Are You Scared to Throw Low Kicks? You Don’t Have To Be!! 

Conor McGregor: Fook it, I should have seen this video before the trilogy..

fightTIPS, where physics and fighting collide 😂🔥

Situations where you can kick confidently: 1. Opponent gives no reaction when you feint 2. Opponent tends to plant their lead foot 3. During a combo, preferably if it's not the first strike 4. After a hook. If an opponent is guarding or ready to check, the idea is to give them a nice hook to the head to make them plant their foot then whack at it. Ernesto Hoost was a master at it.

Start conditioning. People just start spamming leg kicks and then are surprised when they break a leg. You need to build up your shins.

About checking low kicks. I only done MT for 1.5 years (i´m 41!), and there is one special detail in the checking technique I never heard anyone speak of, not my coaches, and they even disregard it when I talk about it. It's about when you are lifting your leg to check an incoming kick, how you actually raise your leg, what muscles you use. The way we are taught is to simply lift up the leg, using the muscles of the hip flexors. Now, try to do this in a starting position where you don´t have the foot placed on the ground, try just one inch above. It´s not explosive, it´s heavy and it feels like it requires much energy to do it, right? For me as a beginner, not very conditioned - can pretty easily feel the subtle difference of moving parts of the body, how cumbersome it is. Now this; Plant the foot on the ground in a regular stance. Try shoot up your leg from the toes in an "explosive" way using the muscles of your calf to initiate the explosion, Goes much faster, don´t you think? Now I tried these techniques with many repititions. I did 50 with the traditional technique (foot planted to simulate realism) and then after resting i did 50 with the calf-explosion technique. Using the hip flexion made me dead tired and I felt a lot of pain during the end. The second technique I was still tired, but not as much pain, and I didnt crash. And then, I had a friend record me on video, in slow motion and measure the time how fast I could get up the knee using the different techniques. It seems to be around half the time in difference! And it feels like using a lot less energy! When thinking about it, the calves are used so very much in all our daily motion, and it feels like the calves have much more endurance than the hip flexors. True because I read that the calf has 80% slow twitch fibers, where the hip flexors have 40%. This explains why im not so tired after using the calf more dominant than the hip flexors. I don´t understand why I can use the calfes so explosively even though it lacks the fast twitch fibers compared to the hip flexors. Now is this going too deep into details that dont matter, or is it wise to consider because we also use the hip flexors for knee strikes and such, and can add upp to tiredness? What do you think, tell me please. :)

I didnt care who won, I just didn;t want the trilogy to end like that

Also, it is important to note that calf kicks are available in MMA in a way they aren't available in MT, as such calf kicks have shown a much larger efficacy than thigh kicks in MMA and do not present any where near as high of a risk to a tibia break.

step 1 : wear a shin guard. step 2 : if they tell you it's not allowed, play soccer instead.

That is how they teach us in kyokushin, low kick comes from up to down OSU

😂 Conor McGregor missed this video

Can you do a breakdown on Edson barboza’s leg kicks I feel like he uses the technique in this video almost everytime he throws a leg kick

*A WARNING MOST PEOPLE HAVEN’T THOUGHT OF* Learned this just the other day where I nearly injured myself. This same injury could happen to your forearm. When throwing elbows at the bag, be careful to only hit with your actual elbow and avoid hitting it with parts of your forearm. I made this mistake and I went home with major pain in my forearm bone, just because of one inaccurate strike. Be careful out there everyone.

You are the only one who gave a full explanation about the leg injury. Other channels are on a ghost hunt. Thank you!

The timing of this video😂😂.

Justin gaethje is the master on leg kicks but didn't get fractures

I wonder if Conor damaged his leg from training clearly he was training with more kicks this camp

I agree Muay Thai fighters work conditioning much more then MMA fighters. Also both Connor McGregor and Anderson Silva have admitted at some point, that they did very little hard sparring leading up to their fights. Instead focusing more on the game plan, specific to that opponent. I also believe weight cutting and PED's play a part.

I honestly think that there's another component that is often left out in fighting channels and communities due to misinformation and that is heavy strength training. There is EMG data that show that the stronger one is, the harder the bone density. So if you have a powerlifter who can squat 500lbs, he is gonna have harder bone density than the dude who can only squat 225lbs. This is why I am a huge proponent of strength training and why I find it highly underrated in MMA, Muay Thai, and Martial Arts in general.

Maaann you’re really good! Like technically smart instructor. You’ve been helping me for years since 2017! Really love your vids ❤️ I remember my first bout and I’m so nervous and shit, but found out your videos before that and It really helped me. Thanks man, I improved a lot.

Broooo lmao that intro clip was my introduction to this channel. Been a good journey. Keep up the good work

Love the content, don’t stop! just started working on the kicks on the heavy bag, thanks for the info!

I enjoy most learning and hearing about Shane talk about Muay Thai. Good video!

I have been on your channel for years. And you never cease to amaze me. Good material my brother.

its absurd how frendly u look and how deadly you actually are.. ciao from italy, great vid ty

Im never scared of low kicks. While facing the Muay guys, I stand squared up. *I MEET THEIR SHIN WITH MY KNEE* EVERY TIME THEY THROW A LOW KICK. Then i smile at them when i see them hurt. 🙏

6:44 so you just need the higher ground. As always.

Man just the problem I have...and my man is here to solve it...respect bro👊👊👊🔥

Thanks for this, very helpful

GG, you're explaining it very very clearly, thanks brother

I wasn't, until the McGregor fight

Thank you for this video Shane 🙏 Really helpful 😊

Very cool and informative! Thanks!

Great tips Shane! Thank you!

Thank you so much for this, I’ve been so scared in Muay Thai recently 😂😂

Video couldn’t have come at a better time. I severely hurt my toe going for one and it’s gotten to me. I have no fear throwing them extremely fast because I’m extremely fast but the problem is, I don’t quite know how to throw them as fast as I can without really driving it through so it leaves having to slow it down a bit in sparring giving my partner more time to check

Great video, I like the quick vs down low kick info. You need to talk more about the check...that is the difference between you limping or your opponent limping. (Don't allow your knee to be lose and like a hinge, meet the kick)

ahhhh good to see a new fight tips!

Very helpful tip. Thank you, tried it. It is effective.

My respects to Shane for keeping it real with his fan base empowering them, reaching out to them, and getting to know them! RU-vid bully beater; hero.

I have been thinking about this today, and searching for some videos and you Posted it 🤩🤩

Great video as always spot on 🤙🏼

Very useful tuto... thank you!

Great video and advise ! Thanks

Studied under jhoon rhee for many years. Always taught to kick downward on a low kick to avoid a kick meeting on the same plane. Good stuff.

Thank you so much for this!

Very informative thank you Shane

Great points brought up. I have to admit I have been hesitant to throw as much kicks as before an also holding back a bit. If the setup, timing and placement is good enough, it should be safe enough.

Thank you for this. This is a major problem I have.

Learned a lot from this video👍

Love the intro😂🤣🤣 Great info video 🙏🏻

Sir i like you're content and the way you explain it, thank you don't stop the good work

Amazing breakdown!!!

I love that you don't pretend there are simple answers to everything.

Very good video indeed !! I would also add that the shin bone is like a plank, so it's important that the angle allows the shin to hit with its thin part rather than the flat part. When you lowkick quickly without pivoting your hips, you will tend to hit with the flat part of the shin, which is way more fragile than hitting with the edgy part.

I've seen someone speculate that another part of the reason you don't see this in Muay Thai is that Thai fighters tend to throw more kicks to the quad/thigh, whereas in mma kicks to the calf are a big thing, and where you see these breaks. (They also speculated that Thai fighters avoid calf kicks basically to avoid the breaks, because they know everyone they fight is going to be so good at checking kicks.) Does that seem like a reasonable explanation? After watching this, I'm wondering if that plays in with the part about the angle of the kick, like if you're aiming for the quad, maybe that encourages the downward motion, while throwing lower kicks to the calf encourages the upward motion?

Gold tips, thanks you sir

Great video thanks

HAHAHA! Yeah man! Great tutorial. I remember my Vale Tudo coach saying to kick downwards always to the legs and shaking his head with worry back in 2005. I did it but Didnt Understand that until 2010. Its a must!

Great video instructions

thanks for this video from France

Amazing to see Kwonkicker in this! I used to watch his videos agess ago

I was really scared to throw any kicks after seeing Conor McGregor

I agree with it mostly, I just hate kicking the knee when the opponent lifts the leg up at times. It's really hard when the leg is contracted

On point as always

Damn Shane great video. Keep it up 👍🏼

great video bro

I am not an MMA fighter, nor have I fought in any competitions. That being said. I was a cop for many years, and prior to that, I was in several bar fights. I was taught to use the ball of my foot for round house kicks (side kicks). I used that technique to over take an appointment or stop a criminal resisting arrest. I studied two Japanese arts. The Main Land Japanese style used shin kicks, but my Sensei allowed me to perform the kicks using the technique I learned in the Okinawin style. I never practiced or used the shin kicks. I see no practical need for it, but I see it's usefulness for a trained fighter. Thank you for this video, very informative. Mike.

Good information ℹ️

Great video shane.

Thanks Shane

Please don’t ever stop making videos bro

Thank you ... I've always been kicking downwards after going up... the only time I kick up wards is maybe to the body or face of course

great video all ways enjoy this channel

Thanks to take my confidence back

You covered a lot, but the reason why those angles are safer comes down to the shape of the bone like saying it’s a ruler 📏 is great but when you turn it over it becomes a lot tougher to snap no matter what a flexed knee is like a Boulder and you’re attacking it with a bat.

same as with everything in MMA no matter if you are shown the right way or not if you are dividing your attention in training to a great many options it is usually easy to slip up and throw a poor technique kick OR they learn Dutch Style Low Kicks but do not get the same level of work on how to set the kick up....

That vitamin d part though. Excellent video

Please do a video on Tony Ferguson’s inside leg kick, it’s like he sprints into it and throws it at his opponent. He threw against Edson Barboza in the beginning of the fight and also threw it at Pettis.

Hey great video Shane. Talk about taping a heavy bag please. My bag has too much give for my taste, i want a harder bag. I might tape mine soon.

that was really awesome!

Im happy to hear you mention liam harrison. He deserves more fame than he has currently. A master of muay thai.

This video just blew my mind

Hey Shane u made me go back to watch Muay Thai fights such as Buakaw with 1/4 speed. I think another reason why thai fighters dont get their low kick checks that often like MMA is the distance. thai fighters keep a steady in range distance to throw low kick while MMA fighters need to keep a longer distance because of take down. In Muay thai i see figthers use their lead hand to touch their opponent to find their perfect spot to throw kicks while MMA figthers normally need to hop in and out.

This was sick 🔥

Nice dig with that opening scene 😉 I'm still coughing after I laughed while drinking my coffee 😄

Best intro ever . 😄👍🏻

It may appear to be in the back but the fibula is actually on the side. You can rub your right or left ankle and feel it there. On the side

Can I point out that Adensanya's low kicks were targeting the side of Costa's knee when they fought? And he was successful with that. He's really good with setting it up though

That intro though! LMAO! Great video!

mcgregors kick hit dustins elbow that causes it to break. this is a very informative video. thanks

Merci Thank you

I see you preach the words of John Creese. Sweep the legs... carefully

It’s all about placement set up and shin condition

Please make a video like how to practice perfect with heavy bags...

Everyone has a plan until they get inside the octagon

I'd have broken mine if I didn't rotate properly on one kick, I'll never forget it. All of the muscle around that area was trashed and the bone was screaming, worse than anything prior or since. It was a crazy/scary realization that technique prevented a hospital trip that day.

Good topic

Bro I've been using up angle low kicks and had no idea they were this effective thank you

This is a great video, and explanations for the fans with no training or experience with leg kicks. Very sound theories on the reasoning behind the breaks. Not sure if it was due to lack of conditioning on the shin bone. Was just explaining to someone on a LIVE session how without any special or dedicated shin conditioning, just kicking a heavy bag does the job. Especially the lower area of the bag where it is more dense. I remember the first few times kicking a bag, you literally feel your bones flexing. Kinda hurts a lil in a weird way... but as time goes on that goes away completely. Because as you touched on, your bones adapt and get strengthened/conditioned. Conor being a striker primarily for years and years, I'm sure has kicked a bag or two hehe. So don't think it was lack of dense bones and conditioning. It was as you said Shane just physics man. A small part of the bone, crashing into thick bone. Equals disaster for one of those people. I saw some stills where it's believed Poirier blocked a front kick with his elbow. Looked like an upward front kick to the mid section that got checked with elbow point right on Conor's ankle. Probably what did it. Again physics, a flying bone in space, against supported elbow bone and point. Crack. Unfortunate and pretty much super rare thing overall. In the Thai matches a lot of kicks are to the body and mid section as you know. Low Kicks combined with trips. Set ups important like you said. It's a risk throwing them period. Guys have to take that chance and gamble or not. Small percentage you crack your leg in two, but real risk nonetheless.

If you watch Stadium Muay Thai, where you have the best kick checkers in the world, most of the low kicks are feeler kicks that come at an upwards angle. They dont really dig in unless you have a lot of weight on your front leg.