Pulling off the Brazilian kick

**ambertch** · 06-19-2008, 04:26 PM

So I am going to set aside some time everyday to train a lead leg variation of the brazilian kick, because Mr. Brazilian Kick Glaube Feitosa inspires me haha YouTube - Brazilian Kick Highlight and also because I don't see many MT guys throw this kick.

I'm asking people who have been able to pull off this move in actual competition, or during heavy sparring. The reason I made the caveat of heavy sparring is because there's a guy in my gym who in light sparring catches EVERYONE with these lightning fast TKD combos (that I recognize from my TKD competition days), but he's never been able to land them convincingly when we spar heavier at like 80%. So I don't want to be doing kicks that seem to catch people when we're screwing around in the gym, but aren't going to help me down the line if/when I compete.

I have a few questions:

- I'm 155lbs: for you guys that are light like me, will I have stopping power behind this kick? Feitosa is a HW so I am guessing his huge leg is a reason why he is KO'ing people with a front brazilian kick.
- How did you train accuracy with this kick to be able to pull it off?
- What are some general comments you have with regards to when to do it, combos you like with it, how to fool your partner/opponent, etc.?

Thanks!

ssullivan80 · 06-19-2008, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ambertch

I have a few questions:

- I'm 155lbs: for you guys that are light like me, will I have stopping power behind this kick? Feitosa is a HW so I am guessing his huge leg is a reason why he is KO'ing people with a front brazilian kick.
- How did you train accuracy with this kick to be able to pull it off?
- What are some general comments you have with regards to when to do it, combos you like with it, how to fool your partner/opponent, etc.?

Thanks!

Brazilian kick is awesome. However I have been more successful using it as a rear leg vs lead leg kick, since most my rear leg kicks are to the body or legs. I also use a rear leg teep kick quite a bit, making it easier to set up the brazilian kick. It always feels real akward off my lead leg....... and not nearly as powerful.

I weigh about 180 and can throw the kick pretty hard. I have landed it clean before during semi heavy sparring, with head gear, and it was pretty effective. I imagine if you caught someone right it would at the very least daze them and let you finish the job.

To train it I started on a heavy bag just to get the motion down. Then once I was comfortable I worked with a training partner wearing a belly pad and holding a TKD type kick pad (the paddle type). I tried to learn to gauge the distance so it would be similar to a where I stood for a good teep or roundhouse.

To fool opponent. My favorite way to use it as I mentioned is off the rear leg. I will throw a couple of rear leg teeps in the gut, then every once in a while toss up the brazilian kick. I have used it off the lead leg as well, usually a couple quick teeps to the midsection, then the braz kick. The kick is far more effective when my opponent is moving backwards or is stationary. If you are fighting a guy who steps into your teeps and comes forward a lot. The kick is much tougher to pull off and a lot riskier. My opinion.

Valiss · 06-19-2008, 04:57 PM

Interesting kick. Looks like a roundhouse, but you point your knee down half-way thru? I havent actaully heard of a "brazilian kick" but I did experiment with a similar lead leg roundhouse in my TKD days and it looks very much like this. If it's actually effective, maybe I'll work on it!

Thanks for the video hl.

**ambertch** · 06-19-2008, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Valiss

Interesting kick. Looks like a roundhouse, but you point your knee down half-way thru? I havent actaully heard of a "brazilian kick" but I did experiment with a similar lead leg roundhouse in my TKD days and it looks very much like this. If it's actually effective, maybe I'll work on it!

Thanks for the video hl.

Well, I guess "Brazilian kick" is just a nickname because there's a long ass Japanese name of the Kyokushin technique that no one can remember

I'm not sure what you are speaking of but the TKD variant of the brazilian kick I did was a fake low-high roundhouse. That doesn't have nearly the power of the brazilian kick's hip turn though

Stand-Up! · 06-19-2008, 06:28 PM

I don't know about the name, looks like just a thai kick, but this is how you are supposed to kick(or the best way). Uprising kicks are bogus. This lets you put your full hip into your kicks and has the downward swing motion whick puts that much more impact into it. . Even if you block it, you are still taking good damage. Most people just don't wanna get flexible enough to do this though. That's why you have to stretch out your hip ligaments, not just your hamstrings.

Valiss · 06-19-2008, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ambertch

Well, I guess "Brazilian kick" is just a nickname because there's a long ass Japanese name of the Kyokushin technique that no one can remember

I'm not sure what you are speaking of but the TKD variant of the brazilian kick I did was a fake low-high roundhouse. That doesn't have nearly the power of the brazilian kick's hip turn though

No it's not the double round house I was trying to describe.... it's hard to describe, but bascially throw a rear leg roundhouse,as if to the head, but 3/4 the way up, turn your hips down and pull the kick down. I like this kick though -it has a nice 'delayed' effect to it.

quikkick · 06-20-2008, 01:38 AM

The way to land this kick is off of a hopping rear leg. You have to have a wide and low stance (ala TKD tournament sparring) Throw the dummy kick as low front kick and pull it up into a chamber and over-rotate your body and throw the roundhouse as if your releasing a cocked sling-shot. I'm 200lbs and I have enough speed to catch people and it makes good impact just from the speed alone.

jlagman · 06-20-2008, 08:44 AM

I've used this in sparring before and I found the best way to set it up is to repeatedly push kick your opponent, make it almost predictable, and when he attempts to catch, switch it up and hit him with the Brazilian kick. Another set up that works great is what Michael Wanaka uses (hope he can chime in on this thread) a few solid push kicks towards the ropes and then catch him with the Brazilian kick on the rebound.

That being said, it's a gimmicky "trick" just like the Superman punch, it's good to have in your arsenal to occassionaly surprize your opponent, but I wouldn't use it too frequently.

ChachiKiller · 06-20-2008, 08:45 AM

That is a low-high round house. Not sure where anyone comes off re-naming this kick. What are we doing to rename everything now? Brazilian punch (right cross), Brazilian liquid (water).... I am not sure it is meant to have knock-out power. Machida also used one against ortiz. Best defense is to wait on it and rush in as the kick is developing. I throw these a lot. You must sell the leg kick aspect. The guy on the demo is not really selling the bottom kick for muy thai. He is also absolutely dropping his guard after he hits the bag. He looks like Gene Ferreate of France who was an old Savate champ. Go to any point karate tourney and you will see a thousand of these kicks.

The great way to throw this is off the front kick. You have to sell the front kick to the body and draw his hands down. You rotate your hips and bring the leg up. These techniques could bother a stationary fighter. It you get predictable with a good counter puncher, you could take a nap.

ChuteBrahdah · 06-20-2008, 03:45 PM

This kick is absolutely bizarre.