So, you’ve learned how to throw some basic kickboxing combinations that are useful in Muay Thai too? Congratulations! Now that you’ve gotten the basics down, it’s time to move on to more advanced combinations that could leave your opponents on the canvas.
Throwing single strikes or basic combinations won’t cut it once you start facing stiffer competition during your sparring sessions or fights. This article will explore advanced kickboxing combinations you should consider adding to your fighting arsenal.
Ten Advanced Combinations Every Kickboxer Should Know
Ready to level up your kickboxing combinations? Let’s jump into our list of advanced combinations that will have your opponents questioning their decision to pick up kickboxing:
1) The Triple Threat (Jab, Cross, Switch Kick To The Body)
Here’s one of the simpler advanced combinations on our list. It starts with a quick jab to your opponent’s nose, followed by a hard cross that’s tailed by a roundhouse kick to the body. The purpose of the jab is to disorient and distract your opponent while the cross is thrown with considerable power in hopes of hurting them.
The switch kick to the body capitalizes on the fact your first two strikes were thrown at the head, so your opponent’s guard will likely be high, leading them open to the kick aimed at their liver. If it lands, it wobbles the target and knocks the wind out of them, leaving them unable to continue fighting.
2) Hook, Line, And Sinker (Lead Hook To Head, Lead Hook To Body, Rear Low Kick)
Here’s another three-punch combination that confuses opponents and throws them off balance. Start by throwing a lead hook to the head accompanied by a lead hook to the body. End the combination by throwing a low kick with your rear leg.
Mixing up head and body strikes makes it challenging for opponents to predict where your next strike will come from. The low kick being thrown with your rear leg makes catching an opponent off guard and makes it easier to throw another combination to knock out your opponent.
3) The Blender (Rear Roundhouse Kick, Cross, Lead Hook, Rear Uppercut)
This combination starts at outside range, but you’ll be inside range by the time you finish. It’s one of the trickier combinations to master on our list, but it’s worth the effort.
The technique starts with a right roundhouse kick to the body, so ensure you have enough distance to land it. Then, throw the cross so it goes through your opponent’s guard and connects with their chin. That should momentarily stun the target, so confuse them some more by throwing a lead hook to the head, and finishing with a rear uppercut aiming for a knockout.
4) Tornado (Jab, Cross, Spinning Back Fist, Spinning Back Kick)
Here’s one of the most fun combinations you can ever master, and it’s pretty effective. It starts with a jab-cross combination to set up the spinning back fist, which lands with considerable power when it connects. The spinning back fist is more than enough to knock most people out, but if it doesn’t, follow up with a spinning back kick aimed at the chest to send your opponent flying backward while you launch follow-up combinations.
5) The Flurry Of Fury (Double Jabs, Left High Knee Fake, Rear Roundhouse, Cross)
This combination starts with a double jab thrown to overwhelm your opponent’s defense and distract them. If the double jab is not enough, throw as many jabs as you can to distract them before committing to the next strike. By the time you’ve thrown the deciding jab, your opponent should be preoccupied with defending against them before you fake a knee to make your opponent guard their right side and immediately deliver a right roundhouse kick to their body, and send a hard cross to their head.
6) The Knee-Bash Express (Jab, Cross, Lead Knee, Rear Knee, Jumping Knee)
This combination starts with a basic jab-cross combination that’s followed up with a lead knee and rear knee to the midsection, and lastly, finishing off with a jumping knee. The punches are thrown to soften your target before landing the powerful knees on their sternum. The knee is enough to knock the wind out of your opponent and leave them unable to continue when it lands flush. Depending on your stance, you can also target the liver area with the knee.
7) The Sneaky Kick (Jab, Cross, Teep, Question Mark Kick)
Here’s a sneaky combination that can catch an opponent off-guard when executed correctly. It starts with a jab-cross combination that serves as a distraction to keep your opponent’s guard high. The combination is followed by a hard push kick to the opponent’s body, which primes the target for the question mark kick, making them think you’re going for a low kick or roundhouse kick while the real target is their head.
8) The Uppercut Surprise (Lead Hook, Rear Uppercut, Cross, Lead Roundhouse)
This hard-hitting combo starts with a step-in lead hook to put you in range to land the rear uppercut. Throwing the uppercut forces your opponent to reposition their hands to defend against it, and it snaps their head back if it lands, making them vulnerable to the cross that follows.
Finish off the combination by throwing a roundhouse kick while your opponent tries to regain their bearings.
9) The Body Snatcher (Jab, Lead Roundhouse Kick, Jab, Slip, Rear Uppercut, Lead Roundhouse Kick)
Here’s an advanced combination that should leave your opponent writhing on the ground in pain when everything goes well. Start with a cross to the body to get your opponent to lower their guard on their left, then capitalize on that by landing a left roundhouse kick to their head and throwing another cross.
That should catch your opponent off guard, setting you up to slip to the right and throw a powerful uppercut to their chin, and lastly, throw a switch kick with your lead leg aimed at your opponent’s liver.
10) The Headhunter (Jab, Cross, Lead Hook To The Body, Rear Roundhouse)
This combo starts with a jab-cross combination, a hard hook to the liver, and a roundhouse to the head. The jab sets up the cross and creates distance, while the hook sets up the kick to the head. The hook should be thrown as hard as the roundhouse since it could end the fight if it lands.
Drill These Combinations Until They Become Part Of Your Muscle Memory
Kickboxing isn’t just about using brute force to dominate opponents; it’s about timing, strategy, and a little showmanship. You won’t score a knockout every time you throw a combination, but you’ll increase your odds of finishing your opponent when you make these advanced combos part of your fighting style.
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