Avoiding groin shots

[Lilborne0]

Hi. I’m a smaller fighter (like around/under 5’6”. Especially when I’m paired with taller guys, I find my teep or inside kicks can sometimes land closer to the groin area.

Any advice on how to work on my kicks so I’m not hitting in and around that area? I usually don’t have this issue, but since I was out for 6 months recovering from a torn ACL, it’s like, despite staying flexible, I’m hitting lower. Help?

[shade]

I don't really know how you teep, but if I might venture a guess, it sounds like either you're inflexible and can't teep high enough or, you might teep in a swinging fashion(think pendulum). 

Again, since I don't know how you're actually kicking this is only a guess. In any case, you can work in shadow on higher teeps, chest and face. Also work these kicks slowly(painfully slowly) so you'll strengthen your hips in the process. 

If you're unable to teep high enough on taller opponents, teep lower. Teep the thighs, if you do it right, it's really annoying. Also since most people step on every punch or kick, it pretty much stops them dead in their tracks and forces a reset every time. 

Have fun

[Sylvie von Duuglas-Ittu]

I reckon this is a two part issue, the first being timing (if you're a bit slow on the teep you end up "fluffing," as I call it, kind of dragging your toe down the crotch area. So, work timing on a swinging bag and put a piece of tape or something to keep hitting the same target. The second part is your standing leg.  If you're too far inside the opponent's stance when you throw a leg kick or a teep, you can't control your accuracy and it's just a Hail Mary guess where it will land. For a an inside leg kick, you need to have your standing leg outside the opponent's stance. For a teep, if you're too flat-footed OR too much on your toe you can't control your hip for the height of the target.

[LengLeng]

I'm having similar issues. Twice a teep got caught and pulled causing meniscae tears. Not my opponents fault, my knees were stressed already due to lack of knee strengthening exercises. I highly recommend focus on VMO muscle strength like wall sits and agility training. And walking and doing drills backwards. Knees over toes-guy on instagram is excellent for knee rehab philosophy. 

Since then my teeps are somewhat hesitant, I sometimes aim too low and slow as my body remembers how I got injured. 

I'm working on aiming high, or aiming for the thigh. And keeping distance while teeping. Having an opponent or trainer taking off his or her shirt helps too to see the body. If it's possible. 

Sylvie posted a video recently where Karuhat explained how teeps are actually also a movement used for attacks rather than only used for defence (I think it was on her Facebook page). This helped me mentally, as with forward striking movements I focus more on striking fast and quickly pull back so my leg stays up throughout the movement. Not sure it makes sense.