In Muay Thai, Superlek Kiatmookao is no doubt the most effective strikers on the planet. The multisport veteran is a multiple-time Lumpinee World Champion and WBC Tremendous Light-weight Muay Thai World Champion. He signed with ONE Championship, the place he’s the reigning Light-weight Kickboxing World Champion. In 2019 he was ranked the #3 pound-for-pound martial artist on the planet by the Thai Sporting Newspaper, “The Nation” and in 2020 was ranked the #1 Bantamweight fighter on the planet by Fight Press.
With wins over the likes of Sangmanee, Panpayak Jitmuangnon, and even “The Ironman” himself, Rodtang Jitmuangnon, many strikers have regarded to emulate “The Kicking Machine.” It’s a aim that, on the floor, seems fairly simple; he predominantly throws proper roundhouse kicks, but when his gameplan was as simple as simply launching his rear leg at opponents then the legendary Thai would have faltered within the Thai stadium lengthy earlier than he grew to become a worldwide title in fight sports activities.
On this article, we’re going to break down the secrets and techniques to Superlek’s extremely high-level kicking sport. We’ll clarify how and when he makes use of his trademark proper kick, present you examples of his distance administration in addition to the tips he makes use of to cease his opponents from smothering and subsequently overwhelming him with punches. Then, we’ll additionally add a number of drills that you should utilize to follow these remarkably easy but extraordinarily efficient methods in an effort to add “The Kicking Machine’s” expertise to your individual Muay Thai sport.
Superlek’s Muay Tae Fashion
Superlek is the modern-day embodiment of the Muay Tae model of combating. That’s, he’s a kickfighter. The World Champion’s trademark proper kick is one thing he throws repetitively with fast pace, unbelievable energy, and unbelievable timing. The truth is, other than the occasional punch and his step-through knee, the suitable physique kick makes up virtually all of his offensive ring technique.
You might be asking your self why his opponents aren’t capable of predict and counter his proper kicks in the event that they know that he’s going to throw them. Nicely, the reply is straightforward; Superlek garnishes his Muay Tae model with a sprinkle of Muay Femur counter-fighting technique. He stands barely out of his opponent’s efficient vary and waits for them to off-balance themselves by over-committing to a strike earlier than countering along with his proper leg. In the event that they step in with out throwing, he’ll both watch for them to change into heavy on their entrance leg earlier than booting it out from below them, or inch backward to goad them into trying a strike.
Whether or not combating the artwork of eight limbs or in kickboxing, Superlek’s defensive technique stays just about an identical. If an opponent features an excessive amount of ahead momentum and smothers his means to kick, he’ll step by way of with a decent guard to fulfill them with a strong left knee or, if backed onto the ropes he’ll crowd them, locking their arms in a clinch till the referee is compelled to intervene and break them. Superlek unleashed all of those strategies in a masterclass efficiency towards Tunisian, Fahdi Khaled on ONE in 2020.
How To Kick Like Superlek
As we’ve talked about, Superlek likes to face again and watch for his opponents to make the primary transfer earlier than unloading his proper leg on their physique and arms. So, there’s extra to replicating his roundhouse kick than simply making it extremely quick and highly effective (although that can assist). When you actually wish to kick like “The Kicking Machine” then you definately’ve obtained to discover ways to handle your vary and grasp the artwork of throwing second in an alternate and now we have the proper drill that will help you develop this extremely helpful talent.
The Counter-Kicking Drill
This drill trains you to make the most of distance and response to kick an aggressive fighter as they step into vary and will be performed in various difficulties based mostly in your talent degree and the way warmed up you might be. Start by standing reverse a coaching companion, simply outdoors of their efficient hanging vary. Their aim is to get into vary to land punches on you whereas your aim is to make them miss whereas touchdown your individual physique kick. After every alternate you’ll reset and start once more, supplying you with the chance to coach Superlek’s explicit counter-kicking model in a managed situation drill.
Upon getting your eyes dialed in you may improve the stimuli that you just react to. Your opponent can add the physique kick to their permitted strikes, requiring you to lean again and counter. They might additionally feint by entering into vary with out hanging, inflicting you to step again with out kicking or timing a leg kick for once they step closely onto their entrance foot.
How To Management Distance Like Superlek
Whether or not he’s combating below Kickboxing or conventional Muay Thai guidelines, Superlek controls distance in an analogous means, by tying up an aggressive opponent as quickly as he’s unable to keep up an efficient kicking vary. That is normally performed as quickly as he feels his again on the cage, or ropes and he hasn’t obtained any area left to backstep. This model of vary administration will be educated in two phases by way of a partnered shepherding drill.
The Partnered Shepherding Drill
On this drill, two fighters might be paired in a boxing ring and given the roles of both shepherd or sheep. The shepherd’s job is to make use of their footwork to chop off the ring and pin the sheep on the ropes whereas they do their finest to maintain themselves from getting trapped.
As soon as the companions have warmed as much as the drill, the shepherd will start utilizing punches to use stress to their evasive companion who can not strike again. At any time when the evasive companion feels cornered, they will push ahead with a decent guard and lock up their opponent in a decent clinch, ideally, so they can’t punch or land scoring knees, which might pressure separation in an actual struggle situation.
How To Throw Superlek’s Step-By means of Knee
The step-through knee shouldn’t be a method that’s distinctive to Superlek, however it’s one which he makes use of usually and to nice impact, notably when an aggressive opponent will get reckless and rushes ahead, trying to step previous his kicking vary earlier than he can throw his signature method. He takes two fast steps backward earlier than reversing instructions, stepping his rear foot ahead right into a southpaw stance with a decent guard, or arms prolonged to regulate an opponent’s palms as his left knee crashes into their midsection.
This method will be educated in 3 steps:
Slowly follow strolling ahead into the southpaw, throw a teep, and discover the suitable timing to land a knee on a heavy bag or pads till you may simply discover the vary you want for this method to be handiest.
Get your pad holder to put on a physique defend and have them swing the pads at you to imitate punches as you step in to knee. Observe defending with a excessive guard or by trapping the pads along with your palms till they will’t land any strikes on you as you step in.
Have the pad holder commerce the Thai pads for gloves (however conserving the physique defend) and have them mimic charging in in direction of you, typically while punching, at random intervals in an effort to rehearse the step by way of the knee in a much less predictable state of affairs. When you’ve mastered this you may add the step-through knee into each the counter kicking and shepherding drills as a solution to follow it in a reside situation (simply be sure that your companion wears a physique defend!).
The Closing Drill: Puncher Vs Kicker Sparring!
Upon getting a agency grasp over all of those expertise and drills in isolation, a good way to check your proficiency is to strive them out in puncher vs kicker sparring. Taking the position of the kicker, you may solely use the beforehand talked about strategies whereas a companion, who can solely assault with punches, makes an attempt to push previous your kicking vary to land their strikes.
With these circumstances positioned on them, the puncher will little doubt try to shepherd you towards the ropes and into tight corners supplying you with the chance to follow your footwork, leg and physique kicks, smothering clinch, and Superlek’s dreaded step-through knee.
In Abstract
Superlek is a Muay Tae whose masterful use of his proper kick has earned him the moniker of “The Kicking Machine.” If you wish to replicate his model, there’s extra to follow than simply throwing a quick and highly effective proper knee. You have to grasp your vary administration and timing, using some Muay Femur counter-fighting methods to create the suitable alternatives to land this high-scoring method. On prime of this, you could discover ways to smother punches and stall your opponent once they’re capable of press by way of your efficient kicking vary. When you follow the drills we’ve listed right here, you’ll be properly in your solution to replicating the tried and examined expertise that Superlek has used to change into some of the feared and revered strikers on the planet as we speak.
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