I just got home from a 10 round sparring war. And thought that maybe I could share some easy kickboxing combinations. So here I will give you my list of 10 different combinations. Most of them I frequently use myself.
10. Jab→Cross→Headkick
This is something I frequently use in sparring and it works almost every time. You will use the jab and the cross to get your opponent to become stationary and cover up. And by doing that it will give you the opportunity to step out with your lead leg and create an angle. Allowing you to throw the kick without the opponent seeing it coming. So the jab and the cross is basically just a distraction from the kick. Therefore they don’t have to be placed with full force. Just make sure you look like you commit to it.
In MMA there is one specific fighter who uses this combination very effectively. His name is Stephen Thompson and he comes from a Karate background. I will paste a link to him using this technique here.
9. Body hook→Lead hook→Low kick
This combo is very basic and effective. When you first go to the body with the rear hand the opponent will most likely drop his hands slightly allowing you to sneak in with the lead hook to his/her dome. Following up with a low kick to the thigh. As you first go to the body you duck and step out and forward with the lead leg creating an angle. You then go to the head with the lead hook and then turn your whole body over to land the low kick.
8. Jab→Body cross→Jab→Head kick
This move is really effective and is a must on a list with easy kickboxing combinations. You first go to the head with the jab then duck under and step forward to go to the body with the cross. Then you go up again to the head with the jab as you simultaneously charge up with a kick which will land right after the jab. I don’t use this so often but the trick is. If you do it correctly you will probably only need to do it once.
This move was perfectly executed by Donald Cerrone in a UFC match and i will link the video below.
7. Overhand→Body kick
this technique is very easy to learn and generates a whole lot of power. As you throw the rear hand you will use the energy of that punch to generate force to your hips. Resulting in a very powerful kick. So step by step. First step forward with the lead leg as you throw the overhand. Then step out with your rear leg with the foot pointing outwards and land the kick to the guts.
I use this quite a lot and it’s crazy how much power you can generate with this combination.
6. Body cross→Lead hook
A very effective move is the cross to the body followed up with the lead hook. This combination will make your opponent protect his body and that’s when you go for the head with the hook. It is also a good counter-attack if your opponent commits with a cross. Then you just duck under, step forward to land the body cross and quickly goes for the kill with the hook.
Kickboxer Gokhan Saki has used this combo a number of times. I will link an example below where he knocks his opponent out with it.
5. Easy Kickboxing Combinations – Cross→Switch kick
When talking about basic kickboxing combinations i couldn’t leave this one out. Very basic yet so effective technique. First, you throw the cross, then you do a switch step to change your stance and immediately goes for the high kick. When doing this quickly you will often catch your opponent completely off-guard with the high kick. And some pointers on the switch step. Don’t jump in one movement but do it like a 2 step instead. This will increase your balance and power significantly when throwing the kick.
When people jump to switch stance they are taking away all momentum they previously had. Instead try to make it flow to preserve the energy from the first punch. I will link a video of famous Mixed martial artist Fedor Emelianenko teaching how to do the switch step. Look from 1:45 minutes into the video.
4. Lead uppercut→Cross→Leg kick
A very good move to add to the list of easy kickboxing combinations is the lead uppercut/cross/leg kick. You start with the lead uppercut, then you go for the cross while you step forward with your rear leg and point your foot outwards to land the lead leg kick. I usually commit almost fully to the first punches which in turn will make your opponent respect your power and cover up, leaving a whole set of ribs open for the kick.
3. Easy Kickboxing Combinations – Jab→Cross→jab
Incredibly basic but very lethal with the right timing is the jab/cross/jab. Probably one of the most used combinations in martial arts. When fully committing to the punches you will most probably land a great deal of damage to your opponent. But the key factor in this combo is timing. If you can time your opponent right before he/she throws a punch you will totally catch them off-guard.
Here I have an example of this move in an MMA fight between Anderson Silva and Chris Leben. Notice how he shifts his whole weight forward. And thereby land the punches with crazy power.
2. Body jab→Body cross→Lead hook→Low kick
This one is a little bit more complicated. But definitely worth trying. You start by going low to the body with the jab and cross. Then you go high with the hook or you could go to the body with the hook also. Then you commit fully to the rear leg low kick. This one can really make a ton of damage. You know what I’m talking about if you ever got hit hard in the guts. And then on top of that a leg kick. This combination can bring the biggest of men to their knees crying.
Kickboxer Duane Ludwig used this successfully in a clip I will link below. Look from 1:36 and you will see what I mean.
1. Easy Kickboxing Combinations – Lead leg body kick → Cross
This is one of my favorites. It just allows you to land the cross with such force because you use the “recoil” of the body kick to generate power. When I do this combo I throw the lead leg to the body than fast back to the original position while I twist my body with the leg to generate force for the cross. It almost always penetrates the opponents’ guard.
So here you have my list of the best combinations to learn in kickboxing and I hope you’ve found it useful.
Make sure you check out the best self-defense moves to learn aswell!