KNEE STRIKES AND THEIR COUNTERS

Shaolin Kungfu

Golden Cockerel Stands Solitarily

The Muay Thai knee strike is formidable, feared by many martial artists. The Muay Thai fighter grabs your neck, pulls you downward and strikes upward with his knee. How would you counter against such attacks?

Such knee attacks are found in Shaolin Kungfu, such as in “Golden Cockerel Stands Solitarily”. In fact knee strikes in Shaolin Kungfu are more refined because we have to take care of our own safety while applying the strikes, whereas Muay Thai fighters normally pay little attention to such precaution as they are protected by safety rules.

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Shaolin Kung Fu Counter against Knee Strikes

How would you counter a felling attack? Here is one method. As your opponent places his “anchor” behind your leg to fell you, lift your leg over his anchoring leg, and strike him with your other knee, taking care that you have covered him safely. This pattern of knee attack is called “Golden Cockerel Stands Solitarily”.

Shaolin Kung Fu Golden Cockerel Stands Solitarily

The counter against a felling technique using the pattern “Golden Cockerel Stands Solitarily” is demonstated again. Good timing and good spacing are important. It is essential that you cover your opponent well, especially to prevent him from striking your groin while you attack him with your knee.

Shaolin Kung Fu Always Presume Opponents are Capable

If you attack a Boxer with a felling technique, the Boxer is unlikely to counter successfully because such countering techniques are not in his repertoire. Yet, we must always be prepared. We always presume that our opponents are capable.

Shaolin Kung Fu Counter against Knee Strikes

If an opponent strikes you with his knee, how would you counter? Retreat your front leg to avoid his knee strike, and simultaneously strike him with a leopard punch using the pattern “Golden Leopard Charges at Rock”. If your cannot reach his body with your leopard punch, strike his knee or any part of his leg.

Shaolin Kung Fu Making Appropriate Changes According to Situations

Here is the counter against knee strikes from another angle. The Shaolin exponent uses the Horse-Riding Stance instead of the reversed Bow-Arrow Stance, and the pattern “Golden Leopard Speeds through Jungle” instead of “Golden Leopard Charges at Rock”. The patterns may be different but the principles are the same. Kungfu is alive. You need to make appropriate changes according to the situation.

Shaolin Kung Fu Finer Points of the Counter

Here are the finer points of the counter in some detail. The opponent is pressing your head downward, while his knee is coming up at your chest. Not only you neutralize the simultaneous downward and upward momentum of the opponent, you can also prevent him from further attacks. Note the appropriate stances and footwork according to the space between you and the opponent.

You can view the video clips above by clicking the picture or the caption below

Knee Strikes and Counters using Shaolin Kungfu from Wong Kiew Kit on Vimeo.

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Basic Shaolin Kungfu against Boxing, Kick-Boxing, Muay Tahi and Wrestling

  1. From Shaolin to Instinctive Fighting to Boxing
  2. Basic Counters against a Boxer's Jabs
  3. Chasing after a Boxer's Retreat
  4. One-Step, Two-Step or Multiple-Step Chase
  5. Practicing on your Own, then Testing it on your Partner
  6. Counters against a Boxer's Left Jabs
  7. Handling Unexpected Attacks Correctly and Spontaneously
  8. Progressing to Realistic Sparring with a Boxer
  9. Employing Appropriate Tactics to Defeat a Boxer
  10. Sticking to a Boxer as he Tries to Bounce Away
  1. Advantages of the Bow-Arrow Stance over a Boxer's Footwork
  2. Practicing Numerous Tactics against Boxers
  3. Handling a Boxer Competently despite his Speed and Size
  4. Understanding and Implementing Techniques, Tactics and Skills against Boxers
  5. Countering the Left-Left-Right of Boxers
  6. Kick a Boxer Whenever he Uses his Right Hand
  7. Various Tactics to Handle a Boxer
  8. Attacking a Boxer with a Planned Sequence
  9. Felling an Opponent as he Attacks with an Undercut
  10. Various Ways to Fell an Opponent
  1. Knee Strikes and their Counters
  2. From Simple Techniques to Sophisticated Patterns
  3. Why are many Kungfu Practitioners Unable to Counter Muay Thai or Kick-Boxing Attacks?
  4. Superiority of Kungfu Stances, Footwork and Techniques
  5. Counters against Muay Thai and Kick-Boxing Attacks
  6. Effective Tactics and Techniques against Continuous Attacks Mixed with Feint Moves
  7. How do you Counter Continous Kicks?
  8. Exploiting the Innate Weaknesses of Kicks to Counter Them
  9. Throwing an Opponent as he Kicks
  10. Striking the Attacker as he Attempts a Shoot
  11. Countering the Shoot when an Attacker has Grabbed you or Pushed you onto the Ground

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