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Devastating Oblique Kick To Take Out An Attacker’s Knee

Simple But Devastating

The simplicity of this kick is exactly what makes it so effective. When adrenaline is rushing through your system this is exactly the kind of simple and effective move you will be able to remember and execute in the heat of the moment. This self-defense technique targets the knee, which as you know is a very vulnerable joint. Not only is it anatomically vulnerable, but it is rarely defended by an attacker who is much more worried about a punch to his face.

Breaking It Down

As Paul says in the video, it doesn’t get much simpler than this, and since most common fighting stances put one leg (the lead leg) in front of the other, most attackers will be sending you an open invitation to take out that lead knee.

The key to making this move successful is to strike the knee right when your opponent shows signs of throwing a punch. By making the move quick you will strike him first, taking out his ability to stand and deliver the punch, but keep in mind, this is not a lead-off move. Your attacker must be distracted in order to use this little self-defense trick.

Practice Tips

When you are practicing this self-defense technique be sure to have your partner keep his knee bent and aim for his shin. The knee is very sensitive and even at practice speed landing your foot on a locked-out knee can cause a lot of damage.

With that said, go practice this technique. It’s way too easy not to learn and adds one more self-defense technique to your bag of nasty fighting tricks.

About the Author

Paul is a Jeet Kune Do master who learned under Dan Inosanto (Bruce Lee’s main student and training partner). He is also a master in several other arts and is so well respected in the industry that he was hired by the Navy to teach his hand-to-hand and knife fighting skills to the Navy SEALs, including the elite SEAL Team 6.

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191 thoughts on “Devastating Oblique Kick To Take Out An Attacker’s Knee”

  1. Thank you. One of the few kicks I am actually good at. Used in once to get a blow in on a un-hittable training partner(the only blow I landed). Excellent self-defense kick. Been a fan of Paul’s for a long time.

  2. Thank you for these quick lessons, Sir. I personally appreciate the prudent advice.

    Very Respectfully,

    Major Jim Ivey, USA, Ret.

  3. Yes, indeed, sometimes just a quick pounch or kick is what you need to finish a fight, thank you for this video

  4. You want a better kick?…  Turn your foot all the way over the opposite direction and drive straight in with the blade of the foot.  It will allow your hips to turn which is where your power is coming from anyway.  What you are doing is a simple leg check that stops their forward movement which is ok, but it won't break a leg.

  5. This is sad. You're 'training' these 'average joes' things they think will save them? no. what bs. your so called techniques are impractical, take too long, are obvious to the attacker, and put you off balance. not to mention it seems as though paul spent more time on his hair and on deciding whether or not to button his shirt than he did actually thinking about real world application to his technique. I highly doubt he has any experience with real violence. this is ridiculous. and, let me just say, as a woman, and a martial artist, I take great offense to your advertisement saying "her safety is your responsibility as a man". hell no. my safety is MY responsibility, and to put it in anyone else's hands makes me STUPID. just like buying into these pathetic time wasters is STUPID. 

  6. In reply to Bailey’s comment above. I think this is an excellent technique & far superior to the type of Flying Crescent Spinning Back Kick C**p I spent 20 years practicing in my Traditional Martial Arts Dojo. As for Paul not having any experience with real violence, may I suggest you do a little research, my dear.

  7. This is good stuff, keep it up….Bailey, you seem to be very in touch, knowledgeable and almost expert with the concept of what is STUPID and the whole STUPID mentality, good for you, you keep it up too.

  8. JIE..GON..DAN..YI.

    I practice Wing Chun Kung Fu daily and this is similar to one of the three kicks we use which is the front kick.

    We have three kicks: to counter a kick…kick on the knee or groin and on stomach or rib area followed by a devastating chain punches to the face, palm strike to the nose or knife-edge cutting elbow blows.

    You’re videos have been improving my fighting skills and will use what I’ve learned to my advantage.

    Thnak

  9. This move looks to be a great equalizer. The tall attacker doesn’t have any advantage when you use a move like this, provided your kick is not a little love tap. If thrown with full force to the knee area, down goes your attacker. This would be one move you could walk away from your attacker instead of run away. One last thing. As you are leaving the scene of the attack, always keep the attacker in you view until you know you are safely away. This will alert you if you didn’t hurt the attacker as bad as you thought or his buddies come to his aid and he points you out as the one that did him in. When you turn your back on your oponnent you are just asking for things to go wrong.

  10. Thank you for ALL the videos you have sent me.I teach this to my students and have changed my way of teaching.Your videos have opened my eyes as to what real self defense is.

  11. A good, simple, direct technique which doesn’t require we older, stiff, banged up folks to stretch four hours a day and have the flexibility of a Cirque Du Soleil hula hoop girl. I also like the Bob Ross-like, mellow, pleasant, and warm way in which the gentleman teaches. Happy little trees and oblique kicks to the knee. Works for me, man!

  12. I love these little videos…..they always remind me that even though I am much older now and crippled up….I’m still not totally defenseless.

    Hopefully in the near future, I will be able to purchase some of your videos.

    Thank you so much.

  13. Great job Paul! Still trying to make it out to sunny CA for our 3 day training! Just been crazy schedule for me of late!!
    Hope you are well…God bless!
    Gunny

  14. i hope u did not gorget the trimalleous bones, with no feet or ankles abig man cannot operate. best deense against any one ifur close enough, no mater their strength, they will scream and holler . then u ha beter either waste them or run. works very well from the front no matter,the weapon or technique . spit in their face . while i was in boot camp this soldier made $500 in a half hour doing this he sat in a chair had both his hands tied. another soldier stod in front of him and threw a punch the one tied spit in the attackers face. he brougt back the very hand / or punch he threw and wiped the spit off of his while screaming at the same time my drill instructor was on a date in suit and tie . aperson tried to rob him with a knife , when atacked he spit in te persons face the knife was dropped and as he stood their wiping andscreaming the di continued walking with his date

  15. On these training videos I’d like to see the opponent/aggressor or whatever you wanna call it/him to be a person who typically looks like a street person ie a thug/bully/ predator type,lets say a very big person with tatts and very muscly so that the viewer gets a clearer idea of how these techniques actually can work? I notice how on just about all these self defense dvds that the person who the instructor is demonstrating and showing his techniques are usually smaller or of egual size to him. Wouldnt it help the viewer to see how a smaller, weaker person can drop a person who is say for arguments sake,an enraged bohemoth of a monster type of guy who is about to tear you head off???

  16. Thank you so much for these “free” lessons. A lot has gone into teaching the truth about fighting. I have learned so much and will keep following what you are presenting. I really highly recommend Paul Vunak, I have followed his training for about 20 plus years. I love the spirit of simplicity, that is the key to confident defense. Good stuff!

  17. thanks so much paul for the free video i truly love this type of self defense & learning everything you have to offer. i am a big fan. thank you so much for taking the time. Gary.

  18. Really ” COOL”” Effective kick too instanly, change an attackers intent and out come…. AWESOME ” THANKS for sharing.!

  19. Perfect!

    Thank you for that simple tactic! I am really loving the course I purchased from you also. Woke me back up! I had not trained real fighting tactics since I got out of the service.

    I forgot how nice it is to get my confidence and awareness of my surroundings back. Perfect timing!

    Thank you!

  20. Great Move, I,ve always wondered how to kick the knee to disable an attacker. I read this is a great move and, causes a lot of pain in even the largest opponents. They drop like a stone……… Thanks again guys…….. Keep up the great work !!!

  21. I am 65 years old and twice i have used this technique. It is very effective. But never turn your back on anyone. Leave the area asap. You don’t want to talk with the police because you could be charged with assault even thought you were the one first attacted. If you don’t want to believe me just stick around and be arrested.

  22. I to have used this kick works OK . however that said I have seen, this kick gone a little off center of the knee cap,,, this was crippling..shattered knee caps..x-rays of under side knee cap to look exactly an egg shell when slammed down flat..ending my wifes martial arts training,,as well as a seconded lady ,all in about 2 seconds, in the dojo by a black belt without any control,this style of japan karate is taught full contact..train very carefully.. ((it is taught kicking a post to train.very good idea))!!must have power to work…you will not be followed by the perp….nor will he follow any one else without surgery

  23. I to have used this kick works OK . however that said I have seen, this kick gone a little off center of the knee cap,,, this was crippling..shattered knee caps..x-rays of under side knee cap to look exactly an egg shell when slammed down flat..ending my wifes martial arts training, ..train very carefully.. ((it is taught kicking a post to train.very good idea))!!must have power to work…you will not be followed by the perp.

  24. A knee kick is probably one of the most effective fight-stoppers. Very few people look to defend past their face if at all. Some protect their crotch, almost none defend their knees. If someone’s eyes are locked on your face and they are throwing a punch, you will stop the fight with taking out their knee. Even if you mess up a bit and don’t destroy the joint, you will slow them down enough to get away.

  25. Wow…great move and information. Thanks for all the continuing information that you send. Being an older person, this is a simple and affective way for me to quickly end a confrontation should it happen. Thanks again and please keep them coming.

  26. Having suffered a devastating (and career-ending) knee injury in 1980- I feel I have a bit of authority in this particular arena. The kick shown can very easily disable or permanently cripple an opponent. Very difficult to block effectively and remember it only takes 17 lbs pressure to tear connective tissue.

  27. This comment is directed to Bailey. I don’t know about how your browser or e-mail server is set up but no one is forcing me to receive ( or watch) these video instructions. I am 59 and having grown up on the streets of NYC I have first hand experience defending myself against thugs that have no concept of the”Marquess of Queensberry rules ” I started learning to box when I was 13 and then moved on to Martial Arts. These lessons are designed to give people who are otherwise unprepared to defend themselves in the “real world” of street fighting and many of them have no concept of the realities involved nor the weak spots that every opponent has no matter how big (or small) tough or strong. No one has “tough eyes . knee caps, or wind pipes. These techniques and lessons are meant to instill the “killer instinct necessary to survive an encounter with an assailant that doesn’t care if he kill’s or maims you and the help a novice by teaching them to target areas that are vulnerable and may give the defender a chance to save their life and escape from an attacker. Since you are a trained Martial artist you obviously don’t require these rudimentary lessons. So I suggest you stop wasting your time viewing them and our time by taking up space with your negative your comments. One more thing ,your comments about your responsibility to take care of your own defense indicate a deeper seated issue with women’s issues and sexist politics. I would suggest you and your girlfriend concentrate on your political agenda and don’t confuse the one with the other ( helping people without years of self defense training have a chance of surviving an attack. You are probably no longer subscribed to this service but I wanted people who still are (especially new people) to know that the lessons and tips shown here are not going to turn someone into an instant “Bruce Lee” but they will give someone a “fighting chance” in the event they fall victim to an attack and perhaps this will also provide the impetus to motivate them to seek further training and a regiment of physical fitness. And thank you to “Fight Fast” for providing this public service. I for one have found it to be very helpful.

  28. to Victor I don’t know who you are studying with but wing chun kicks are never above groin area you have the kneecap inside the knee outside of the knee shin and ankle anything above the waist puts you in danger I have studied wing chun for many yrs and am chung si to Joseph Cowles who learned directly from Bruce Lee who Learned from Yip Man never never kick above the groin if you are on gravel you could wind up flat on your back and in serious trouble and your chain punches down the center line are called blasting ram

  29. Well I have used that action twice in my life. The first time as I was getting discharged from The Marine Corps five brave men decided they were going to kick my butt cuz this would be their last shot. I didnt wait, because I was invincible at 22, I used the kick on the lead brave boy and he went down in pain and stayed there, the four brave souls backed off.
    Again I used it when I was in my 60s in a strong arm robbery attempt, he got too close worked like a charm.
    Good tips that work. I like ’em. Now as a man who is 75 and in pretty good shape, Im a target because of my age, surprise waiting.. in more than one form

    Dude McLean

  30. Now you are talking! That is a fantastic move that anyone can remember when you are
    scared to death. Thank you, Mr. Vunak for this life saving tip!
    Sunny

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  32. Paul Vunak is the real deal.Paul is both practical and pragmatic in his instructional methods and he strips away the superfluous flab and rhetoric from essential street defense.As for that Bailey person…some people are just pissed because people can now access practical street defense without having to sweat it out in some over priced dojo.What a lot of the so called purists fail to understand is that many people live in rural communities and they can`t access fully qualified instructors or training facilities and they have to rely on the internet for much of their practical instruction.In a perfect world everyone could access a competent instructor and a well equipped functional dojo but this is NOT a perfect world.Paul Vunak is providing a valuable service and we are grateful for his contribution.As for Bailey go eat S”#t and get over yourself.

  33. I have experienced a powerful sober man driven perfectly mad for the moment by two servings of so-called rum, supplied to him at one of
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  34. Thanks for the tip…all tips appreciated, Bob. You guys just may save someone’s bacon with your suggestions. Thank-You again and take care. Best Wishes. – GDH

    P.S.- I wish you were around doing this 50 years ago!

  35. Thank you very much for these tips. I work in a correctional facility and I’m around inmates most of the time. I have never had to use anything I have learned yet, but I feel better and more safe while being at work.

  36. This is the best sight I’ve ever encountered. I’ve received so much free info I’d never need to purchase any but plan on building me a self defence library in the coming months! Thank you Fight Fast! GlenHolt

  37. This is a kick used by a lot of martial arts. The first time I learned it was in Isshin Ryu back in 1993. I have seen it used in American Kenpo, Ninjitsu, Haganahs F.I.G.H.T. program, also in Tang Soo Do. Go and kick a tree or telephone pole to develop power. Wear shoes of course, within a couples of days you will have enough power to hurt or cripple someone. To make any move work you have to do the work and practice.

  38. Yes, I agree, this is a very easy and it will work. I’ve been hit there a couple of times with this and I was just lucky that the person I was practicing with wasn’t meaning to be causing any harm. Best Wishes. – GDH

    Just slip it right in there!

  39. I am 62 and have a bad ‘back’ disability. My income is does not afford me much. I studied kun tao 25 years ago but am limited to what i can do. These brief tips really help me with a defense that usually doesnt cause the excruciating pain of hours of training would but help with my ability to defend myself. Thank you so very much.

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