The Martial Brain

It's the burgeoning kicker's job, ideally with the help of a good coach, to learn to make sure that it's not easy for an opponent to gain an attachment to his or her kicking leg; and also to learn what to do when the opponent succeeds in doing so.

Should I kick hard and risk doing as much damage to myself as to my opponent; or should I hold back some kicking power to protect my legs and feet, making my kicking game less useful?

Contacting a target with a kick makes you subject to the physics of collisions.

When done well, kicking is the human body's equivalent of heavy artillery; powerful enough to break bones, destroy thick joints, or to send an opponent stumbling or sometimes even flying across the room.

This testing process had been the hardest I had ever done as a martial artist.

My left thigh became so sore and swollen that at one point, when Rob scored a clean kick to my head, snapping it way back; I remember feeling glad that he hadn't kicked my leg again.

Jeff describes the notorious Thai Boxing Association Instructor test, and his decision to take it.

Jeff describes the early years of his Muay Thai education.

Jeff describes his misconceptions about and experiences with Muay Thai in the early part of his martial arts career.

Jeff begins a series of episodes about his journey in Thai Boxing.