The side kick is a staple of karate, taekwondo, kickboxing, and many types of kung fu, but is rarely seen in either Muay Thai or MMA. This martial arts technique has occasionally been criticized as old-fashioned and ineffective for street purposes, yet its precision and strength should not be underestimated. Mistakes in executing this technique can lead to missed opportunities, but when perfected, it remains an effective tool in any martial artist’s arsenal. However one thing that Bruce Lee, Joe Lewis, and Mas Oyama all had in common is that they favored the side kick over all other kicks. Oyama made the side kick the main kick in Kyokushin karate, emphasizing its purpose in disciplined practice. When I trained in Kyokushin, I was told that this was the kick that could “clean a man out” with balance and force, correcting any mistakes through rigorous training. Joe Lewis, former great Karate point fighting and full-contact champion, won some of his point fighting tournaments using only two techniques: the side kick and the ridge hand. When he dominated the heavyweight ranks of full-contact karate fighters, he continued to favor the side kick, but substituted the cross for the ridge hand, showcasing the balance between offense and defense. His strategic purposes clearly defined his mistake-free approach to using the side kick. Bruce Lee included practically every variation of every type of kick in his Jeet Kune Do, but when he was fighting for real he tended to concentrate on his lead side kick and his lead hand power punch. His sidekick was indeed a trusted sidekick to his overall martial arts prowess, leaving no room for mistakes in critical encounters. Karate, Taekwondo, and many Kung fu styles all have slightly different ways of throwing the kick, with variations on chambering, pivoting, etc. but that is not what this post is about. Instead, this post is about how the sidekick can be used for self-defense purposes in real-world situations with striking precision, minimizing mistakes.

The Side Kick In Self-Defense Situations

First of all, this kick, if it is trained and developed sufficiently, can become one of the most powerful kicks of all, and because it comes directly at the opponent in a straight line, can keep him from getting close to you. It has also been known to break ribs, demonstrating the necessary balance of power and control in a critical moment, serving its intended purposes effectively. In fact, I saw a video of an old-time point fight tournament between many of the most famous Karate and Taekwondo fighters of the era, including Joe Lewis who I believe won (as he practically always did before his first retirement). Because this was a point fighting tournament there were no weight classes. In one match, the Korean stylist weighed 130 pounds while his Karate opponent weighed in at 200. The match was pretty even until the Korean stylist landed a flying side kick with remarkable precision that knocked his opponent to the ground by accidental contact. The karate man was unable to get up off the floor and had to be carried out on a stretcher because he had suffered multiple broken ribs, a testament to the side kick’s effectiveness when executed without mistakes.

The Side Kick In Wing Chun

Wing Chun really has only two kicks, the front kick and the sidekick, although there are variations of each. Most lineages use the front kick whenever the opponent is in front of you, and the sidekick only when the opponent is on your side. And because Wing Chun fighters always face their opponents squarely, the only time they will have an opponent on their side is if there are multiple opponents or if the opponent has been successful in turning him. I have seen one Wing Chun application where the Wing Chun fighter steps forward to chase a retreating opponent and then throws a side kick off the back leg to be able to reach the opponent with unerring precision and balance, ensuring no purpose goes unfulfilled.

How The Kick Is Used In Jeet Kune Do

Jeet Kune do, on the other hand, has different fighting concepts and strategies, and the JKD fighter may prefer to remain on the outside and use the side kick as a long-range attack, fulfilling its aggressive purposes while minimizing the potential for mistakes.Bruce Lee believed that using your longest weapon, the side kick, against the opponent’s closest target, often his knee, was an effective way similar to the boxing jab, but he believed that the kick was “more damaging”. He often emphasized the importance of snapping the kick with precision and thrust to amplify its impact. Recently a few MMA fighters, most prominently Jon Jones, have used the side kick landing just above the knee, to good effect, even though they were barefoot and not able to kick directly into the knee joint due to the rules. Additionally, the side kick can be complemented by other dynamic techniques such as side kicks and the iconic roundhouse kick, which are favored by martial artists for their versatility in combat. Although the side kick does appear to “work” in MMA by frustrating the opponent and keeping him out of range, I have never seen this kick stopping a fight or causing great damage in any MMA bout. However, with the right kind of forceful thrust and the sharp snap of the kick, its potential to cause significant impact increases. I believe with heavy boots kicking directly into the kneecap or the side of the knee, the kick would likely be devastating. Martial artists often incorporate a combination of techniques like the roundhouse kick to increase the effectiveness of their attacks. Bruce also liked to combine the side kick with a pendulum step, as in the video above. This combination allows the JKD fighter to get in and out so quickly that the opponent does not have time to react or counter. Notice that the JKD fighter leans his upper body away, making it impossible for even an opponent with a substantial reach advantage to reach his head with a counter punch. Also notice how blindingly fast the movement is, which is the only way that the pendulum step will actually work on the street. The quick snap and thrust used in this technique make it particularly challenging for adversaries to counteract effectively. However, I believe that it would be really hard for a street fighter to deal with this kind of attack, particularly when facing well-trained artists who can effortlessly switch between techniques.

Side Kick’s Disadvantages

The side kick does have 2 disadvantages. First of all, it is one of the harder kicks to master. It requires a certain amount of hip flexibility and demands that the student learns to snap the hip with the right amount of thrust. It also requires the student to really get his hips and body into the kick to get that tremendous power out of it. Likewise, it takes a lot of practice and a lot of repetitions to get the speed of the technique up to where it has to be to work on the street. Regular training is essential for adults who wish to effectively perform these techniques consistently. Second, the kick is somewhat telegraphic. It requires an obvious chamber, as well as a lot of hip motion. In fact, Bruce would often demonstrate and even teach the kick with a big telegraphic preliminary step, and sometimes even with two or more preliminary steps. The pendulum kick shown above is so fast that there is almost no time for the opponent to react, and it is very practical because it is thrown to the knee, with a snap and thrust difficult to counter, and very few people on the street have any idea how to defend leg kicks. While Bruce Lee’s training methodology often emphasized these elements, he also advocated for the versatility of incorporating side kicks alongside a variety of other effective techniques. However, I have recently found out about the Thai “Side Teep” (shown in the video above), which is a hybrid of a side kick and a Thai push kick. I have started to practice this kick, and this seems to overcome many of the disadvantages of the traditional side kick. First of all, it is much less telegraphic, as it starts from a frontal stance, and starts out like a front kick, but then at the last minute, you pivot and change the kick into something that is halfway between a front kick and a side kick. This variation focuses on the fluid combination of a snapping motion and a powerful thrust, enhancing both speed and surprise.This innovative approach, embraced by martial artists, may enhance the repertoire of side kicks available to those dedicated to mastering these forms. The result is you get more power and also more range than a front kick, without being telegraphic. This kick seems to work really well using the front leg, as it provides a variety of angles and options to surprise the opponent. Information is key in martial arts, and understanding these benefits can lead to more successful execution.

Bruce Lee’s Side Kick

Bruce liked the side kick because it is the only kick that has real power when delivered with the front leg. His Jeet Kune Do was built around the concept of using the closest weapons to the opponent, either the lead leg or the lead hand, because being closer they were faster and easier to land. This martial art philosophy included a variety of tools for combat, allowing fighters to master the finer details of each move. Therefore, if the side kick was delivered from the lead leg, the shorter distance could make up for the telegraph. Low stances can aid in disguising these kicks, making them even more efficient and less predictable. If you were as fast as Bruce, or at least really fast, the kick could work. I have also seen a video where the head guy from one of the Kyokushinkai spin-off groups threw a high round kick and then without putting the foot down followed up with an immediate mid-level side kick that knocked his opponent down. This technique demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of timing and a strategic use of tools from one’s martial arts arsenal, which again underscores the importance of accurate information in executing each move effectively. The best way of making the side kick non-telegraphic is to use the lead leg and either wait until you are in range without having to take a preliminary step, or else use either a small hop, of no more than six inches, which is done at the same exact time as you start the kick or by using a very small quick step forward right before the kick. The mechanics of the kick are deeply connected to the fighter’s waist movement, which adds power and precision. This approach also helps maintain a low profile, keeping movements subtle and unexpected. Finally, there is the spinning side kick. Although I had done Karate and Taekwondo for almost 4 years, I never saw or even heard of a spinning back kick until I was shown one by one of my seniors in my Wing Chun class. The spinning side kick is similar to a spinning back kick, except that you keep spinning another quarter turn before you kick. The spinning back kick is a staple of karate and Taekwondo and is occasionally seen in MMA. It is probably the most powerful kick of all. Benny Urquidez used a spinning back kick in Thailand against a Muay Thai fighter to take him out with several broken ribs. The problem with the spinning back kick, aside from the fact that you turn your back on your opponent, always a dangerous idea, is that it is hard to recover from the kick. If you knock your opponent out, you don’t have to worry about recovering, but if he blocks the kick or takes the kick without being seriously injured, your spin has been stopped and you are momentarily stopped while your back is turned to your opponent. When you use a spinning side kick, you don’t throw the kick until you are in the side-facing position, which is a legitimate fighting stance, often used in karate. Also, because the kick is so unusual, even a fighter familiar with the spinning back kick could be taken by surprise. Obviously, an ordinary mugger or street fighter will be taken completely by surprise by the variety and unexpected details of such advanced techniques. Keeping one’s movements low-key and gathering all possible information about an opponent’s style can be the determining factors in mastering these complex maneuvers.