Simple/Effective Set Ups For The Leg Kick With Marlon Moraes

There is a general rule when it comes to kicks in combat sports like Muay Thai, Kickboxing and MMA. That rule is that when you want to throw a kick, you should set it up with your hands first. This is because kicks, for the most part, are pretty big movements that your opponent’s will be easily able to see coming.

If you throw a kick naked, meaning with no set up, you make it very easy for your opponent to see and then block and/or counter the strike you just threw. Throwing punches is a great way to set up your kicks. 

First, throwing punches, especially to the head of your opponent, gets their hands up, which makes it hard for them to block picks with their hands. Throwing punches also gets your opponent to focus on your hands, which makes it so they can’t see a kick coming and aren’t thinking one is coming anyways. 

That being said, there are a few ways to set up your kicks. That’s why we’ve brought in one of the best fighters in the UFC to show you how it’s done.

In this video, Marlon Moraes goes over how you can set up your leg kicks. 

Who Is Marlon Moraes 

Marlon Moraes is a UFC fighter who competes in the promotions bantamweight division. He is a long time member of the division’s top 10 and he’s competed for the division's title and even has a win over MMA great Jose Aldo. He is well known for his savage striking, especially when it comes to his kicks. 

How To Set Up Your Low Kicks

The video starts off with Marlon talking about the importance of using punches to set up legs kicks. The leg kick Marlon shows in this video is a rare one, it’s a switch kick to the legs and not a step up kick to the leg. 

Marlon also emphasizes the importance of being able to switch quickly when you throw the kick. If you aren’t fast when you switch, your opponent will be able to pick up your timing to defend and counter you. 

Marlon also emphasizes the importance of throwing punches after you kick as well. This will help you reset your stance after kicking and prevent your opponent from countering you.

You can throw whatever punches you want before and after the kick just remember to throw something. For the video, Marlon demonstrates this system by throwing a standard jab cross into a low switch kick then returns with a cross and a jab after. 

Remember that this method of setting up and returning from kicks doesn’t only apply to low kicks. You should set up kicks to legs, body and head all with punches, especially since the higher you throw a kick, the longer it will take. This means that your opponent will have more time to see it coming. 

So make sure that you set up your kicks, because it’s basically setting up knockouts. 

Learn More From Marlon Moraes 

BUY NOW