Self-defense: why/when groin kicks do not work

Master Kongling All, 6DKF techniques, Fighting strategy, Questions and answers, Self defense, Self defense scenarios 0

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Let’s start from the basics: are kicks good for self-defense?

Although with due exceptions, in our self-defense method (read Personal defense: the S.A.F.E. method), we strongly discourage beginners and not-practitioners from implementing kicks higher than the knee level.

Note – This article has been asked by one of our Core Course practitioners on Patreon (see how to attend our home study classes here Learn Kung Fu online: a beginner-to-expert course).

Let’s be clear, lower limb techniques are incredibly effective (and our combat system includes many of them) but they are not within the reach of those who have never implemented that part of the body at such a level.

Why avoid higher kicks?

There are many reasons why we advise against the use of legs above the knee height but the most crucial one is balance.

For those not trained in dynamic equilibrium (read The concept of Dynamic Equilibrium), remaining on a single leg with the other at more than 45° means exceeding the level of risk in relation to the real possibilities of achieving an advantage. It is inevitable: a not-practitioner does not have the same level of control of the arms on the legs.

A note by Master Kongling – Combat balance is the most evident difference between an expert and an untrained person: it is a skill that cannot be faked or acquired in a short time (read All the skills of 6 Dragons Kung Fu).

To deepen the other reasons we discourage high kicks to beginners, read:

Is the groin kick a good choice for an untrained person?

Generally speaking, no, because (in order of difficulty) it requires a certain level of:

Intention (low difficulty) – Those who have never practiced martial arts (and perhaps don’t even play sports) tend to kick with too short vibrating movements or, worse, to reach the target with excessive delicacy (in other words, holding back more or less voluntarily)
Technical knowledge (low difficulty) – Knowing which part of the leg to hit which part of the genitals with in order to cause the desired disruptive effect
Spatial intelligence (middle-high difficulty) – Precision in knowing how to reach a relatively small moving target and above, all, normally protected by a thigh (see the classic guard stance with the leg advanced, read How to rapidly learn Kung Fu: guard stance)
Timing (high difficulty) – Accuracy in hitting the target not in the position in which we see it when we decide to kick but in the position in which it will be at the moment of impact (or in a condition where we are sure it will not move)

A note by Master Kongling – I have seen so many male/female beginners deluding themselves into believing they have the ace in the hole of kicking the testicles but in most cases, I have not seen: imparting even vaguely the (albeit relatively low) force needed, the reach of the target before 3-5 tries (not even in slow motion and in the static context of a gym). In the case of non-practitioners instead, I have directly seen the total ignorance of the correct direction, contact part and target (in other words even if they miraculously hit the target, they would not have caused even 50% of the damage hoped for).

The point is that in 6 Dragons Kung Fu, we consider a technique acquired (read A scheme to quickly learn any kind of technique) only if we can execute it perfectly without thinking in most of the combat situations, almost like walking or breathing (read I fear not a man who practiced 10000 kicks once).

Final notes

A few conclusive thoughts:

It should be emphasized that when we talk about “beginners” or “non-practitioners”, we also refer (and above all) to people who are not exactly Olympic athletes; it is clear that there are people who are war machines even before a martial training (useful only to refine their skills) but as a school, we do not refer only to them, we must (and want) to make broader reasoning (especially when we try to share rudiments of self-defense)
Are there cases where even a beginner can safely kick higher than the knee level (eg. to the groin)? Yes, when we are leaning on solid elements of the scenario with at least 2 limbs or when, in a very static context, we are facing another beginner
Are there striking techniques that aim at the groin that even a novice could implement safely? Yes, a rising knee while in contact with an opponent that has open legs (or that we are forcing to that position)
Is a groin attack always effective? No, even excluding extreme conditioning methods, first, it works only against male people; second, it may not have its full (devastating) effect on people in altered mental states (eg. drunk / drugged adversaries); third, it should not be forgotten that even an instinctive microscopic reaction of the thighs is enough to make the attack almost completely useless
What are the consequences of a poorly thrown groin kick? It usually means hurting the attacker just enough to make him furious (very furious) but not enough to force him to the ground (for a reasonable amount of time); in other words, this means exponentially increasing our risk level
Are there kicks that, from the knees down, can give better results than a “kick in the balls”? Of course, all those that hyperextend, damage, dislocate or break the body elements situated in the joints area of the legs (because they mechanically inhibit the ability to move; an option to consider only in extreme danger situations)
In conclusion, the groin kick remains a 100% valid option for all those people who possess a certain level of combat skills (read How to prepare legs to kick effectively); if we have the fortune to positively exploit such an occasion we will certainly have enough time to leave the self-defense scenario unharmed
…

A note by Master Kongling – The moment I realized how devastating a good kick to the testicles can be was at school when I was a boy and while I was still studying Jeet Kune Do (read Master Kongling: my experience with Jeet Kune Do), I described what happened here Self-defense: goin kick effects, a real story.

In the next article of this series, we will see how to correctly kick the groin (and how to create the right conditions).

In-depth video courses

Basic 6 Dragons Kung Fu exercises – A video course about the basic training of 6 Dragons Kung Fu
Advanced speed and reflexes training – A step-by-step path toward building real combat speed
The basic kicks: how to – Our core kicks (from “Basic free hand fighting techniques” video course)
Basic free hand fighting techniques – All the core combat techniques of 6 Dragons Kung Fu
Self-Defense basics: how to – A video course about all the fundamental aspects of our method
Static and dynamic balance: how to – A specific path to work on high-quality balance for combat
How to develop a good timing – A video course about how to exploit time to prevail in combat

In-depth articles

How to learn to fight: all the steps – A mini-guide about the full path to combat capability
Is it true that original Karate had no kicks? – Was ancient Karate devoid of kicks?

Questions

Reply in the comments and share your experience:

Have you ever trained in groin kicks?

Author: Master Kongling

Founder of 6 Dragons Kung Fu.

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