The Correct Way to Check Leg Kicks in Muay Thai, MMA and Kickboxing | Foot Up or Down?

[@prakash9308]

This guy after the McGregor poirier fight: business is booming

[@Elz-eb3lh]

Looool oml

[@k__u4598]

It's true when McGregor said he brings money

[@erccool]

Again with the Weidman Hall fight

[@theymademepickaname1248]

@@erccool why I'm here.

[@diamondplax]

.

[@summocommentaction3273]

When someone tries to kick me, I intercept the leg and bite the calf. Instant fight ender.

[@andrewwoods564]

Do you intercept it directly with your face instead of catching it with your hand? I believe taking it in the face shortens the time it takes your mouth to bite his calf

[@summocommentaction3273]

@@andrewwoods564 mouth open ducking directly into the kick. Takes years to fully channel your chi energy and learn the timing. Thankfully I've been perfecting this technique for over 47 years *Steven Seagal voice*

[@andrewwoods564]

@@summocommentaction3273 holy shit I must get to training

[@HeathenRides]

With or without the mouth piece?

[@BBE22OOOWH]

Martin Mellembakken ofcourse with. You give the person a false cense of security when the impact isnt that hard...on that moment you summon your fangs with intense concentration and 80’s training montage music starts playing....when the slo mo hits your fangs go through the piece and WHAM! you sink those teeth right into the flesh. At that moment your opponent screams in pain and is defeated. Several days later so are you because of aids

[@duchi882]

Me: Hey are you gonna kick me? Opponent: what..well, yeah Me: Okay just checking Aight imma head out

[@Boasill]

I'm so mad I didn't come up with this

[@hard2hurt]

Hi dad

[@fullmerfitmindandbody]

well done

[@SavedSnake]

LOL 👏

[@BBE22OOOWH]

Hahahaha im dead

[@iiJaydeex]

I always got taught to point the foot down, prevents broken toes from the kick being lower than expected. I suppose it’s preference each way has pros and cons

[@jdemuro1]

Pedro Guerra I’m assuming you are talking about a teep/push kick? I broke my big toe when my partner blocked the teep w their knee. 2nd month into training. I am super cautious of teeping ever since. But I know how to time them better now.

[@iiJaydeex]

Pedro Guerra yeah I must admit I’ve never had any injuries from throwing a teep. Maybe throwing it straight from the ground with no chamber I don’t know but breaking your toes with a teep is pretty bizarre

[@norwegiannignog2470]

@Pedro Guerra one incident is more than enough to worry about it.

[@danplasma]

True, foot down prevents breaks but stops you from flexing that muscle

[@SchrodingersSadboi]

@@iiJaydeex yeah teeps are my comfort strikes haha, i never feel like im going to get hurt when I throw them

[@duffpaddy3996]

Always check kicks with your face, they never see that coming

[@drdarkfruits7891]

Doubles up as mental warfare xD

[@Bunndog]

They never expect a sprawl as a counter for kicks

[@WastePlace]

Yoel Romero approves this message

[@BeReadySelfDefense]

I check kicks by headbutting them.

[@jordan2927]

I check them with my ribs.

[@jordan2927]

@@bobbybush1750 Damn, I thought that was a long lost art 👏 😁

[@crustyrage4008]

Check out Nate Diaz over here

[@mmcl8881]

DC is that you?

[@mohanad0408]

Legend

[@bradleyscott9677]

After Rob Whittaker checked one of my kicks I was scared to throw another one! Hurt more than taking a kick! Lol

[@driver3899]

Bloody hell! lol Do you prefer foot up or down when you do your own checks?

[@bradleyscott9677]

@@driver3899 i dont pick my foot up off the floor just turn the shin out on top toes, I try to stay out of range until you're ready to throw some bombs and end the fight. If you eat some kicks then shit happens. Lol

[@driver3899]

@@bradleyscott9677 Lol nice. This makes a lot of sense, play to your strengths.. and your punches are terrifying tbh

[@nietzchesmustache5495]

You guys and hard2hurt would make a good crossover just putting it out there you guys could do it.

[@pube66]

The reaper 🇳🇿🇳🇿

[@matthewmax]

I’ve been holding my pinky wrong all these damn years!! I lived in Thailand for a few years training. I always sucked but.... I was always taught to go up on the toe of my supporting leg when blocking, they also had us point toe down when blocking. For what it’s worth. A huge thanks for all these videos. My favorite channel!

[@owenschmowen5313]

Hi comment two years ago, no worries if you don't get back to me but do you remember why they told you to go up to the toes when block? Am interested to know :)

[@lavans5721]

I actually do something that's an instant leg breaker. Whenever my bullies kick me, I use my chin to check it

[@hard2hurt]

The fight definitely ends.

[@CadenSok]

He nearly went, "KICK ME BITCH!" HAHAHAHHAHA I love how he managed to hold that back

[@hard2hurt]

Yeah dude was trying to be nice to me I guess.

[@MortyJoe44]

you're like micheal from vsauce if he got into mma instead of science

[@HappyLlamaz]

I know this was posted a year ago, but this is the best comment I’ve ever read

[@Ronon805]

"But now lets talk about the right way to do it and balance, that's usually not how this shit happens... ahh the wrong shit happens." Always keeping it real!!! Thank you guys for the great content and keep the good stuff coming.

[@iLengzai]

Foot pointing straight, had experience pointing my foot down and I got kicked in between my ankle and foot, and my foot hyperextended

[@driver3899]

4:21 slick footwork on the body shot

[@mathewmcquay3943]

Thank you, Mike. I've watched a lot of martial arts stuff over the last couple years.. I really only practiced for a few years, and the way I was taught was "hurt and leave". I was taught self defense, not to stand and fight. Every time I watch one of your videos, I learn something new, and I really dig that, and it's the absolute KEY difference between what you put up and what most people do.

[@jrc3973]

anyone here after Conor vs poirer?

[@luiseduardoninodeleon3039]

same

[@Elz-eb3lh]

Wanted to see if there was a way conor could’ve defended it lol

[@martybeasts]

Like calf kicks are something so new or unique in MMA. Chumps. 😂😂😂

[@syncgamingstudios]

@@martybeasts wow tough guy maybe they're new fans

[@alexanderbranstetter1642]

One front kick block I learned (disclaimer, hard to nail only works if it's telegraphed usually) they bring the knee up but before they fire the kick you meet their ankle with yours. As they fire the kick you guide it away by extending your leg slightly to the side. If you do the disrespectful kick at the end to kick their leg further, it puts em at a disadvantage. You're already up ready to step in and they're turned away from you

[@waaayupthere3831]

My muay thai coach also shows us to aim your knee down twords the kick. I use this one alot especially against guys that like to go for the back leg sweep.

[@VincentMMALife]

Ofcourse it hurts you if you check a kick. But if you do it right it's going to hurt the guy who a lot more. And you train to learn how to fight, deal with a little pain in your shin👊🏼

[@killuminatikilla3235]

condition the shin bro

[@ashtar3876]

@@killuminatikilla3235 is that even possible in other ways than nerve damage?

[@killuminatikilla3235]

@@ashtar3876 conditioning your bones brother is real and conditioning your body is the 1st thing you want to do before fighting. It gets you used to pain. It's not that pain is good etheir. But If you have never experienced a dead leg before or forstances. And kick to the shin gone wrong. It fking hurts and can break your body permently. Your body is a temple and anything can happen to it when fighting

[@andrewhancock2451]

I like your no BS way of describing what you know and don't know, and what matters and doesn't matter. And why.

[@muaythai3903]

@hard2hurt , few thoughts of mine: 1 should not check it "bone on bone" at like a true 45 degree angle, rather just beside your bone at like a 40 degree angle (if you understand what im trying to get at). 2 checking toes up increases the likelihood of your toes getting broken should the kick be low like a calf kick, toes down safer for the checker's toes. 3 I like your point of not lifting high to check with top of shin, with that being said I think you can lift lower/less than you are in the video, a bit less of a lift (4-6" off ground) and opponent will be breaking their foot on your knee cap. Thanks for your video, let me know what you think of my 3 points.

[@angusmcmungachuck3667]

I checked the fridge when McGregor fought Cowboy and I missed the fight

[@lilslavboi2171]

thats all on u lol

[@Maniac-007]

props to your sparring partner, he's chill af

[@jasonpeterson9362]

This guys literally knows his shit, no lie. Even Dustin P. Mentioned Conor did not fully rotate towards the income of the kick. Beautiful illustration, subscribed.👍❤️

[@JohnnyBit]

Regarding "which way foot" - I used to think "whatever" till i got hit in the foot flexed up... If it's pointed down and you'll get kicked in it it just hurts, if it's pointed up and you'll get kicked, that shit makes you not want to walk for a week. The toes huuuurt AF + the ankle has way more give to it and it feels like it's sprained.

[@dayman161172]

JohnnyBit cant u just wall in closer or out of range?

[@JohnnyBit]

@@dayman161172 There are other methods to deal with leg kick and Icy Mike shows many. Checking kicks are a way to "punish" the opponent for trying to kick. Range management is different thing.

[@jamie91995]

Sounds like you checked with the smaller part of your shin or you’re not conditioned.

[@krujuice]

Speaking as a senior instructor with the World Thaiboxing Association, you put your toes up, because broken ankles happen. You can walk on a broken toe, not on a broken ankle ;-) That being said, it really shouldn't matter, since you are blocking with the top six inches of your shin, which is why it is called a "Khao Bung", or "Knee block".

[@karl8672]

Totally agree . It doesn't matter as long as it works . However which way you flex your foot could cause a problem . If you flex your foot up it's possible that you could get your toes broken in the unlikely event that the opponent gets a direct hit at the correct angle. The odds are it'll never happened but anything is possible.

[@leftlegtrumpcard8152]

The explanation I was taught years ago was foot up so that the foot creates a shelf. A downward chopping kick can run down the checking leg cut through due to leverage into the planted leg. I don’t know how valid it it but I’ve had several coaches preach it that way.

[@LECityLECLEC]

Thanks for this gem!

[@jamie91995]

4:46 it does, when you flex your foot up your leg is a lot more rigid and doesn’t cave in, plus your foot catches their shin if it slips off because if their shin slips off then it will hit your supporting leg.

[@dronedruid153]

1:18 We need a gif of this! :D

[@Psycho-Ssnake]

Indeed

[@williamh89]

Here after the mcgregor poirer fight

[@themediocrehunter4152]

Was doing a little amateur scrapping with a buddy. No headshots allowed "no mouth guards." And after a few rounds, my left leg had been hit enough that I switched to southpaw. He threw a right leg kick, and as I went to check my inside I got hit right under the kneecap. Couldn't walk for 15 minutes. Fun walk home.

[@DDarkness]

Im limping around right now so I’m binge watching all these.

[@majorawol]

Here's the answer about the toes: it's about the follow up after the check. Toes up better for closer range and immediate push kick return (often to jam opponents hip). Toes down for longer range and immediate kick or step-kick return. -- so the real answer is like in the video "it doesn't matter", however, depending on your style and range, there would be a preference. Different parts of Thailand will develop this on that basis.

[@mindbreak666]

i relax and let the foot dangle so the tendons aren't smacked against the anvil while under load also, to disrespect moar you teep the kick itself :3

[@BootyBot]

A technique popularized by Dieselnoi is bending your leg and checking with your knee/kneeing the shin. Not really that well known or widely taught among westerners. Really painful.

[@mindbreak666]

@@BootyBot wonderful tech and very practical, i use it (watched maybe too many times every video of him i could find to improve my knee game when i was a kid) lacks the insulting factor, a teep to the thigh also might or not slide towards the other guys nuts

[@BootyBot]

@@mindbreak666 yeah it's more effective because the knee is so much stronger than the shin so once it lands there is a very very high chance they'll stop throwing leg kicks. Only downside is practicing it in sparring could hurt your partner and it's hard to time right.

[@mindbreak666]

@@BootyBot well, shin guards are a thing, and the other guy isn"t supposed to throw full force anyway there's also those foam noodle stick things so you can practice aim and timing without crippling people, put some pvc inside and have someone hit you with it :3

[@Ekkaisara]

Someone checked my roundhouse twice in a sparring match exactly like that. Fractured my ankle lmao

[@michaelsedzikowski3669]

Yo, definitely take in on the muscle. Muscles inflammation stays 10 times shorter then bone inflammation( Periosterum inflammation to be exact) and is much much! f... painful that muscle's one. I had one in my twenties. And it was precisely because of this technique.

[@NateWongSongs]

Can you make a video on what to do after you get underhooks? We’re always swimming for under hooks in class but sometimes I’m at a loss as to what to do when I get them. Thanks! This video answered so many questions I had!!

[@hard2hurt]

Do you watch Teach Me Grappling? I bet he has a good answer.

[@caseyray52]

Icy mike you’re awesome. Thanks to you and all the hard to hurt fam

[@yoloswag6242]

This dude is a beast! You can already tell.

[@95DOIDO]

mike, talk about that "check kick wing chun shit" that one of your students used against you one year ago in this video: "Conditioning, Composure and Strategy Tips |10 Minute Sparring Round" "min 4:42"

[@hard2hurt]

That's not really a whole video... maybe.

[@matthewthompson9424]

Could you do a video on stretching? I know it's important, and a lot of people disregard it, wanted to know your thoughts

[@ZeroSumJ1]

dipdop fakename If you aren’t stretching on your own multiple times a week already, a video isn’t gonna help you. If you want to improve your flexibility, strength, endurance, your consistency is much more important than what path you take.

[@hard2hurt]

Kwonkicker and Sensei Seth

[@finnschneider2092]

I just love how he immitates what he thinks his subscribers sound like!

[@rogergutierrez2630]

That’s coach for sure. I love it 🫡

[@brandonastacio488]

I was always tought to intercept when you can and crowd the kick and take momentum off it by moving forward whenever possible but good advice overall main thing stop the kick folks with the upper shin

[@jamaljones6125]

You are correct again Sir. Point your toes up activates your Tibialis Anterior (shin muscle). But in a fight and you throw a kick, I’m checking it with the tip top of my tibia two inches below my knee because I’m try to snap your leg or make you not want to kick again.

[@jazzy3724]

Fists clenched, but with both pinkies from each hand pointed upwards. Optimal balance.

[@hard2hurt]

Will try and report back.

[@gssynkro8892]

When he said “that shit hurts” I felt that in my Soul

[@angelsjoker8190]

The last variant is a valid possibility to check the kick where, properly trained, you take the least amount of damage (but you opponent as well) and additionally you can redirect where your opponent's leg goes back, thus in best case off-balance your opponent or at least put him/her into an unfavorable stance for your counter-attack. Checking the kick with the part below the knee doesn't give that option so much, but at least the kicker most likely receives more damage than the defender. Also, automatically always going high with the kick is a bad habit that can be exploited with either a switch-kick or kicking low under the check and aiming for the standing leg either as a kick or sweep.

[@liukang85]

I think it makes sense to pick it up all the way every time: The lower part is mobile so it can absorb some force by moving from the impact

[@SandaBoxing]

Flexing the foot up does flex that muscle to help cushion the kick a little. It also makes it easier to hook their kicking leg should they not retract it fast enough, so you can sweep them.

[@zomuankimakhawlhring5366]

For me, it really doesn't matter how the foot turns, it still hurts.I once checked a kick with my bare shin while practicing and me and my partner both fall cause we both took the damege.

[@hasanagic96]

"leg muscle" sergio lol

[@hard2hurt]

I say this at least once per day.

[@hasanagic96]

The man's unbearable

[@freddieboss3175]

Really enjoy your videos sir Much respect 🙏

[@hard2hurt]

Thank you sir

[@myjhong91]

Love your practical , layman sized advice.

[@DuskSkullin]

watching these check kicks video because Connor didn't check kicks...

[@hr4f774]

4:22 ernest hoost's famous low kick setup combo . never gets old

[@solomonselva9213]

Dustin did check it properly!

[@ThomasTravis1990]

For low kicks keep the toe planted and tilt the knee towards the shin, whether in or out, you never lose balance and return heavily with protection. This technique is good for mid kicks, but in that case try to catch the mid kick return with punch/takedown full mounted guard, know your wrestling.

[@terrychamberlain6336]

This is spot on! Checking kicks sucks but this is the way to do it. Keep your knee inside your elbow is a must but the rest is just what feels best for you. Again another real and honest insight into fight techniques which is why I love this channel 🙏💥

[@justinlakey6838]

My favorite BM on an obvious kick is to just step on the knee/thigh before the kick can even come out.

[@avega2792]

I teach to point the toes down because I don’t want to check a kick with my toes.

[@justagerman140]

My thoughts exactly

[@jaimegarcia2930]

I wish I was in your gym this my people right here haha love the vibes coach

[@nidstang373]

Just adding my two cents on the foot position... I agree with the tensed muscles over the shin adding a bit of padding but I can see how you might get your toes jammed really bad if the kick goes low enough to hit them.

[@BootyBot]

Traditional Thai method is keeping your hand loose when you throw the elbow. And pointing toe down when you throw the knee. Loose hand more bone exposure. Tight hand, flexed muscle cushions impact if forearm makes contact. Toe pointed down makes your kneecap more "spear" like. But yeah. If you're getting smashed in the face it probably doesn't matter too much. idk if there's any collective agreement among Thai's on checking kicks.

[@muaythai1017]

Mark Delagrotte says to flex your foot up. Its called the thai shin guard.

[@c.s1393]

Love this channel

[@hard2hurt]

Me too

[@imawarrior313]

To all those wondering, checking kicks shin to shin is actually what elite professionals do and is not an easy thing for beginners so take it easy lol.

[@Shugenjya]

Icey Mike + Master Ken equals hilarious! I honestly want to see that! :D

[@henriquecarvalho880]

try to knee their leg when they kick you, syvie from "Sylvie von Duuglas-Ittu - Muay Thai" has some videos on her channel about and let me tell you, that shit looks amazingly painfull

[@johnhaworth7034]

Old video this but... foot up foot down is no different. My old coach say foot down .i asked why? He simply said "muay thai martial art. Foot down more beautiful. Like statue. Good art". Never forgot it.

[@xyaeiounn]

Sounds informed all the way through. Kyokushin has a thing where you lift the foot and hook an incoming kick, throw the opposite hand. It disrupts balance when you make a kick 'stick' to your checking leg and turn their hips so their chest straightens up to you. If someone's good at it you regret trying to kick them.

[@jacobwong38]

Try searching “the low kick destroyer”. Sylvie von Duuglas-Ittu talks about a technique where you check the kick with a knee strike. Sounds painful!

[@elguerolewis5610]

Clever way to close distance off the check. Like it

[@kaischreurs2488]

2:24 if you pick it all the way up every time eventually someone is gonna kick under it and hit your other leg, someone I train with does that a lot when I start to pick it up too high.

[@lostdays9238]

I knew you have a video of this topic. Thank you so much from mexico city.

[@jondeth6242]

100% this is exactly what I have observed watching fights.

[@uBmaniac]

A thai stadium champion (Rajadamnern) taught me not to keep the foot up unless you want his shin to break your toes

[@hard2hurt]

Well I'm sure plenty of thai stadium champions would teach you the other way.

[@emel7341]

Love it. Working on this

[@That1GuyOnYoutube]

I point my toes down when checking kicks only because i was trained to throw knees with my toes down, i only have my toes up when i throw front kicks. it might be a giveaway when throwing front kicks; but as for effectiveness on checking, i don't think it matters

[@InvisibleJiuJitsu]

I always curl for a more stable block and to stop the kick sliding down and off the bottom of my leg. Interestingly I also seem to pick my leg up much more to the side than you do, reason in my mind it to meet the kick at a point perpendicular to the direction of movement :) nice video

[@elcabezon2222]

I like to relax (not too much) the calfs when im checking, just like when i throw an elbow (my hands)

[@hard2hurt]

Me too

[@gabrielksanchez7283]

Same. Relaxed but rigid. My calf flexes just very slightly at impact but I can’t help it and it doesn’t bother me.

[@MrLiveskating]

Everyone should skateboard for shin conditioning. I skated for years before I tried Muay thai, I can confirm my shins handle it pretty darn well as my shins are kinda numbed. Its fun, looks rad and gives benefits for fighting.

[@mctow8554]

I was wondering which way my pinky should be pointing during leg kicks. Thankyou

[@dirksmith896]

Beginners on leg kick checking point toes down. The correct way to check if pulling foot up so muscle covers the shin.. And yes.. If u get a pro fighter smashing in a hard low kick and u check it shin to shin.. Its hurts u just as much.. Hence that's why the foot pulled up let's the muscle asborb the impact.. K1 ref kakuda... Holds the world baseball bat's breaking record with round house shin kicks. He smashed 8 at once.. I trained with him and he pulls foot up when throwing his shin kicks so that the he doesn't smash his own shin when kicking through baseballs bat's

[@tensae4725]

Amazing content man.

[@IffyEdem]

I’ve been taught to kick with my shin and also hug it with my ankle(not foot, but at the end of the tibia and beginning of the metatarsals)

[@Torthrodhel]

I always point the foot down, but that's only because that's what I'm used to, and that's how I've got used to balancing on my legs. I think that's the most important thing there. What are you used to, what's in your muscle memory, how do you balance. Whichever one is that, is the one you should do.

[@hard2hurt]

Yeah i think it doesn't really make a difference... do whatever.

[@togr824get]

Loved your video..it was extremely informative.. Conor Mcgregor probably should have watched this one..

[@themonsterbaby]

This video is great. Thanks for posting. My cousin just lost his second amateur fight (6-2) from fucking calf kicks sooooooo me and my son are gonna work some checks today, since my son is only 10 and has 6-8 years before he ever actually fights, might as well learn from everybody else's mistakes and have him prepared as possible. He is a little monster though, lol... just did his first season in wrestling. Gray/black in bjj, and coming up on 2 years of bang muay thai training (he started bjj a few months after). He knows the basics of checking kicks obviously but after watching our cousin get stopped I figured we would get a little more into the details of it since the kids bmt class don't really spar or anything so he hasn't really had to check kicks that are a real threat yet, but here at home I can go a little harder with him. Anyway, sorry for the book... lol, thanks for posting.

[@azzy4040]

he trainin with the third diaz brother

[@mikec857]

Thanks

[@x32i77]

Augmented calves with tianium instead of bones. And get rid of the nerves so you dont feel pain

[@joeysolo4243]

I was always taught that you can get your toes broken with your foot pointed out instead of down. But yeah JUST BLOCK THE KICK.

[@hard2hurt]

And there are probably dudes that say they'll get broken pointed down... I don't think anybody knows.

[@mo2mo1mo]

Here after Alex checks Izzy's leg kicks.

[@joebyerley2579]

I love watching your channel. I do have a couple questions how does somebody that is 75% in a wheelchair able to protect themselves

[@juanonmashin4293]

Gun

[@joebyerley2579]

Lol

[@martialartsscience560]

Sir your videos are awesome and you are awesome LOL this is really good stuff for me to incorporate into my style... Thank you

[@Sennin420]

I prefer to side check kicks, à la James Toney.

[@SubExploration]

Another great video 👌

[@mikeydo9567]

A little heavy on the eye makeup, left eye, left corner Icy. Great video!