Mixing up the techniques and regularly adding new skills to the routine keeps you on track and prevents plateaus. In this blog, we will tell you about advanced kickboxing punches and combos that refine your technique and improve your strikes so that you can fight with more power and speed.
Key Kickboxing Strikes Every Fighter Should Master
Start your kickboxing journey by mastering essential moves such as roundhouse kicks or advanced punching techniques. Master these basic kickboxing techniques:
Powerful Roundhouse Kicks
One of the most effective kickboxing strikes to improve leg power and striking ability, roundhouse kicks are super-important to learn for every fighter. The roundhouse kicks can also help build hip mobility and strength, which is critical for daily life moves and learning other drills in kickboxing. The kick is delivered by swinging the leg in a circular motion to the opponent’s midsection.
Front Kicks
Front kicks, also known as Teeps in Muay Thai, are kicks aimed at the opponent’s face or midsection. The kick is essential for practicing good distance from opponents and even interrupting their forward movement. Properly practicing the front kick can give you good control in the ring. You will also have improved balance and strength in your quads, hamstrings, and hip flexors.
Devastating Knees and Elbows
Knees and elbows are among the most devastating and powerful strikes in kickboxing. They are often known as close-range weapons, and they should be delivered when fighters are within striking distance. They can cause significant damage in close-quarters combat, which can often lead to knockouts. Elbow and knee strikes are sharp, short, and difficult to defend against.
Advanced Punching Techniques
Advanced kickboxing punching techniques such as hooks, uppercuts, and overhand strikes can give you a significant edge in the ring. A hook punch is dynamic, allowing you to aim at the opponent from various angles. An uppercut helps you strike upwards towards the opponent’s chin or body. The overhand strike can be used to counter a jab.
Related article: How to Perfect Your Kickboxing Stance and Techniques
Kickboxing Footwork Techniques for Superior Movement
You can move with better speed and agility by practicing kickboxing footwork techniques. The fluid movements with good footwork allow athletes to execute precise movements with improved precision. Following are some essential footwork techniques that all athletes should practice:
Lateral Movement
Lateral movement is essential to move side-to-side and create better angles for effective strikes. Practicing lateral movement will help athletes to set up attacks while maintaining a good balance. To practice lateral movement, focus on drills that include quick and controlled side-to-side footwork. You can also combine side movements with jabs, cross, and hooks.
Pivoting and Evasive Maneuvers
Pivoting is an important footwork technique that helps you turn or rotate on one foot while keeping the other foot completely planted. This is a great technique for changing directions quickly without disturbing balance and control. Evasive maneuvers include practicing quick and agile movements to change angles while maintaining a strategic position.
Explosive Footwork Drills
Skill and explosive drills for footwork can improve athlete’s quickness, power, coordination, and balance. To improve the footwork for kickboxing and make your movements fast and quick, you can incorporate ladder, cone, step, and partner shuffles. These drills enhance athletic performance and reaction time in athletes.
Balancing Power and Mobility
It is important for athletes to balance power and mobility while practicing footwork drills. This helps them have a solid position in the ring. Incorporate footwork drills that build explosive movements while allowing you to keep good control of your body.
Related article: The Importance of Proper Footwork in Kickboxing Technique
Effective Kickboxing Combinations to Dominate Opponents
For kickboxing, you always have to start by mastering the basics strikes, and once you get a good grasp on the basics, you can move on to the combinations. These effective kickboxing combinations can help you dominate the ring and outmaneuver your opponents. Some of these combinations that can be used in kickboxing are:
Jab-Cross, Teep, Roundhouse Kick
This effective combination starts with a jab and cross, followed by a push kick down the middle. This kick will make this combination super powerful. After this, throw a roundhouse kick to the opponent’s body. This is great for offense and defense, making it a powerful and versatile combo.
Hook-Low Kick-Cross
The combination starts with a hook punch thrown in the curved path and aimed at the opponent’s side of the body. The lower kick targets the opponent’s thighs and legs and ends with a cross to set up another strike. Regularly practice this combination to elevate your dominance in the ring.
Superman Punch to Leg Kick
The Superman punch is an advanced technique that starts with the fighter faking a kick to throw off the opponent. This technique sets them up for a real attack, and then the fighter comes forward to deliver a strong punch in mid-air. Combining this technique with leg kicks can disturb your opponent’s balance with an unexpected attack.
Knee Strike to Elbow Combo
The knee strike-to-elbow combo starts with a knee strike, which is important to create space or disrupt the opponent. A quick transition to a powerful elbow strike effectively benefits athletes in close-range combat.
Advanced Kickboxing Training Drills
Mastering kickboxing drills require a lot of practice, hard work, and determination. Following are some of the advanced training drills that you can practice:
Pad Work Drills
Get a durable pair of boxing gloves and work with an experienced trainer to make the most out of your routine. Your trainer will hold focus pads so that you can practice different punches to improve your defense. Working with a trainer at this point will help you incorporate feedback with the proper position. You can start with running and punching with both hands to elevate your heart rate.
Shadowboxing with Resistance
Adding resistance in your shadow boxing session can improve the punching power. This will also play an essential role in building strength in the upper body, and improving endurance. With repetitive punching movements in shadowboxing, you engage multiple muscle groups, which is important for muscle hypertrophy. Shadowboxing is also important to improve technique, footwork, coordination and balance. For resistance, you can use resistance bands.
Heavy Bag Power Drills
The heavy bag power drills are great to land punches with precision and proper technique. Hitting the heavy bag regularly also plays an important role in building strength in the body. Another benefit of incorporating heavy bag drills is improved footwork and movement. Regularly practicing with a heavy bag will strengthen your kicks and punches.
Defensive Drills
Along with practicing offensive skills, it is essential to master defensive techniques. It will help you in setting up the counterattacks, giving you a strong position in the ring. Blocking, head movement, parrying and rolling are some of the effective defensive drills that you can include in your routine.
Related article: 5 Kickboxing Conditioning Drills to Level Up
Conclusion
Kickboxing workout for fighters is a dynamic and high-energy sport that demands continuous refinement of technique for growth. Incorporating these advanced kickboxing techniques into training routines enables fighters to improve their strikes, further helping them maintain dominancy in the ring. Ensure you actively practice these advanced skills in your training routine to improve your striking power and speed.
From working on footwork techniques to mental conditioning and breathing techniques, these advanced skills will turn you into a strong force. Use the right equipment to practice these skills and stay consistent.
Kickboxing is about pushing yourself beyond your limits and testing your strength, so practice these techniques with determination and consistency.
