How to do a Muay Thai Shin Kick
A Muay Thai shin kick is a devastating weapon. The best analogy would be turning the blade of your lower leg into a baseball bat and using that to strike an attacker. A great target is the common perennial nerve located on the outside of the upper thigh. The Common Perennial Nerve or CPN is unique target. Think of a bulls eye of concentric circle half way between the knee and the hip on the outside of the leg between the thigh and hamstring. There is a nerve cluster when hit my a muay thai shin kick properly, the electrical signals of the attackers nervous system are temporarily interrupted.
First, the muay thai shin kick. Start in a fighting stance with the leg you would like to kick with in back. For purposes of this blog, we will assume you want to strike with your right leg. To create forward momentum pick up your left foot and move it slightly forward. As you land turn your foot out to the left to allow for necessary hip rotation of the muay thai kick. As your body weight moves forward pick up your right leg and with a relaxed leg (not locked or bent) swing it in a semi circle towards the CPN on your attacker's left leg. Angle your foot so that the "sharp" bone blade of your attacking shin can dig into the attacker's leg. If you were to miss with your muay thai kick you could let the powerful rotation swing you around in a full circle. The CPN is a perfect spot for a muay thai kick to land because you do not have to be a perfect aim with the muay thai kick. The CPN strike will be more effective if hit dead center, but there is room for error -- especially with a larger attacker for the target.
In Thailand many muay thai fighters will practice their shin kicks on trees and other hard surfaces to toughen up their leg. A good way for you to practice your muay thai shin kick is to join a martial arts school in your area that has good padded kicking bags. The impressive power generated by a muay thai shin kick allows women and even children to slow down, stop and incapacitate a much larger and stronger adversary. If you can not find a local martial arts school to practice at then find some sturdy padding and wrap it around a tree for practice right in your back yard.
How to do a muay thai shin kick is a question anyone interested in learning to protect themselves in hand to hand combat should be asking themselves...
Mr Kyle Scott is a senior instructor at the Seung-ni Martial Arts Academy located in the Traverse City, Michigan area. Mr. Scott is a 3rd degree black belt and teaches the muay thai shin kick to children, teens, adults and to the women's self defense seminars held every month at the Seung-ni Academy in Traverse City.
