In Muay Thai, Superlek Kiatmookao is for sure among the finest 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 seemed to emulate “The Kicking Machine.” It’s a objective 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 turned a world identify 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 methods he makes use of to cease his opponents from smothering and subsequently overwhelming him with punches. Then, we’ll additionally add a couple of drills that you need to use to follow these remarkably easy but extraordinarily efficient methods so to add “The Kicking Machine’s” abilities to your individual Muay Thai sport.
Superlek’s Muay Tae Fashion
Superlek is the modern-day embodiment of the Muay Tae model of preventing. That’s, he’s a kickfighter. The World Champion’s trademark proper kick is one thing he throws repetitively with fast velocity, unimaginable energy, and unbelievable timing. In truth, aside from the occasional punch and his step-through knee, the correct physique kick makes up virtually all of his offensive ring technique.
It’s possible you’ll be asking your self why his opponents aren’t in a position to 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 together with his proper leg. In the event that they step in with out throwing, he’ll both await them to grow to be heavy on their entrance leg earlier than booting it out from underneath them, or inch backward to goad them into making an attempt a strike.
Whether or not preventing the artwork of eight limbs or in kickboxing, Superlek’s defensive technique stays just about similar. If an opponent beneficial properties an excessive amount of ahead momentum and smothers his capability to kick, he’ll step by with a good 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 methods 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 await his opponents to make the primary transfer earlier than unloading his proper leg on their physique and arms. So, there may be extra to replicating his roundhouse kick than simply making it extremely quick and highly effective (although that may assist). When you really wish to kick like “The Kicking Machine” then you definitely’ve received to learn to handle your vary and grasp the artwork of throwing second in an change and we’ve got the proper drill that can assist you develop this extremely helpful ability.
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 may be executed in various difficulties based mostly in your ability stage and the way warmed up you might be. Start by standing reverse a coaching associate, simply exterior of their efficient hanging vary. Their objective is to get into vary to land punches on you whereas your objective is to make them miss whereas touchdown your individual physique kick. After every change you’ll reset and start once more, supplying you with the chance to coach Superlek’s specific counter-kicking model in a managed situation drill.
After getting your eyes dialed in you may enhance 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 may additionally feint by moving 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 preventing underneath Kickboxing or conventional Muay Thai guidelines, Superlek controls distance in an analogous manner, by tying up an aggressive opponent as quickly as he’s unable to keep up an efficient kicking vary. That is normally executed as quickly as he feels his again on the cage, or ropes and he hasn’t received any area left to backstep. This model of vary administration may be educated in two phases by a partnered shepherding drill.
The Partnered Shepherding Drill
On this drill, two fighters can 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 greatest 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 strain to their evasive associate who can not strike again. Every time the evasive associate feels cornered, they’ll push ahead with a good guard and lock up their opponent in a good clinch, ideally, so they can not punch or land scoring knees, which might power separation in an actual combat situation.
How To Throw Superlek’s Step-By means of Knee
The step-through knee just isn’t a way that’s distinctive to Superlek, however it’s one which he makes use of typically and to nice impact, significantly when an aggressive opponent will get reckless and rushes ahead, making an attempt to step previous his kicking vary earlier than he can throw his signature approach. He takes two fast steps backward earlier than reversing instructions, stepping his rear foot ahead right into a southpaw stance with a good guard, or arms prolonged to regulate an opponent’s palms as his left knee crashes into their midsection.
This system may be educated in 3 steps:
Slowly follow strolling ahead into the southpaw, throw a teep, and discover the correct timing to land a knee on a heavy bag or pads till you may simply discover the vary you want for this system to be simplest.
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. Apply defending with a excessive guard or by trapping the pads along with your palms till they’ll’t land any strikes on you as you step in.
Have the pad holder commerce the Thai pads for gloves (however retaining the physique defend) and have them mimic charging in in direction of you, typically while punching, at random intervals so to rehearse the step by the knee in a much less predictable scenario. 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 stay situation (simply make certain your associate wears a physique defend!).
The Closing Drill: Puncher Vs Kicker Sparring!
After getting a agency grasp over all of those abilities 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 methods whereas a associate, who can solely assault with punches, makes an attempt to push previous your kicking vary to land their strikes.
With these situations positioned on them, the puncher will little doubt try and 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 may be extra to follow than simply throwing a quick and highly effective proper knee. You’ll want to grasp your vary administration and timing, using some Muay Femur counter-fighting methods to create the correct alternatives to land this high-scoring approach. On high of this, you could learn to smother punches and stall your opponent once they’re in a position to press by 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 abilities that Superlek has used to grow to be one of the vital feared and revered strikers on the planet right this moment.
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