Connecting And Mixing Up Kickboxing Combinations From Ernesto Hoost
There are unspoken rules to kickboxing or striking in MMA. Executing a well trained combination is one thing, but you must back it up by mixing up your striking combinations. Throwing the same combo in a fight over and over will make it easier for your opponent to get the upper hand on you. A fighter that is predictable in how they offensively connect with their punches will often find themself on the canvas.
Mixing up your combinations to become more unpredictable makes it extremely hard for your opponent to gage how to defend or counter your striking. A good fighter will throw 2, 3 and 4 hit combinations with different punches and kicks, this will help keep their opponent guessing on what's coming next.
Connecting good combinations will often end with a deadly kick. You might catch your opponent with your cross or hook but most opponents will block and evade initial strikes, so landing that deadly body kick on the exit off the combo is extremely important.
Understanding the concept of mixing up your striking, back up your combos with different strikes but still ending with kicks. You can change the foot you kick with or switch stances in between, as long as your opponent is having to change their perception of how they defend you.
You must learn and practise the ability to throw different combinations if you want to become a successful fighter. Mixing up your combos will ensure that you are hard to read to your opponent but it also allows you to show the full capabilities of your striking arsenal.
In this video we take instructions from one of the world's best kickboxers, Ernesto Hoost and we learn the importance of his concepts on setting up kickboxing combinations.
Who Is Ernesto Hoost?
Ernesto Hoost was born in 1965 and lived in Heemskerk, North Holland. He started kickboxing at age 15 and only 8 years later his career took off as he entered the K1 World championship. He became “Mr Perfect” fighting the best of the best in the Super Heavyweight division. He became a 4 time K1 World Champion and has an astonishing kickboxing record of 99 wins 21 losses and 1 draw, including 62 knockouts! Ernesto Hoost is considered one of the best strikers in the world, so rest assured you're in good hands!
Check Out Ernesto's Masterclass On Kickboxing! Click Learn More!
Connecting Punches And Kicks!
Technique Breakdown
This video starts with Ernesto Hoost explaining that we can throw 2, 3 or 4 hit combinations ending with a kick. It really doesn't matter how many strikes we throw into our combination, what's more important is changing our combination the second time so we become unpredictable.
The example in this video starts with a left hook then a right middle kick as the first combination. Now to mix up your opponent you could throw left hook, left hook then right middle kick. Follow up that combo with left hook, right straight, left hook and right middle kick. Changing up your combinations makes it extremely hard for your opponent to time his attacks.
Having a great combination that you do well is far outweighed by a group of changing combinations. For example If you have a great jab, cross and kick combination then it is only effective if your opponent is not aware of it. Mixing up your combos will leave your opponent unaware of when you throw in your favourite combo, maximising your chance to knockout your opponent.
Using this concept you have an infinite number of variations that you could use in your combos. Learn and practise them all so you too can mix up your offensive weaponry, keep your opponents guessing and become world class at connecting and changing up your kickboxing combinations.
Learn More From Ernesto Hoost!
If you like this concept of fighting and you want to sharpen up your striking, learn it from Kickboxing legend Ernesto Hoost and check out his series The Dutch Kickboxing Blueprint by Ernesto Hoost Available exclusively on Dynamic Striking!