Muay Thai is a vicious sport that utilizes practically every part of the body as offensive and defensive tools both in training and actual professional fighting. Of the several different types and variations of attacks, however, Muay Thai low kicks are arguably the most underrated and under-utilized kicking techniques you could land on opponents.
In this article, let us talk about the effectiveness of Muay Thai low leg kicks and how throwing these kicks with weight, speed, and proper technique could lead to insane technical knockout results (as a recent example, check out the second bout between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier to see how the entire match was controlled and determined by low kick combos).
The Most Popular Muay Thai Low Leg Kicks and How to Execute Them
There are several different types of low kick maneuvers in Muay Thai, with some overlapping with others in terms of function and execution.
In this section, let us walk through the different terminologies of low kick strikes and how each is executed to perfection.
Rear Low Leg Kick
The rear low kick is the most powerful low kick in all of Muay Thai, simply because it has a greater travel distance and requires more effort to execute and pivot.
When perfectly targeted toward the back of an opponent's knee or thigh, the results could be fight-ending and even jaw-dropping.
To execute the basic rear low kick, follow the steps below:
- Assume the proper stance.
- Aim for your target area.
- Pivot your lead leg.
- Almost simultaneously with step 3, swing your rear leg as if swinging a bat.
- Simultaneously with steps 3 and 4, pivot your entire torso in the same direction as the low kick for a synchronized flow.
- Follow-through, whether hit or miss, for maximum damage.
Lead Low Leg Kick
The lead low kick in Muay Thai is the quickest way to deal damage to your opponent's legs, since it has the least amount of travel distance and does not require much effort in the proper execution of the Muay Thai technique.
This is an effective or pesky way of throwing your opponent's rhythm off and can be integrated in any strike combo.
To execute the basic lead low kick in Muay Thai, follow the steps below:
- Assume the proper stance.
- Aim for your target area.
- Pivot your rear leg.
- Almost simultaneously with step 3, swing your lead leg as if swinging a bat.
- Simultaneously with steps 3 and 4, pivot your entire torso in the same direction as the low kick for a synchronized flow.
- Follow-through, whether hit or miss, for maximum damage.
Calf Low Kicks
Calf low kicks are debilitating moves from the sport of Muay Thai that has seen recent fame largely due to how it was used effectively by Dustin Poirier against Conor McGregor in their rematch.
A calf low kick is so effective in Muay Thai because once enough calf kick strikes are executed, the blood in the calf area has nowhere else to go and will immediately cause swelling and unimaginable pain, even during the adrenaline phase of a match.
To execute the basic calf low kick in Muay Thai, follow the steps below:
- Assume the proper stance.
- Aim for your opponent's calf area.
- Pivot your rear or lead leg.
- Almost simultaneously with step 3, swing your lead or rear leg as if swinging a bat.
- Simultaneously with steps 3 and 4, pivot your entire torso in the same direction as the low kick for a synchronized flow.
- Follow-through, whether hit or miss, for maximum damage.
Thigh Low Kicks
This low kick is one of the most effective and commonly used types of kicks in the sport of Muay Thai to this day.
In Muay Thai, a lot of fighters throw this type of kick simply because of the wide target area and a reduced threat of leg checks because of how high the kick is positioned during the throw and landing.
To throw the basic lead low kick in Muay Thai, follow the steps below:
- Assume the proper stance.
- Aim for your opponent's thigh area.
- Pivot your planted foot.
- Almost simultaneously with step 3, swing your low kick leg as if swinging a bat.
- Simultaneously with steps 3 and 4, pivot your torso in the same direction as the low kick for a synchronized flow.
- Follow-through, whether hit or miss, for maximum damage.
Inside Low Kick
This Muay Thai kick is essentially any of the above, but specifically targets the inner portion of an opponent's legs. Depending on whether the fighter is southpaw or orthodox, the Muay Thai inner low kick may come from different sides.
To execute the basic lead low kick in Muay Thai, follow the steps below:
- Assume the proper stance.
- Aim for the inside leg area of your opponent.
- Pivot your planted foot.
- Almost simultaneously with step 3, swing your low kick leg as if swinging a bat.
- Simultaneously with steps 3 and 4, pivot your torso in the same direction as the low kick for a synchronized flow.
- Follow-through, whether hit or miss, for maximum damage.
Outside Low Kick
This Muay Thai kick is essentially any of the above, but specifically targets the outer portion of an opponent's legs. Depending on whether the Muay Thai fighter is southpaw or orthodox, the Muay Thai outer low kick may come from different sides.
To execute the basic lead low kick in Muay Thai, follow the steps below:
- Assume the proper stance.
- Aim for the outer leg area.
- Pivot your planted foot.
- Almost simultaneously with step 3, swing your low kick leg as if swinging a bat.
- Simultaneously with steps 3 and 4, pivot your torso in the same direction as the low kick for a synchronized flow.
- Follow-through, whether hit or miss, for maximum damage.
Additional Tips for Effectively Landing Muay Thai Low Leg Kicks
Aside from understanding the step-by-step techniques and movement, it is just as important to learn about proper weight distribution, timing and speed, and fighter tendencies, among others.
Listed below are a few of the important tips and pointers to take to heart in order in throwing effective Muay Thai low leg strikes on your opponents.
Use a Lot of Footwork and Movement
In stand-up combat sports like Muay Thai and Boxing, having proper foot placement is just as valuable as technique, power, timing, and accuracy.
Without footwork and constantly moving, you would typically be seen by your opponent as an easy target or sitting duck. This also does not set up your defense properly and your attacks (knee strikes, punches, body shots, head shots, elbows, etc.) can easily be avoided or countered if you are staying in a single spot.
To negate this, it is important to always be on the move. Ensure that your foot placement sets you up for throwing strikes that could inflict major damage and work on lateral or angular movement to keep your opponents guessing.
Strike a Balance Between Attacks and Defense
Having all the power in the world will not help fighters when their legs start to wobble from a well-aimed knee from a professional fighter inside training and sparring sessions and even in professional combat.
As emphasized in Muay Thai, most especially in Thailand, throwing shots punches, knee strikes, and leg strikes, must be in perfect harmony and balance with techniques that are defense-based.
You can have a tree trunk for a lead leg and execute low kick techniques like a chainsaw chopping down a tree but if you do not have any good form of defense, then you will not be a complete or effective fighter in actual competition.
Mix Up Low Leg Kicks with Other Techniques Such as Punches, Knee Strikes, and Elbows
In Muay Thai training, especially in Thailand, throwing combinations that involve the foot, the leg, the knee, and the fist is of great importance, not just to increase the likelihood of throwing a fight-ending blow, but also to make fighters better overall, more well-rounded.
Every fighter of any skill level currently training should know the entire arsenal of attacks and not just focus on power or damage.
There must always be a proper balance in fighting, and executing combos against opponents in training sessions is a very good way to get your foot, shin, head, body, and legs used to the contact of combat sports such as Muay Thai.
Set your Opponent Up with Feints, Traps, and Counters
Like boxing, the Thailand-based martial art Muay Thai is a beautiful work of art. Major factors that give Muay Thai such depth are good set-ups, feints, traps, and counters.
In a fight, if you are looking to deal damage to the head, legs, or body, throwing a perfectly timed and completely unexpected counter can be the most decisive strike of the bout.
Several professionals have staked their entire fighting careers for several decades straight working on great defensive fighting techniques.
Think of Floyd Mayweather, Muhammad Ali, and even Conor McGregor. What these fighters have in common more than anything else is the ability to set up tremendous traps and counters, leading to beautiful defense and striking exchanges.
Find your Rhythm
When you throw a low kick, most fighters would find it best when throwing in rhythm, just like with every other Muay Thai strike or kick (to the head and body).
To establish your rhythm you must set yourself up with a pace that you can manage as well as having proper ring control so the opposing fighter will not be able to make the necessary adjustments.
Whether throwing a straight low kick to the legs or finding a set-up that requires an angular or awkward entry point, finding the right rhythm is currently the best and most effective method to deal damage to the opposing fighter, especially with low kick techniques.
Ensure Proper Weight Distribution and Balance
Each shin and foot contribute to proper balance, placement, and positioning inside the squared circle. An excellent fighter would know how to take advantage of this in order to have great defense and land perfect low kicks in Muay Thai training and Muay Thai competition.
Therefore, we recommend training under different styles and circumstances, whether it be using straight movements or circular movements, having simple set-ups or more complicated set-ups, or simply executing a set of drills and workouts that work on improving your lower body while dealing damage to an opponent.
The best way to get good at this is to simply practice, practice, and practice. Kicking results in shin, thigh, and foot conditioning, just as much as it provides a good feel for proper weight distribution and balance, which are important aspects of Muay Thai to master if you want to defeat your opponent
Know the Tendencies of Your Opponents
Being prepared for a specific fighter or opponent is already half the battle, and could definitely result in more victories than punches or knees could ever provide you.
Knowing how your opponents move, react, defend, as well as understanding their speed and power, are currently the most studied aspects in the fight game, simply because knowing what your opponent typically relies on when under pressure gives your brain the ability to make the right decisions in a shorter amount of time, providing you with the much-needed window to place your foot in the right position to land power shots with low leg strikes or low kicks.
If you understand how your opponent operates, then landing a low kick should not be an issue during the match.
Keep Your Opponent Guessing
Muay Thai is one of the best stand-up combat sports simply because of the variety of strikes one can throw, from power punches to low kicks or leg kicks, the possibilities of stringing combos are limitless, and the potential results with every low kick throw rely on unpredictability.
If you constantly or endlessly throw leg kicks as if that is the only technique in your arsenal, then your opponent would easily catch on to that and adjust their foot positioning, lower their body, and prepare with leg checks, which are deadly in their own right (just see what happened to Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman when their low kicks were checked with a well-placed shin).
To avoid any gruesome shin injuries and to be a more effective fighter, make sure to throw a bunch of different strikes and combinations along with your low kick, just to keep your opponent guessing.
Frequently Asked Questions about Muay Thai Low Kicks
We have scoured the internet and identified three of the most popular questions regarding low kick strikes in Muay Thai.
Listed below are our brief answers to each of the low kick questions.
How do you do a low kick in Muay Thai?
Similar to throwing a body kick or head kick, throwing a low kick entails commitment, momentum, and a proper pivot, on top of proper aiming and technique. To learn more about how to effectively land a low kick in Muay Thai (as well as the different types of low kicks in Muay Thai), check out one of the sections above.
Are low kicks effective?
Low kicks are brutally effective, especially if your opponent has not prepared his lower body for low kick punishment. Not only does it open another area to throw strikes, but it also hampers your opponent's footwork and movements, resulting in low offensive output and overall striking prowess.
Where do you aim low kicks?
Low kicks are aimed anywhere from the thigh to the calf, depending on your preference or strategy. Landing anywhere on the leg is considered legal in most scenarios in Muay Thai, so the only worry you should have is to be on the receiving end of a checked low kick, as it may lead to disastrous injuries.
Conclusion
Low kicks in Muay Thai are vicious and are worth emphasizing during sparring and workout sessions. This could be the ace up your sleeve if you are faced with an opponent who is defensively good when it comes to body shots and head shots, so throw in a low kick here and there and you will become a better Muay Thai fighter and overall martial artist in no time!
If you need a refresher on what Muay Thai low kicks can do to your opponent and how this offensive technique, when aimed properly, is a great damage-dealing addition to martial arts as a whole, do not hesitate to re-visit this article. If you would like to learn more about Muay Thai, boxing, kickboxing, or martial arts in general, check out the rest of our website! We update content on a regular basis so be sure to stay tuned!