There are many factors that can help (or hinder) with choosing techniques that provide effective self-defense. specifically the use of various forms of striking. We covered fist vs….in the last article as well as providing explanations of each and when you’d use either one.
in this article we’ll briefly go over comparisons of knee strikes and side kicks; also known as “sweep kicks”.
Sweep kicks and straight kicks are great for two things: taking your opponent off balance, injuring, keeping distance or “chopping at the bit” which is an expression used to describe many small, single attacks that are mainly used in competition fighting where after subsequent hits eventually lead to a goal of either the opponent loosing balance or being in too much pain to effective continue fighting. There is also a misconception with the term “sweep kick” that lead people to believe that it is only used to try to sweep someone off their feet, but in fact a sweep kick can be any kick that moves around to the side of your opponent.
Knee Strikes are also used in competitive fighting, however; are also used in situations where you’re close to your opponent and looking to deliver more damaging force with the least amount of repetition. But more than that; there are more areas on the body that can be damaged easier with a knee strike compared to a sweep kick. along with having more options, you’re less likely to cause injury to your knee compared to your foot or shin when using a sweep kick. Now keep in mind; we’re not talking about the type of knee strikes that are used in martial arts that require you to jump in the air.
overall, there is no “best option” when comparing the two. It becomes more “what is best for THIS specific situation”. You’ll have more reach with a kick as well as being able to kit the side of your opponent while possibly taking them by surprise. on the flip side; if you’re close enough to your opponent; you’ll be able to cause more damage with a knee strike with less hits while also limiting the amount injury you could sustain. Different situations can sometimes cause the need for different techniques. but keep in mind that without at least a little practice; neither techniques will be very effective in a real life situation.
photos courtesy of WikiHow and Wikipedia.