High Risk Kicks

In Isshinryu karate, the kata (form) Wansu features a pair of blade kicks delivered to the low section. A blade kick is a side kick with the foot turned inwards to strike with the edge. In Wansu this kick is performed left and right as kata techniques (waza) tend to work both sides. The above image depicts how this would crystalize in actual combat, in this case by targeting the hamstring. It's important to strike with the edge of the outer foot closer to the heel; making contact closer to the little toe could torque the foot, setting you up for torn ligaments. This happened to me when I was twenty, and I had my foot and part of my leg in a cast for about six weeks.

Mid-section kicks are generally effective and practical. Low kicks (or any strikes below the waist) are prohibited in most styles of sportive karate and tae kwon do. The problem with high kicks is that they can be countered relatively easier than lower kicks. Still, high section kicks have their place for the athletically inclined, and they have even found their way in MMA matches. Crescent kicks (see above) was something I used in dojo matches that I could score with, in principle, by clearing the head of my opponent. A variant of the crescent kick, the axe kick, requires extreme flexibility (kicking leg extends straight up, then whips down, leg remaining straight) but overshooting your heel or foot can impinge the Achilles tendon. Speaking from experience, tendons and ligaments take a long time to heal, as connective tissues involving bone and muscle have limited reserves of blood flow.   

 

When I attended a judo workshop years ago the instructor would say "make your opponent a one-legged fighter"; this is the concept of kuzushi (unbalance). Raising your leg high to launch a kick compromises equilibrium, but also leaves one vulnerable to an awful counter targeting a precious commodity. Before he became a full-contact karate fighter, Bill 'Superfoot' Wallace lost one of his testicles in a point match. I have no idea if it was a counter to one of his warp speed forward-leg kicks or something else. At a tournament I witnessed a guy from my school break his opponents plastic groin protector with a spinning back kick, the strongest kick in martial arts. Thai steel cups might be a good investment for those who are wary. Some lessons shouldn't have to be learned the hard way.