Kicking It - Ian Ransburg Muay Thai Seminar

Reviewed kick defense, the base foot is flat on the mat and the base leg straightens. The check leg is at an angle, as if you had a “V” coming from your center line.

Jab - Rear Kick - Lead Kick: Your partner picks up the kicks with the leg check on the ipsilateral side.

Jab - Fake Rear Kick - Rear Kick: Throw the jab rear kick combination, if your opponent is checking, fake the rear kick by rotating the hip, tricking them to defend with the leg check. When they put it back down, kick the leg.

Jab - Fake Rear Kick - Lead Kick: Set-up the jab-kick combination. Fake the rear kick to make them leg check, freezing on one leg for an instant, switch step 45° across their center with your rear leg, and throw the kick to the opposite side.

Jab - Fake Rear Kick - Rear Tiip (the Heatseaker): Again set-up the jab-kick combination. If they are leg checking then turn the kick into a tiip by rotating the foot down and medially before thrusting forward.

Have your partner practice the same side and cross side leg check by throwing jab - rear kick - lead kick. To defend, leg check laterally for the first kick then across the centerline to pick up the other kick. Step back in the opposite stance then walk back to your original stance.

Jab - Fake Lead Kick - Sweep: Provoke the cross leg check, by faking a powerful lead kick by stepping in, then use the opposite leg to kick sweep their legs as your same side arm comes across their guard.

Low-line Kick Evasion: Your partner comes with the jab-rear kick combination and you leg check. The next time they do this, roll onto the flat of your rear foot and retract the leg to the opposite stance, landing on the ball of this foot. Return a kick.

High-line Kick Evasion: Roll your lead arm so that the forearm is perpendicular with the floor, elbow pointed laterally, rock back on the toes of your lead foot as you lean backward to allow the head kick to fly over your chest and face. Return a kick.

Ian also talked about using the jab and the cross to hide bringing the rear foot to lead foot to throw the lead offensive tiip. He also discussed tactics for closing with a larger opponent, including (1) Throwing the jab to the rear glove to “staple” it so that you can throw a body shot (2) following the retracting strike of a larger opponent, (3) reading the decreasing range adjustments your opponent makes as they get “comfortable”.