Low kicks work in MMA partly because the target is available: an MMA stance keeps the lead leg forward and relatively light, and there is no rule keeping the kick out of the exchange. A kick to the outside of the thigh degrades stance width and pushing power; one to the inside opens the base and disrupts the shot. The defense is the check, which means meeting shin with shin, and the check has to be a habit rather than a reaction you decide on.
Key points
- Turn the support foot outward before the kick lands so the hip can rotate through the target instead of stopping at it.
- Strike with the lower third of the shin rather than the instep, which is the part that tolerates contact with bone.
- Check by lifting the knee and turning the shin outward, angling the leg so the incoming shin meets bone near your knee.
- Check with the leg that is being attacked, and return it to the floor in stance rather than hopping to recover.
- Set up outside low kicks behind a hand feint, because a kick thrown into an alert opponent is the one that gets caught.
Common mistakes
- Kicking with the instep against a checking opponent, which risks foot injury and gives back the round you were winning.
- Lifting the knee straight up to check without turning the shin, so the kick lands on the soft outside of the thigh anyway.
- Standing flat and absorbing repeated leg kicks, which quietly removes the base you need for takedowns and footwork later.
Put it into practice
Check on cue
- Have a partner throw slow, telegraphed low kicks to the outside of your lead leg while you check every one.
- Reduce the telegraph in stages until the kick starts from a normal stance and your check is reactive.
- Add a mandatory reply after each check: a rear cross thrown while the kicker is still recovering their base.
- Reverse roles and throw twenty kicks against a held pad, confirming the support foot pivots before contact each time.
low kickscheckingshinleg damage