, then the faster one, that doesnt leave you open if you miss, is better IMO. The sidekick is by far the most underutilized tool in mma, and the front snap kick to the body is another one that is ULTRA useful against boxers that like to square up. I dont see anywhere close to the amount of body kicks there should be in mma.

I will say that TKD lacks a bit on the hands. Most of what I learned until the kickboxing were punches that were straight, fast, and accurate (point punches) rather than angled and powerful (damage punches) However, if your footwork and cardio are good...and you arent fighting in a closet...its hard for a boxer to get close enough to hit you. My leg is longer than any boxers arm.

The other thing I wish TKD had is leg kicks. I can actually throw a mid level or head level roundhouse stronger than I can a leg kick. There is no mention anywhere in TKD or the american kickboxing I did where kicks to the leg were allowed, and that is a major weapon for the muay thai guy and for any striker vs juijitsu/boxing.

[T-storm]

MT here

[Trojan Fight Club]

My dad was an amateur boxer so i practiced under him in boxing, but I'm a mainly submission wrestler so my striking has a lot to be desired