Is kickboxing good for self defense?
Kickboxing is a martial art, fighting style and excellent cardio exercise.
Kickboxing has become more and more popular in recent years, especially with the rise in popularity of MMA, muay thai and kickboxing promotions such as K-1.
But is kickboxing good for self defense?
This is a valid question for many who have been training cardio kickboxing as an exercise for some time or who are interested in taking up kickboxing as a martial art and fighting style.
In this post we look at why kickboxing can be valuable for self defense and also why kickboxing is really not the best martial art for self defense out there.
Many of the techniques in kickboxing have been tested in the ring and even on the battlefield and are highly effective in real combat.
The best kickboxing techniques applicable for self defense are discussed in this post.
However there definitely combat sports and martial arts out there that are much more suited for self defense than kickboxing.
So in my opinion, kickboxing can be very useful for self defense but it is definitely not the best for self defense.
Several of the weaknesses of kickboxing when it comes to self defense are highlighted and discussed in this post.
So lets get into it.
What is Kickboxing?
First lets discuss what kickboxing is and what it is not.
Kickboxing is a martial art and martial arts come from fighting and have their origins in ancient battlefield fighting systems that developed into modern day fighting arts such as Karate, Taekwondo and kickboxing.
Kickboxing is predominately a striking style and a stand up striking style at that.
There is little clinching involved and no ground work.
In competition or sparring, once a kickboxer is on the ground the the fight or sparring match stops and resets with both back on their feet again.
There are several forms of kickboxing styles out there which include:
- Chinese kickboxing also called Sanda
- Dutch Kickboxing
- French Kickboxing or Savate
- K-1 style
- Japanese kickboxing (combination of muay thai and Karate)
Each of the styles of kickboxing have different origins and also differences in techniques as well.
For example, the common form of kickboxing we know today came from the Karate VS Muay Thai battles of the the 1950s and 60s which lead to the combination of Karate and Muay Thai into modern day kickboxing.
This further went on to develop in Europe as Dutch style kickboxing.
Though the different forms of kickboxing have differences in techniques, in general they involve the following aspects:
- Punches in the form of traditional Western Boxing i.e Jab, Cross, Hook, Uppercuts
- Kicks in the form of round kicks and straight kicks
Additional techniques include spinning punches such as spinning back fists and spinning kicks like those from Taekwondo.
Most kickboxing styles include knees such as Dutch style, K-1 but styles such as Savate do not include knees in competition.
Some styles also include takedowns and clinching such as Sanda which include throws and takedowns similar to Judo and BJJ. But the majority of kickboxing styles do not include much grappling or takedowns as compared to muay thai and Sanda.
Most do not include elbows which is a major difference between all style of kickboxing and traditional Thai Boxing or Muay Thai in which elbows are essential.
But the common overall techniques within all kickboxing styles is the use of punches and kicks.
Why Kickboxing can be Good for Self Defense
There are many aspects of training fighting arts such as kickboxing that make them good for self defense.
In terms of kickboxing itself there are definitely benefits in training kickboxing for self defense situations.
These make kickboxing good for self defense and are discussed below.
I have also discussed in another post on this site 9 powerful benefits of kickboxing for women.
1.Physical fitness and strength
Kickboxing in its different forms and even cardio kickboxing develops excellent strength, balance and cardio.
This makes it great for any potential self defense situation as having developed your strength and fitness through consistent hard training will help you in any type of self defense situation.
Probably the most effective form of self defense is just being able to break away from an attack and run. RUn fast and far to get away from potential attackers.
2.Training Time Tested Combat Techniques
The kicks and punches, as well as knees and elbows in some forms of kickboxing come from combat and real life combat situations.
When taught and trained correctly these techniques are very useful in real life combat and self defense situations.
Punching and kicking pads, mitts and the heavy bag all allow for the kickboxer to develop power, timing, accuracy and fluidness in their strikes which can better translate to actual combat and self defense situations.
Technical sparring and actual sparring which is common in kickboxing further allows the development of techniques that can be used in real life situations against resisting and evasive opponents
3.Awareness and distance control
Kickboxing can help you develop awareness of your surrounding environment as well as distance control with an actual attacker.
By practicing your long strikes (push kicks, rounds kicks, long punches) as well closer range strikes (knees, short punches, elbows) you also developed the awareness of distance between you and your training partner and also a potential attacker in self defense.
By knowing when to use and apply techniques in their best range you learn good distance control.
Sometimes a push kick to create distance is enough to allow you to make your escape or ward off a potential attacker and discourage them from further attakcing you.
This awareness of distance comes from training and using different strikes at their best range in relation to your opponent, training partner or attacker in the street.
Kickboxing’s Best Self Defense Techniques
There are some techniques in kickboxing which are better suited for self defense as they can be applied fairly easily with effectiveness against different size of attacker if trained correctly in the gym.
These are in my opinion the best kickboxing techniques for self defense.
Push Kick
In muay thai this is known as the teep.
The push kick is a long technique effective for distance control and keeping an attacker away from you. It can also off balance an attacker advancing toward you and wind them if done with good timing and power.
It is also a fairly simple technique and is a staple in virtually all striking martial arts that include kicks.
Knee to the mid section
The knee to the groin especially against a male attacker can be highly effective and can also end a fight or at least allow for you to escape against an attacker.
While styles such as Savate do not allow knees in competition, they still train and learn knees as part of their complete system which includes self defense.
Jab
The lead straight punch is your longest “hand technique”.
Developing a quick and accurate jab is very useful and the fist or punch at the end can be adjusted to be a quick eye gouge or throat punch by changing the punch into a finger jab or open palm to the throat.
Developing a quick and accurate jab can be very effective in a self defense situation. The jab is a foundation technique in kickboxing.
Side kick
A slightly more advanced technique but very effective for long distance attacks and controlling distance.
The side kick can help keep an attacker away or when used with appropriate power and accuracy i.e. striking vulnerable parts of the body it can also end a fight with a single strike.
Why Kickboxing is not the Best for Self Defense
While kickboxing can be considered generally good for self defense. Kickboxing is definitely not the best system for self defense.
But in comparison to not having any type of training at all, kickboxing is still pretty good and better than nothing at all when it comes to self defense.
But it definitely is not the best for self defense.
Below are several reasons, that in my opinion, why kickboxing is not the best option to learn when it comes to self defense:
Weapons
Kickboxing is predominately a hand to hand, unarmed combat system.
Weapons attack’s and defense are virtually never ever trained nor considered in kickboxing gyms.
Whereas in a street self defense situation the use of weapons is a very real possibility and as such kickboxing is not designed in most cases, to be able to handle weapons attacks and defense against armed attackers.
Multiple opponents
As primarily a competitive sport as well as a martial art, kickboxing focuses on one to one combat.
Multiple opponents and defense against more than one attacker are virtually never ever trained nor considered in kickboxing gyms.
Yet another weakness in kickboxing when it comes to real life situations where the possibility of facing more than one attacker is very possible.
Ground fighting
Being able to escape a dominant position on the ground; being able to defend against takedowns as well as executing takedowns are highly valuable self defense techniques which are not really a part of kickboxing.
Real life fights and self defense are highly likely to end up in grappling and eventually on the ground where kickboxing is almost useless.
Escaping pins and being mounted are useful skills to have for self defense and kickboxing does not train these at all.
Elbows and clinch
Most systems of kickboxing do not train grappling or clinching much as most kickboxing promotions and competitions encourage striking back and forth and referees break up the clinch as soon as possible.
This is where muay thai has an advantage in the street as the clinch is a major part of muay thai. The clinching techniques can also be used effectively against larger stronger opponents when your technique is good and you know how to use leverage.
Close range clinching is the major place where elbows are used also.
Most kickboxing systems focus on kick-punch and punch-kick combinations which can be very effective, but sometimes a short range elbow can be the most effective self defense weapon.
unfortunately elbows and clinching/grappling are not major parts of most kickboxing systems.
Their (elbows and clinch) effectiveness in self defense is another reasons why kickboxing is not the best self defense combat art to learn.
Is Kickboxing Good for Self Defense? Conclusion
In my opinion kickboxing in all its various forms can be very useful for self defense.
There are very effective combat tested techniques which can be used in self defense situations and these have been discussed above. Each of these techniques have been used in competition, ring fights, on the combat field and in sparring and when trained correctly can be useful for self defense.
In this sense kickboxing is definitely better than not having any training at all when it comes to self defense. And some of the techniques used work very well in the street.
However there are definitely better combat arts out there for self defense in comparison to kickboxing.
The major weaknesses of kickboxing when it comes to self defense have been highlighted above. So in light of these areas discussed, kickboxing while useful for self defense, is not the best martial art or combat sport to train for self defense.
