The snap kick is a technique that has been ignored by most martial artists due to its seemingly basic and impractical nature. Most people think a snap kick lacks many applications, which is true anyway because you only use it under certain conditions, and when the distance between you and the opponent is right.

Snap Kick Tutorial (Front Kick)by KihapGeek

But it's also easy to think that this technique doesn't yield any reasonable force when fired against an opponent, especially if compared to the more visibly powerful ones like the front kick or roundhouse.

If you concentrate on what you are seeing vs the invisible force that is being transferred (of course when technique is done correctly), you will easily conclude that snapping on your opponent isn't very effective.

 All that matters in a snap kick is the force that is transferred to the opponent. Have the technique first, then learn to feel your kicks and slowly progress with speed.

So, how effective is the snap kick?

My classes have always started with snap kicks before a new technique is introduced. We are made to understand that it takes practice and patience to refine the snap kick, which is true considering that many people make terrible mistakes when firing the kick. Worse still, they always don't know that they are making a mistake.

I can confess that I have learned many lessons about the snap kick, most of which I end up discovering when practicing on my own.

The point is, it can take thousands of attempts to get this kick right. Some people rise up a little bit with their supporting foot to fire a snap kick. Others don't move the hip forward when firing it, thereby failing to transfer the energy of the body into the kick, ultimately the target. There are plenty of mistakes that people do without realizing it.

The correct way to practice a snap kick with good precision is to stretch your foot and toes to full length (as if preparing to walk on your toes) until you cannot stretch anymore. Then try bending your knees causing it to swing freely and then fire a few times. Remember, we are rocking our hips forward with the kick to transfer our body weight into the kick.

Once the kick reaches its target, it should be retracted with the knees still raised. This is the best way to practice it anyway.

Applications

With the right timing, I can close in the gap a little bit and fire at my opponent when I feel comfortable.

It's normally fired on the groin to cause your opponent to bend forward. This way, you still have a chance of hitting them with your elbow or something. There are many techniques that could go be applied on your opponent in this position.

Conclusion

Practice, practice practice! The snap kick is very basic but hardest to get right. I do not know what other way to put it in. 

Participating in MMA requires that you invest in decent MMA gloves before you can think of anything else. Irrespective of how good an athlete you are in this sport, if you don't have the right gear, your performance will suffer.

Perhaps MMA gloves should be treated as one of the fundamental things you should have before stepping into any ring out there. And since we're using the word ''must'' here, there's a strong possibility that these things will enhance your athletic performance.

First though, choosing the correct weight and material is essential to getting a good pair of MMA gloves that fit correctly without slowing your performance down.

Image: Pixabay

So, what is the right kind of material you should look for in any MMA glove out there?

Leather gloves

They are certainly the best and most expensive for that matter. But the reward is well worth it since they fit snugly and also last longer.

Also, the kind of material you choose depends on which purpose you're using the pair of gloves for. If you want MMA gloves purely for fitness purposes, you won't need to put so much emphasis on the material. But if you want a pair of gloves exclusively for training purposes, you will definitely go for leather instead.

Artificial leather

Starters who haven't developed their MMA skills would be fine going with artificial leather gloves. This also applies to kids who might want to participate in MMA.

However, the problem with artificial leather is that it will quickly wear out as the athlete develops speed, stamina and power.

If you're on a budget, I'd recommend these ones. But if you're willing to spend a few more bucks for the right kind of gloves, just buy leather instead.

Style of MMA gloves you're choosing

For students who participate in MMA sparring, it is better to go with simple gloves that don't require cumbersome work when putting on.

Some fight gloves are designed with a lace mechanism to tie on the hand. This normally gives the athlete a snug fit onto their hands.

Typical gloves will have some sort of padding on the knuckles with a closing mechanism. You could also go for gloves built with Velcro enclosures too.

The benefit of Velcro enclosures is that you can tie them up or remove them without the help of another person. In fact, if you're just an average MMA fighter, you could go with gloves designed with Velcro enclosures since they are a good fit for regular training.

Weight of gloves

Gloves come in weights that vary between 6oz to 20oz. Professional MMA matches will use 10oz gloves. But as for you,  12, 14 to 16 ounce will serve your training purposes well. On the other hand, if you're concerned with more protection, you could choose to buy 20 ounce gloves instead.

However, there's a secret you need to learn when it comes to using MMA gloves. If you're preparing to participate in a 10 ounce gloves MMA fight, you might find sparring with heavier gloves quite useful since it will significantly increase your speed when it comes to fighting with lighter ones.

Here's a breakdown of all the weight specifics to look into:

16oz ---- for professional MMA fighters
14oz------ Ideal for sparring
120z------ good for starters
10oz------- starter size for both men and women, can also be used in competitions
8oz------Ideal for women and teenagers
6oz----- Ideal for kids between 7 and 5 years

Color

Color is a matter of personal preference, sponsor or club requirements. Therefore, I would advice that you pick a color that keeps you happy.

Safety of an MMA glove

Modern gloves come with a safety feature known as thumb lock. This feature is useful because it prevents accidental eye gouges or thumb injuries that might happen during a match.

Also, make sure you find a suitable MMA head gear for your sparring sessions. These too are available in different materials and colors to suit your preference.

There are myriads of Qigong exercises to practice for their martial art purposes and health benefits as well. One practice that I have come to learn is the use of candle training to help develop concentration, Jin, Qi and other skills related to martial arts and overall well-being.

Whereas majority of people out there get mesmerized with the idea of putting out a candle flame with a punch, there is absolutely nothing to wonder about here. In fact, with some work, anyone willing to develop this skill will consistently put out candles by stopping their punches an inch or more away from the flame.

The reason why candles are used in Qi exercises is because candles used to be the main source of light in ancient Chinese society. Of course things have changed today, but the place of candle training and the idea itself hasn't changed anyhow.

Image Source: Pixabay

The following are examples of candle training (with Qigong exercises among them)

 

1 Concentration training

One aspect that Qigong exercises focus on is building concentration. Building your concentration is something that requires some learning and practice. You have to nourish both your mental and visual focus, and thus the use of candles is essential.

This is done by sitting in a dark room and concentrating on the candle light with a meditating mind -- calm and relaxed.

During this exercise, you should focus on the flame until you can trace how every piece of that flame is behaving. You can do this for at least 30 minutes to be able to build a specific level of concentration -- same thing that happens in Qigong training.

Until you can build this level of concentration, you cannot effectively participate in a fight where your concentration/awareness/sensitivity/accuracy and focus is constantly needed. 

This Qigong exercise will not present itself like a light training at first. But after you've trained consistently for a while, you will be able to reach your goals effortlessly. 

Nevertheless, this is just one face of learning, and the goal is to learn how to watch the candle flame with one focus and mind. Once you have mastered this art, you can move to placing the candle on a swinger specially designed for holding candles.

Now, the difference here is that you will be learning to place your focus on a moving candle instead of a stationary one. This focusing practice will help you develop the key fundamentals of Qigong training.

2 Qi training

In the study of Internal Martial Arts, the candle is used to develop focus of the mind and Qi. When you learn to focus on a higher level, you will develop a stronger Qi. 

Again, this Qigong exercise is very simple. Sit in front of the burning candle and form your hand in the sword secret.

This is done by extending the middle and second finger while touching the ring finger. This kind of formation allows for Qi to flow through your fingers. 

When applied with a candle, you simply put your extended fingers a few inches from the candle flame. This way, you can coordinate your breath and Qi beyond the fingers, and this will somehow make the flame move.

Bio-electricity and Qigong exercises are strongly related (research has showed it). The visible manifestation of Qi are as a result of the effects of bio-electricity in the atmosphere. It is a kind of electricity led through the fingers to create some disturbance in the air, ultimately wind. This wind is responsible for making the flame move.

3 In Jin training

When you want to learn how to develop penetrating and focused power in martial arts, one of the tools you will use is candle light.

You will light up the candle and use it as a target for Jin. For the start, your punches should stop as close to the flame as possible. You have to target that flame with your punches by directing your focus towards it. If there is no focus, you will not put out the flame no matter how hard you struggle.

If you have trained consistently, you can feel free to increase the flame distance. If you can put out the flame within a distance of one foot, then you should know that your punching power is focused and penetrating. In this case, your punching power will penetrate deeper into the internal organs of your attacker.

P.S

I have used the 3 examples above as a point of reference. There's always room to be creative when using candle light in training around those areas.

Of all the self defense classes I have seen, I have never come across an instructor who gives his students lessons on how to minimize panic moves for better results.

You generally make panic moves without thinking. You don't focus on the target ahead of you. It's kind of a reflex action that happens subconsciously, hence it is ineffectual in most cases.

A good example is when you lash out in the general direction of your opponent, trying to land a strike on them, hoping to really hit them. But I can assure you that invariably, the strike will be weak and way off in terms of accuracy.

If you do this and somehow manage to hit them, you will be lucky. But chances are that you will never land that strike where it's supposed to land on. You will miss your target because you blindly lashed out without focus.

Panic moves can also happen in the event that you were taking too many strikes from your opponent and you subconsciously decided to move forward to close the gap and grab them halfway, hoping to subdue them.

Image Source: Pixabay

Again, I can assure you that when you do this, you will probably find yourself in some sort of a wrestling match, getting hit faster and harder than before. In fact, both of you would go to the ground and more panic would ensure. You can see where this is going.

If you're panicking under real threat, it's forgivable. But the same thing doesn't apply in training. Unfortunately, I have seen students enter the panic mode as soon as they are subjected to the slightest pressure during training.

Let's take the example of a student learning any self defense move in a Shou Shu studio. The instructor tells them to free their wrist from an opponent's grab, pull them forward slightly and kick their groin before finishing the matter with their right elbow.

The trainee will often perform the first step correctly. However, the subsequent ones will invariably be performed with haste and panic in an attempt to complete the steps quickly. And the results would be loss of power and effectiveness. They might even end up losing their balance in the process, although we highly emphasize on the use of centerline principle.

The subsequent but incorrect moves performed by the student are almost a sure indication of that student being in panic mode. In other words, they are not centered well on the target as they strike.

And the danger is that if this habit isn't eliminated from the student as soon as possible, it will be hard to break it. Panic moves will become a significant hindrance of their training as they encounter more pressure, hence they will not be able to achieve the kind of results they want from their self defense training.

So, what's the way to avoiding panic, unfocused moves?

Your move should be an assured one. You want to make assured moves more than you make panic moves. Using the term assured may not be appropriate here, but nonetheless, it gives a clear picture of what I am trying to communicate.

You want more focus, control and eventually power. And the secret to developing assured moves in self defense is to take your time training  in those moves no matter the prevailing conditions you find yourself in.

In fact, to avoid falling into the trap, you will need to learn how to take your time with whatever you're trying to master. Your mind has to be centered on the target no matter how much pressure you're facing. And the secret resides in how your mind controls your body.

If you let your mind dictate your action, (if it's a mind that's under pressure), you will panic when you try thinking of what needs to be done quickly. Your body will resonate with your mind, hence a panic move will ensue.

On developing the skills to kill panic moves

 

Take your time and tell yourself that you will not rush through what needs to be done. When you do this, you are in total control of your mind rather than your mind taking control of you. Just focus, breath and make sure your mind isn't focusing on the outcome you desire to achieve.

Unfortunately, the danger of focusing on results is that your mind will begin thinking of all the things that could be at stake.

But the answer to this challenge is to focus on what you're doing and know that you have the ability to do it perfectly. If you practice taking your time when executing those moves, you will find them not only effective, but powerful and reassured.

Perhaps you're thinking this is some sort of a complex mental process you have to undergo in order to deliver assured strikes.

No, it's not. It's only a matter of re-evaluating yourself first to ensure you're correctly centered on your target before making any move. This is a process that should happen within the split of a millisecond.

You should practice this with simple drills, and then carry on with the practice until you're able to handle complex drills where you typically don't have much time to consciously direct your focus on the target.

With a bit of practice, you can learn to develop assured moves into your subconscious nature, and they will become automatic responses. Therefore, cultivate your moves to make them as precise as you can.