Video Clip Series: How do you Counter Continous Kicks?

Sifu Wong Kiew Kit’s Home Page
Shaolin Wahnam Video Series

Basic Shaolin Kungfu against Boxing, Kick-Boxing, Muay Tahi and Wrestling -- Part 28
Review of the Regional Shaolin Kungfu Course in Barcelona 2007

HOW DO YOU COUNTER CONTINUOUS KICKS

Grandmaster Wong executing a sweeping kick at Donovan

Many people move back when an opponent attacks. This is a big mistake, especially when the opponent uses kicks frequently, like in Muay Thai, Kick-Boxing and Taekwondo. By moving back you give your opponent his tactical as well as technical advantages.

You should stand at your stance, and move in to counter-attack when appropriate. Should you block his kicks? Generally no. Bociking kicks also gives the attack tactical and technical advantages. Wouldn’t you he kicked if you don’t block and don’t move back?

Make good use of your stances. You can avoid his kicks as well as hand strikes by shifting your body backward without moving your feet. If he kicks, strike his kicking legs. If he strikes, cover his hands and move in to counter-attack.

These tactics and techniques are illustrated in this and other video series. They are actually at the beginning level of our sparring methodology. But if you use them skillfully, they can be very effective for combat.

Please note that you can download the video clips onto your own computer and view them at your leisure. Place your computer pointer at the picture or one of the links, and right click. Choose “Save Target As”. Select the directory or sub-directory where you wish to keep the video clip. Click “Save”.

Importance of Timing and Spacing over Techniques
Grandmaster Wong poses as a Muay Thai fighter and attacks Donovan with typical Muay Thai techniques, including the much dreaded knee strikes. Donovan give a correct counter, but his timing and spacing are wrong, illustrating their importance over techniques in combat.
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Sequence of Frontal Kick, Sweeping Kick and Knee Strike
Grandmaster Wong and Donovan go over the Muay Thai attacks to observe their movements and work out some good counters using Shaolin techniques. The Muay Thai attacks come in a sequence of three kicks – frontal, sweeping and knee. How would you defend against or counter such attacks?
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A Series of Muay Thai Kicks
Grandmaster Wong leads the class in going over the series of three Muay Thai kicks. These kicks are also found in Shaolin Kungfu as “Little Bird Show Toes”, Naughty Monkey Kicks at Tree” and “Jade Girl Kicks Shuttle”.
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Working out Some Effective Counters
Grandmaster Wong asks the participants to try out the Muay Thai attacks on one another and work out some effective counters. Trying to find the answers for oneself before being shown is an important aspect of our training. Please note that some of the participants here are beginners.
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Force and Realistic, yet Gentle and Graceful
Many other people think that we are too soft in our sparring. Actually, Grandmaster Wong often reminds students to use force and be realistic, otherwise it might be “opium smoking” rather than Shaolin Kungfu. But even when we are forceful, we are proud to be gentle and graceful when compared to the tough fighting of most other martial artists. Most other people may find it hard to comprehend how one can be forceful and gentle.
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Shaolin Counters against Muay Thai Kicks
Grandmaster Wong demonstrates some Shaolin counters against the series of Muay Thai kicks. As the Muay Thai fighter initiates his frontal kick, avoid his kick and simultaneously strike his leg. As he executes a sweeping kick, slant the body back to let the kick pass. When he grips your head and throws knee strikes at you, ward of his hands as you step back and simultaneously strike him.
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Advancing by Retreating, Long against Short
The Shaolin counters against the three Muay Thai kicking attacks are shown again in slow motion. Strike the kicking leg, avoid the sweeping kick, and ward of the grip and simultaneously strike. The opponent’s knee attack would be unable to reach you. Here you use the principles of “advancing by retreating”, and “long against short”.
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Spacing is Important for Effective Counter
Spacing is important in combat. You may use the same techniques, but if your spacing is incorrect, as shown here, your counter would be ineffective. Here, you must not retreat too much while applying “advancing by retreating, long against short”.
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