You think I watch you for your hair? 😂. You are a pretty boy, but I care more about the experience that got you those shiny belts behind you. You added to our leg checking accounts today. Thanks. Enjoy your hair while it lasts you.
1. flex stomach so body isn't shifted 2. foot hang directly below knee 3. toes lift up so squeezed and stable, locked 4. angle of leg 6:05 slightly to side, shins slightly turned out so no hit calf 5. legs raised till above upper thigh level with knee, so standing leg not exposed or too low 6. step back down or forward with cross to close distance
Hi Gabriel! Started Muay Thai 2 months ago and been practicing your technique during my non training days! Your videos are awesome!! i surprised my sparring partner every week with your techniques hahaha! Please keep posting!! Much love from Hong Kong!
We're roughly the same level! So cool! Training Muay Thai has totally changed my life & I'm hooked. They started you on sparring a lot earlier. I just had my first sparring session last week. Loved it, but my checks weren't great. I had to narrow my stance & work a lot more on blocking body shots.
@@AK-jt7kh that's awesome to hear! Yeah sparring definitely takes time to get used to. So different from just hitting the bag haha but as long as we keep working on it we will get better 😁💪🏻
Regarding pointing the toes or not, I've gotten clipped on the bottom of the foot quite a few times because my foot was up rather than pointed down. I recognize this is due to other preventable errors (I could have raised my leg less, etc.), but for that reason I always advise people to begin checking with the toes pointed down. I still have a lingering bruise in the joint of my big toe and it's been at least a month since the last time that happened.
Please don't advise incorrectly, toes up is the way because it tenses the calf muscles, protecting bone and nerve from the painful kick. If you get hit in the foot then you are raising your leg way too much since one should check with the upper part of theshin/lower knee. For calf kicks it is better to do a planted check.
Yeah, flexing the lower leg muscles is important. The tibialis anterior is small but really important as a muscle. I also don’t wanna have my toes down on a check that’s lifted too high and wear their shin on the top of my foot, either. Take care, now!
This, along with your high guard, are 2 of your most impressive attributes. This was helpful for me, as this is one area I'm interested in teaching better
You can sorta point your toes up or down to make different parts of your muscles more harder for blocking the kick if you cant block it eith the thick part under the knee or the shinbone. Like when you do a roundhouse sweep you want to leave your toes pointed super up so your calve muscle is super bouncy and dense to help sweep your enemy.
What I like to do when checking, is not to just pick my leg up, but to slam my shin into opponent's shin, it disrupts the rhythm, and it will work for some of the fakes where you change trajectory. Also, in some cases it lands to a calf or the side wof shin instead of the blade. If their shins are more conditioned, or your's is hurt, you can slow down your leg just before the impact, and the kick will not reach enough speed to do damage
Hey Gabriel, how do you deal with trainers who disagree with certain techniques? For example, my instructor always drills being on the balls of your feet when checking kicks. He also drills bringing your checking leg up really high in case the body kick comes. He's a great instructor, and I definitely don't want to disrespect him, but I also don't want to drill things that won't help me progress. Any tips?
They told me the same but its harder to balance when absorbing impact. Im glad u said that as i hated it too. Dont know if your trainers right or wrong but it dont feel right to me
Either do the drill or leave and find a new gym. I dont always like the drills they get me to do at Muay thai, best to do it unless your willing to leave, i am not willing to leave.
So it sounds like your instructor's check is a more exaggerated motion. If you're drilling a more exaggerated motion, then when you're fast and just twitching it out, it'll probably come out the way you want anyways. Just think of it as practicing a more difficult check so you can go to the easy one when you need.
I've noticed that flexing the foot up also help against some sweeps. When someone fakes a kick and then tries to pull on your blocking leg with their foot, it's easier to fight it that way, at least for me. With the foot pointing down it's easier for the opponent to hook their feet around your heel and take your balance.
To me, foot pointing down when checking is only for pure relaxed speed. Usually i do toe up like you for the extra leg density because I have enough time.
do you have any thoughts on Alex Pereira and Jose Aldo checking calf kicks by lifting their lower leg up, almost heel to bum? Seems very effective. Strickland also checked a few kicks with a similar style with good effect
I have quite a different problem, I can check kicks consistenrly with kicks aimed at my front leg - but guys in my gym keep cutting angles to kick my rear leg (My lead cross check sometimes can't reach to such an extreme angle)
Should we do reps of leg lifts/checks with a little extra oomph, to ensure speed? Or should we train it at the speed, reach and intensity which we intend to apply in combat?
How to check kicks to the inner thigh? Like, the guy uses the front leg to kick my own front leg in the inner thigh? It hurts like hell even when the kick is weak and you can't really tighten the muscle up there to take it
I'm somewhat new and one of my training partners said I shouldn't check low kicks in sparring or I could break someone's shin...is this something I should actually be be concerned with?
That’s insane. You need to practice checking in sparring. Your sparring partner should not be kicking hard enough to break their shin. Is this person new?
Not at all, they just want to land their kicks and not feel any pain or resistance. Your sparring partner shouldn’t be throwing full blast leg kicks to get their shin broken and you need to practice checking kicks. They also need to know what it’s like to have their kicks checked so they can be more selective when throwing them.
If someone is throwing flick kicks hard enough to hurt themselves that's kinda their own fault.... Imagine if that hard kick hit you right in the tendons? You might wanna find a new gym.
What’s your thoughts on Ernesto Hoost Style checking where you primarily use the knee and upper shin and pull back the leg in order to further damage the opponent. Obviously requires more accurate checks but it seemed to work to devastating effect for him.
Hey whatsup @GabrielVargaOfficial i was just wondering if you could explain how michael venom page injured Goiti yamaouchi (bellator 299)despite hitting him in the knee. Isint the knee supposed to be strong enough to take an impact like that and hurt the opponent more than themselves. What could goiti have done to prevent that injury, how should he have checked?
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I’ll be honest, your hair looks great
You think I watch you for your hair? 😂. You are a pretty boy, but I care more about the experience that got you those shiny belts behind you. You added to our leg checking accounts today. Thanks.
Enjoy your hair while it lasts you.
Bro making me feel self conscious, I haven't had hair for years 😂
Hair looks good bruhv 😂 you overthinking that ish.
Looking forward to the next hair raising video
"best way to check kicks is to just check the kick"
-Icy Mike
1. flex stomach so body isn't shifted
2. foot hang directly below knee
3. toes lift up so squeezed and stable, locked
4. angle of leg 6:05 slightly to side, shins slightly turned out so no hit calf
5. legs raised till above upper thigh level with knee, so standing leg not exposed or too low
6. step back down or forward with cross to close distance
Hi Gabriel! Started Muay Thai 2 months ago and been practicing your technique during my non training days! Your videos are awesome!! i surprised my sparring partner every week with your techniques hahaha! Please keep posting!! Much love from Hong Kong!
people who do their homework are the best people in the world...
What gym do u go to in Hong Kong?
oh@@kk007327
We're roughly the same level! So cool! Training Muay Thai has totally changed my life & I'm hooked.
They started you on sparring a lot earlier. I just had my first sparring session last week. Loved it, but my checks weren't great. I had to narrow my stance & work a lot more on blocking body shots.
@@AK-jt7kh that's awesome to hear! Yeah sparring definitely takes time to get used to. So different from just hitting the bag haha but as long as we keep working on it we will get better 😁💪🏻
This is awesome info. I've not seen it explained to this extent before. Thanks Gabriel.
the best coach ever, thanks champ
1. upper body stays still
2. raise knee (not too high)
3. toe toward the outside
4. fire some combos after you check
Underrated content, underrated channel, my sparring partners have been lighting up my lead front leg, thank you 🙏🏽
I wouldnt say 200k sub is underrated for a fighting youtube channel. The community is not as big as gaming or commentary per say.
What a useful video, thank you so much for making this video Gabriel, it is really useful for me!
My pleasure!
Nice one Gabriel. Great tutorial as always. Thank you.
You make everything look so easy. 💪🏻 Thank you for sharing your tremendous knowledge! 🙏🏻
Thanks Gabe, low kicks are the bane of my existence. That flexing of the toes really helps stabilize it though!
Very, VERY nice lesson.
Thanks for sharing the knowledge!
Beautiful explanation.
Hello idol, watching from the Philippines
Thanks for joining 😊
The mark of a highly skilled martial artist, is if they can easyly explain complex details effectivly in a short time. Great video!
checks are a whole topic.. My first day at gym coach went directly to the Ernesto Hoost check, there is also the planted check for calf kicks, etc etc
Regarding pointing the toes or not, I've gotten clipped on the bottom of the foot quite a few times because my foot was up rather than pointed down.
I recognize this is due to other preventable errors (I could have raised my leg less, etc.), but for that reason I always advise people to begin checking with the toes pointed down.
I still have a lingering bruise in the joint of my big toe and it's been at least a month since the last time that happened.
Please don't advise incorrectly, toes up is the way because it tenses the calf muscles, protecting bone and nerve from the painful kick. If you get hit in the foot then you are raising your leg way too much since one should check with the upper part of theshin/lower knee. For calf kicks it is better to do a planted check.
Yeah, flexing the lower leg muscles is important. The tibialis anterior is small but really important as a muscle. I also don’t wanna have my toes down on a check that’s lifted too high and wear their shin on the top of my foot, either.
Take care, now!
This, along with your high guard, are 2 of your most impressive attributes. This was helpful for me, as this is one area I'm interested in teaching better
your hair is amazing gabriel don’t worry
This is gold
Excellent video
You can sorta point your toes up or down to make different parts of your muscles more harder for blocking the kick if you cant block it eith the thick part under the knee or the shinbone. Like when you do a roundhouse sweep you want to leave your toes pointed super up so your calve muscle is super bouncy and dense to help sweep your enemy.
Thanks for all the content you consistently put out! But personally i vote you grow the hair out
What I like to do when checking, is not to just pick my leg up, but to slam my shin into opponent's shin, it disrupts the rhythm, and it will work for some of the fakes where you change trajectory. Also, in some cases it lands to a calf or the side wof shin instead of the blade. If their shins are more conditioned, or your's is hurt, you can slow down your leg just before the impact, and the kick will not reach enough speed to do damage
Thank you sir
Hey Gabriel, how do you deal with trainers who disagree with certain techniques? For example, my instructor always drills being on the balls of your feet when checking kicks. He also drills bringing your checking leg up really high in case the body kick comes. He's a great instructor, and I definitely don't want to disrespect him, but I also don't want to drill things that won't help me progress. Any tips?
Piece him up on the feet and prove dominance
@@MorbidThoughts-v4v the dude is a fifty year old Korean who looks 25 and has like 2% body fat. He would destroy me lol
They told me the same but its harder to balance when absorbing impact. Im glad u said that as i hated it too. Dont know if your trainers right or wrong but it dont feel right to me
Either do the drill or leave and find a new gym. I dont always like the drills they get me to do at Muay thai, best to do it unless your willing to leave, i am not willing to leave.
So it sounds like your instructor's check is a more exaggerated motion. If you're drilling a more exaggerated motion, then when you're fast and just twitching it out, it'll probably come out the way you want anyways. Just think of it as practicing a more difficult check so you can go to the easy one when you need.
I've noticed that flexing the foot up also help against some sweeps. When someone fakes a kick and then tries to pull on your blocking leg with their foot, it's easier to fight it that way, at least for me. With the foot pointing down it's easier for the opponent to hook their feet around your heel and take your balance.
If they hit your toes it hurts bad but u make a good point about sweeps. Thanks mate i never had it happen yet but im going to keep that in mind.
Just what I needed🔥
Great one
_"It's gotta be the hair Cotton, its beautiful, feathered and lethal, you just don't see it nowadays"_
hair on fleek
HA -- a few days after Hard2Hurt put out a video "you're checking kicks wrong"
well, this is the correct way to do it LOL
To me, foot pointing down when checking is only for pure relaxed speed. Usually i do toe up like you for the extra leg density because I have enough time.
do you have any thoughts on Alex Pereira and Jose Aldo checking calf kicks by lifting their lower leg up, almost heel to bum? Seems very effective. Strickland also checked a few kicks with a similar style with good effect
Hair looks 🔥🔥
I have quite a different problem, I can check kicks consistenrly with kicks aimed at my front leg - but guys in my gym keep cutting angles to kick my rear leg (My lead cross check sometimes can't reach to such an extreme angle)
Icy Mike posted a video about this the other day, what would you say about that?
I'll have to go take a look at it.
Pls post a quick vid about it Gabriel
Will you do a online course that is specific to boxing?
Ernesto Hoost still has the best check of all time to this very day.
Should we do reps of leg lifts/checks with a little extra oomph, to ensure speed? Or should we train it at the speed, reach and intensity which we intend to apply in combat?
I like this youtube chanel
How to check kicks to the inner thigh? Like, the guy uses the front leg to kick my own front leg in the inner thigh? It hurts like hell even when the kick is weak and you can't really tighten the muscle up there to take it
Use your back shin. Lift as you would with the front but this time it's the back leg lifting to cover the inner thigh for your front leg.
How kick boxing can help me build confidence?
OSS Gabriel
Gabriel, have you checked so many kicks that your upper shin skin has kind of peeled on the left leg? o_o
Cum shot o_o?
Happened to me from kicking the heavy bag. Haven’t checked many low kicks but they haven’t felt nice anytime
@@kingades1013 Huh? I've only gotten bruising from kicking the bag. Might want to consider using some oil.
Damn.. I trough that was tape or some kind of bandage 😬
How the hell do you condition your shin to take impact?? That shit hurts!!
I'm somewhat new and one of my training partners said I shouldn't check low kicks in sparring or I could break someone's shin...is this something I should actually be be concerned with?
That’s insane. You need to practice checking in sparring. Your sparring partner should not be kicking hard enough to break their shin. Is this person new?
Not at all, they just want to land their kicks and not feel any pain or resistance. Your sparring partner shouldn’t be throwing full blast leg kicks to get their shin broken and you need to practice checking kicks. They also need to know what it’s like to have their kicks checked so they can be more selective when throwing them.
100% disagree.
If someone is throwing flick kicks hard enough to hurt themselves that's kinda their own fault.... Imagine if that hard kick hit you right in the tendons? You might wanna find a new gym.
What’s your thoughts on Ernesto Hoost Style checking where you primarily use the knee and upper shin and pull back the leg in order to further damage the opponent. Obviously requires more accurate checks but it seemed to work to devastating effect for him.
Hoost was one of the most savage quick reflex fighters of all time.
Do you plan on making more what makes them so good videos if so can you make one on petchtanong the ex one fc champ.?
Nice queef cut
Would love to hear more about your online training for 2024, sign me up 💪
I'll have more details coming soon.
Keep doing what you are doing, love your channel 👍🥋from a Kyokushin practitioner
gabriel do a video on tyjani beztati vs kaito ono
naw, man, grow that hair out super long!! 😂
You should try a mohawk style first. Make a video with it, and then fix it Lol
Hey whatsup @GabrielVargaOfficial i was just wondering if you could explain how michael venom page injured Goiti yamaouchi (bellator 299)despite hitting him in the knee. Isint the knee supposed to be strong enough to take an impact like that and hurt the opponent more than themselves. What could goiti have done to prevent that injury, how should he have checked?
Aye Gabe should grow you’re hair out long like how Shane fazen used to have it