Lead Knee
Knees · Lead side (Orthodox left, Southpaw right)
Straight knee off the lead leg, driving the hip forward.
How to throw it
Drive the lead knee straight up and forward into the target, pushing the hip through so the point of the knee lands with your bodyweight behind it. It fires quickly off the front leg with less travel, so pop it up sharply and thrust the hips forward on contact. Keep a tight guard or use a collar tie to control the opponent and stay balanced on the base leg.
When to use it
Use it in close as a fast knee that fits inside the clinch or at short range where kicks are too long. It is a quick weapon to the body or thigh when you are chest to chest and need to score without stepping back.
Common mistakes
- Only lifting the leg without driving the hip forward, so the knee taps instead of spearing.
- Leaning too far back for balance, which shortens the knee and telegraphs it.
- Losing posture or the collar tie so the opponent turns you off the strike.