Today’s blog will be about the “flick kick”, which is sometimes just called a boot kick since it works best with a shod foot, particularly one using a boot where the sole projects a little. The flick kick is used on targets below knee level, such as the shin and calf muscles.
Turn your lead foot so that its outer edge is towards the target, then swing the leg in an arc to hit the target. The obvious way to use the Flick kick is from a side on stance but you can also deliver a Flick kick to targets that are in front, behind or at your corners. Practice kicking to the eight points of the compass.
The Flick kick is a low version of the side purring kick we discuss in the book, but can also incorporate elements of the Side Thrust kick. The flick kick can also be thrown as a low crescent kick if your foot is not directly in line with the target. You can also make it as a variant of Savate’s Coup de Pied Bas that hits with the outer edge of the foot.
A good way to train for the flick kick is for a friend to hold a walking stick as a target. Use tape or similar to mark it at knee level and keep you strikes below this mark. Have him move around and kick at the stick whenever it is on the ground and you can manoeuvre to bring it into range.