Effective Kicking

In looking at kicking techniques, there is a big debate on what is the most effective martial art for kicks. There's the powerfully swinging action of Muay Thai, the snapping speed of Tae Kwon Do and the thrusting power of Karate (i.e. Shotokan). For me it is a blend of all of the above. As a fighter I felt that the most challenging kickers were the Tae Kwon Do fighters. The main reason is that Tae Kwon Do is a kicking sport. The athletes wear chest protectors which minimizes scores with punches. The emphasis is on kicks, so these athletes devote more time in developing timing, speed and distancing for kicks than a lot of other martial arts. The Thai fighters emphasize conditioning and full body commitment to their kicks. The shin is the primary striking weapon for round kicks (the most commonly used kick in martial arts). The idea is to cause damage to whatever it hits. Karate styles use the thrust of the hips to generate power. My kicking styles draws from these 3 different schools of kicking. Speed and snap kicks require less energy, so they are hard to read for my opponents. I mainly use the Muay Thai low kick to kick through an opponents leg. And, I like the side thrust kick to get opponents away from me. Here's a clip of me utilizing these kick principles. Finals of Shidokan Team USA 2002 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiKwilIjbCw