Learn the Secrets of
Muay Thai's Killer Kick!
Learn the Secrets of
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This article was originally titled "11 Principles of Power: Learn the Secrets of Muay Thai's Killer Kick!" It was published in the November 2007 issue of Black Belt. You can hear the devastation of the muay Thai power kick even if you don’t actually see the bone of the kicker’s leg smash into its target. Most insiders rank it as the most powerful kick in the martial arts—not because of stories about how it’s cracked trees and bent steel poles but because of the damage it frequently creates when it crash-lands on an opponent’s rib cage. Yodsanklai Fairtex is a master of the muay Thai power kick. A super-welterweight World Boxing Council titleholder and Lumpini Stadium champion who’s knocked out fighters from Japan, Iran, Germany, France, America, Australia and Thailand, he agreed to share his kicking secrets with Black Belt’s readers. Before you begin studying his methods, however, know that he’s what locals calls a “left strong side” fighter, or southpaw. That means he uses his left leg for the power kick. If you’re a right-strong-side fighter, simply interchange “left” and “right” as you read about the methods described here. That said, here are the 11 principles of power as identified by Fairtex:
Before you kick, your right (front) foot takes a step forward and at a slight angle to the right. Make sure this movement takes you toward your opponent. Practice the step to find your unique pivot point, for only then will you be able to unleash the power of the kick. ‘Tiger Foot Digs In’ Your right foot then digs into the ground and your heel raises so the weight is supported on the ball of your foot. That action creates the pivot point around which your hip and body rotate. Many martial artists try to perform the power kick as a jump kick—by leaving the ground. Or they wind up swinging their leg so hard that they leave the ground. Both are wrong. You must stay rooted and push off the ground. Learn to feel the ball of your foot in contact with the ground as you push the kick into your opponent. Throw Your Weight Forward From your neutral and balanced fighting stance, throw your weight into the kick. People who’ve practiced other martial arts often have problems with this. Many arts teach students to lean back when they kick, but muay Thai says you should always lean forward or at least move your weight forward. That’s why Thai fighters who weigh 120 pounds can kick like martial artists who weigh 220 pounds. Keep Your Front Leg Like a Ballet Dancer’s After the step, your supporting leg must be extended so you can pivot on the ball of your foot similar to the way a ballet dancer moves. Many muay Thai newcomers squat to execute the power kick when they should be standing tall. Be a Puppet on a String From the fighting stance, your left hand should swing aggressively down and as far behind you as possible. That takes place at the same time your left leg comes up to kick. The hand actually starts the leg—as though it’s connected to a string that runs to the target and back. Pull the string back with your left hand to launch your left leg toward the target. The stronger your hand swing is, the stronger your kick will be. Beginners often object to dropping their hand because they think they’re lowering their guard and leaving their face open. What they need to do is heed the experience of muay Thai, which teaches that the leg is longer and stronger than the arm. When you execute the power kick, it’s so hard and fast that any punch that might land on your face will be insignificant in comparison. That’s why it’s the No. 1 thing you must learn to be a muay Thai fighter.
Kick at the Target When it comes to specifying which weapon attacks which target, Thai boxing is very specific. In the case of the power kick, your left leg rises at an angle of 30 degrees or less. Your target is the floating ribs, the small bones at the bottom of the rib cage. The only thing protecting them is your opponent’s elbow, so you must kick at an angle that enables your leg to travel up and under the joint. This is precisely why the muay Thai power kick is not the same as a round kick. Strike With Your Weapon Your left shinbone is your weapon. Don’t use your foot because if you do, you’ll quickly find out why it’s not recommended. To better understand why the shin is used to strike, grab it and follow its contours with your fingertips. You’ll notice that the bony surface is just under the skin on the inside of the center of your leg and that muscle and nerves lie between the bone and the skin on the outside. The best way to kick with the shin is to raise your leg at the aforementioned angle with your foot pointing upward at a 45-degree angle, which guarantees that you’ll hit your target with your weapon. In other arts, instructors often teach kicks that use the foot or muscles of the lower leg to hit the target with the toes horizontal or even pointing down. Doing so in a muay Thai match is certain to diminish your effectiveness and may lead to injury. This begs a question: How do you prepare your shinbone as a weapon? The simple answer is to use Thai oil, leather Thai pads, a leather heavy bag and a good sparring partner. Rolling things on your shin, kicking trees and all the other crazy methods you’ve probably seen in movies are not muay Thai. The oil should be applied before and after you perform hundreds of shin kicks on the pads and heavy bag. That will prepare you for the best training method: fighting. When human bone hits human bone, both parties grow stronger. In other words, to build strong weapons, you must use them—in light sparring, in heavy sparring and in competition. As they say, iron sharpens iron. Sabaay-Sabaay Simply put, you must relax. The power kick is based on body structure, bone alignment and the proper utilization of your weight. It’s not a matter of muscle strength. That message is encapsulated in the expression sabaay-sabaay, which reminds you to relax your soul, your heart and your spirit.
Another role relaxation plays in the power kick pertains to the whipping motion of the technique. Think of your leg as a nunchaku and your hip as the hand holding one end. As you rotate your hips, the action swings your leg (half the nunchaku) until it hits the target. The power comes from the hip, not from the muscles of the leg or the flexing of the knee. Once you learn how to relax and swing your leg, you can add a final muscle flex for extra snap. Turn, Spin, Rotate Using a counteraction, as your left hand swings back, you should turn your left shoulder forward in the direction of your chin. Simultaneously spin your left hip forward and rotate your right supporting heel toward the target. This twisting action requires you to make all the components function as one, but if you practice until you can do it, you’ll learn how to generate real power. Keep Your Guard Up Remember that even though your left hand has been thrust down and to the rear, your right hand is free to protect your neck and head. If you’re facing a muay Thai fighter, always keep it ready to fend off a counter-kick. If you’re facing a puncher, be prepared to block a fist that may come your way. Finish the Technique Your muay Thai power kick isn’t finished until you retract your leg into a position from which you can kick again. Don’t make the mistake of dropping your foot right after you make contact. When that pitfall is no longer a problem, you can practice doing the kick and following up with a left punch—but that will be the subject of another article.
About the author: Daniel C. Docto is a former boxer, full-contact martial arts champion and California state kickboxing champion. He was invited to work in Thailand because of his enthusiasm for muay Thai. Before relocating, he ran a muay Thai school in Northern California for 12 years. 
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