Hit Tips from WNY MMA & Fitness: Sidekicks

I will be discussing a kick that isn't very popular in the current fight promotions, whether it be mma or kickboxing. But, one place that it is popular and used often is in Sanshou competitions; these competitions are held globally and were often a venue for sanshou vs matches, where sanshou would compete against other stand up styles like muay thai and kyokushin. Anyway, what I want to discuss is the sidekick; it's rarely used because of it often having tell tale signs from its set up. Its true that some styles have a very obvious sidekick, but there are a few things about the sanda sidekick that may make it a nice back pocket tool to have. All this courtesy of WNY MMA & Fitness.

• Shuffle in: when starting that sidekick its important that your initiation is not predictable, make sure you mix up your foot work between steps and shuffles to masks the starting point of the sidekick.
• Raise the knee: Just like you would when throwing the front thrust kick or a teep. If you look back at how Benny the jet would kick, everything came from the same "chambered" position. It made it extremely hard to distinguish which would be coming at you. Doing this, you can also use the lead leg check as a faint to set up the sidekick as well. 
• Foot parallel to the ground: Its just a matter of turning that knee towards the body so the foot is parallel with the ground and heel pointing straight toward the person in front of you. This will make it easier to engage the gluts and help with thrusting the foot. 
• Sidekick: At this point, explode the leg out using the gluts. Follow a straight line, drive that heel into someone's liver or solar plexus. 

Now I know, just throwing this kick by itself is a no no. It will be seen, unless we do something to mask it. One good way would be getting someone used to covering for your punches; off of a lead hook that doesn't need to land really, just enough to make them cover up, and fire that thing right at their exposed body. Ill post two videos below on the sidekick from Sanda and how to set it up for mma.

Happy Training. Should definitely have a superhero training day at WNY MMA & Fitness.

Hit Tips from WNY MMA & Fitness

Hit Tips from WNY MMA & Fitness: Body Shot

Okay, this maybe my personal opinion; I think body shots rock, like a really good shot that digs under the ribs. Where your opponent has the deer caught in headlights look on his/her face, ahhhhh priceless. Its a lacking practice now a days, I just recently seen a shot to the body again; it was from Amer Abdallah, guess its an old school tactic. The reason that I say that its a little old school is that most of the time in fights may it be boxing, kickboxing, or mixed martial arts; you don't really see a lot of body punches, unless its a knee. Its becoming something that may be easier to pick off on people because its not as expected anymore. But i'll toss you a few ways of getting your kicks in with those shots to the body. All thanks to your friendly neighborhood WNY MMA & Fitness!

Body shots are very unique things; they either sneak up on you, or they put you down right away. In both instances, they hurt like hell. KOs due to headshots are debilitating but just like they say, its like hitting a button and that person is out. Sometimes; its more like your body is just completely out of your control, you tell your body to move but it just doesn't happen. When its a well placed body shot, the pain grows from that point and spreads a few inches into the body and sits there. It hurts and you know it does, so does the guy or girl who hit you there. If you ever come to WNY MMA & Fitness and ask to spar with Corey, watch out for those liver shots. 

Now there are a few tried and true ways of getting that good body shot in; modified hook/ angular uppercut to the body, spinning back kick, left roundhouse, or a knee. If you want a good example of a well placed liver shot, check out some of Bas Ruttens pancrease fights. 

In the meantime, I got a video for you guys. MMA top 10 body shot KOs, of course you guys are gonna like it. Come by WNY MMA & Fitness and try some of these out. 

We Don't Falsify Anything at WNY MMA & Fitness

As I know most of you understand, I really like martial arts. I will practice anything that I deem interesting and useful. This past weekend I wanted to check out a demonstration of some "muay thai"; yup, you can probably tell where this is gonna head. I already have some background in the basics of muay thai, I was really there for a quick refresher so to speak. The guy teaching it seemed a little new to it but I didn't pay it any mind. That is until we started running through the impromptu class, when the guy proceeded to "fix my posture" I knew something was up. It wouldn't have been so bad if it was still in the realm of muay thai, this was something completely different.

Look, it was clearly not muay thai that I was receiving. It was something they were trying to market as muay thai, and what's worse is that he used Stonehorse's name trying to verify is "legitimacy" it was upsetting. Mentioning more of Stonehorse's qualifications than his own. When you are looking for something, its always best to see it first hand and to experience it. That's one of the things that I can say about what is provided at WNY MMA & Fitness, its legit. Where most places need to mention how authentic their program is, action speaks loader than words. The proof is visible everytime you walk through the front door.

I'm telling you of my experience so you know that it could happen to you, unless you come to WNY MMA & Fitness, then you are definitely getting something good. 

Kids and Kickboxing at WNY MMA & Fitness

Now I am definitely an advocate for kids training in the martial arts as they grow. One of the reasons why is that this is the best time for them to start something, if you don't believe me then look at all the videos of kids on youtube who are practicing the martial arts and look at how crisp their technique looks. Kids are like a sponge and aslong as its engaging, they will stick with it. I wish I could practice at a younger age, I would be a professional fighter by now. But it wasn't in the stars for me, anyway I'll give you a couple of examples of phenomenal child martial artists and you tell me whether you still think little Timmy shouldn't come to the academy. From yours truly at WNY MMA & Fitness.

Boxing and Kickboxing

I'm just giving you video proof that martial arts and kids go together like peanut butter and jelly, or fluff if that's what you grew up with. This kid is amazing on the pads, and just in-case you are thinking that he can be good on the pads and not very good as an athlete; I got something for that as-well. This kids name is Soushi, keep this in mind when you are contemplating between football and boxing/kickboxing. 

And here is a video of Soushi sparring with Rena. For those of you who don't follow combat sports in japan, Rena was the welter and middle weight champion in Shootboxing which is a stand up fighting promotion based in Tokyo.


If that wasn't proof enough for you, then I have a four year old from Thai land who is adorable. He also have a really good thai kick, just saying. Now lets really pay attention to this kids kick mechanics, it usually takes adults months if not years to learn how to deliver a kick this way. This kid is amazing


Well, this was mostly focusing on kickboxing and boxing. But don't think that it limits you in terms of the arts to place you child in. Make sure the teaching is quality and enjoyable, your child will grow leaps and bounds. So stop by WNY MMA & Fitness for some of that quality.