Kicking in Eskrima

Eskrima is not known for its kicking techniques. Yes, it employs kicks, mostly low, but the bulk of its techniques concern the hands and not the legs. The kicks are usually simple low roundhouse or frontal kicks, knee strikes, and a solid side kick or back kick to round things up.  And, as a rule, you only kick when you can land it.

In eskrima, the legs are primarily used for balance and movement, not direct attacks.  And especially not for feints.  But this does not mean that you are forbidden from kicking in eskrima. You take any advantage when it presents itself.  Perhaps the only rule is that your kicks should never compromise balance or defense.

As a fighting tool, the leg is much stronger and longer than the arm. Usually, it is the part of your body closest to your opponent and, conversely, your opponent’s leg is your nearest target. But in the instant you kick, you open yourself up to counterattack and all the weight of your body must be borne by one leg. For that one instant, no matter how quick you are, you are in a vulnerable position. Further, it is true that the higher you kick the less power your kick has. It is also far easier to train the hands to attack and defend than it is to train the feet.

An attempt to kick is always betrayed by the feet moving first. And any feint to kick when you really intend to punch leaves you unbalanced to deliver an effective, penetrating punch. Extensive kicking without the necessary warm-up, improper kicking, and even miscalculations in the moment and distance of one’s kicks could result in injuries to the ankle, the knee, or the hip and, sometimes, to bone fracture. You can only hope that such injuries are not permanent or recur when least desirable.

To effectively use kicks in a fight, you need to be very flexible and in top physical condition. You have to be powerful, precise, very quick, and always balanced, even on one foot. The typical eskrima practitioner does not have to be as in shape yet he can still be an effective fighter because he does not exhaust himself by chasing after the opponent but conserves his energy by waiting until contact is made and then, at that moment, engages the opponent.

The traditional eskrimador does not fight as an athlete.  His martial art is not a sport; it is self-defense.  And when an eskrimador fights, he keeps to his strengths and exploits his opponent’s weaknesses.

This is not to say that the eskrimador need not be fit. In fact, he will find that his effectiveness as a fighter, training, and the quality of his techniques will improve greatly the healthier he is.

But then, because it does not have a formal system of techniques, the practice of traditional eskrima often, in reality, becomes a matter of personal choice. Which is why many practitioners will usually have their own idiosyncrasies in movement, rhythm, and technique even if they were taught by the same master.

Ultimately, the question of developing kicking proficiency in eskrima is best left for the practitioner to decide.