Lead Side Kick → Cross
EasyLead Side Kick to Cross is a range-controlling two-piece from the karate roots of American kickboxing. You stop the advance with the leg, then punish the way back in.
What this combo trains
This combination builds distance management and timing off a stopping strike. The side kick teaches you to hold an opponent at the end of your leg and jam their entry, while the cross rewards you for reading the moment they step back into range. Throwing linear then rotational trains two very different power sources back to back.
Step by step
- 1.Lead Side Kick
Drive the blade of your lead foot straight into the midsection to stop their advance; keep it linear and push through so it holds them off at the end of your leg.
- 2.Cross
As you recover the kicking foot and they come back into range, fire the cross off the rear hand, rotating the hip through so the punch meets them on the way in.
Common mistakes
- Kicking upward like a roundhouse instead of driving the side kick linearly into the midsection, which kills its stopping power.
- Planting the kicking foot flat-footed and out of stance so the cross has no base to rotate from.
- Throwing the cross late, after they have already reset, instead of catching them on their return.
- Letting the rear hand drop while you kick, leaving the head open during the recovery.
Who it suits
A beginner-friendly two-piece for both orthodox and southpaw, since the app mirrors every strike to your stance. It suits anyone learning to use the kick as a range tool rather than just a power shot.
Why it works
The side kick jams their entry and holds them at the end of your leg; as they come back in, the cross meets them. Straight out of the karate roots of American kickboxing.