Crescent kick

Mikazuki geri-keage, the crescent kick, allows you to kick from close ranges, where kicking seems impossible because your legs are jammed up. With crescent kicks, even the most inflexible people can execute head-level kicks with some practice. Although we normally advise against throwing head-level kicks, the fact that we rarely use them will give them the element of surprise. Crescent kicks are to be used as an atemi. There are three different versions of crescent kicks in Goshin-Jutsu Karatedō, as discussed below.

Inside crescent snap-kick

Throwing an inside crescent kick, like any other kick, is a four-point procedure. Slowly practice all four points, and as you become comfortable, slowly increase your speed. Remember, slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.

1. Chambering. Enter a walking crane stance, as per usual. Always raise the knee of the kicking leg as high as possible, so that your knee is “past parallel.” Then, open your hip to the outside, as we did when setting up side kicks; this forms the lower half of the crescent.
   
   
2. Kick. Simultaneously extend your leg, and close your hip. This will swing your foot up in an arc. This will be a same-side attack, which hits the opponent with the koshi, just like a front or roundhouse kick.
   
   
3. Re-chambering. Let your knee go limp to enter a fighting crane stance.
   
   
4. Stepping out.' After kicking, return to a bent-knees attention stance, and slide either leg into whatever stance you chose. Again, never step forward from crane stance into some other stance. You can -- and will -- be swept.

[Inside crescent kick videos, fast and slow, from the front and side.]

Outside crescent snap-kick

Throwing an outside crescent kick is a four-point procedure.

1. Chambering. Enter a fighting crane stance, as per usual. Always raise the knee of the kicking leg as high as possible, so that your knee is “past parallel.” This forms the lower half of the crescent.
   
   
2. Kick. Simultaneously extend your leg, open your hip to the outside, just like setting up a side kick. This will swing your foot up in an arc. This will be an opposite-side attack, which hits the opponent with the sokutō, just like a side kick.
   
   
3. Re-chambering. Let your knee go limp to enter a walking crane stance.
   
   
4. Stepping out. After kicking, return to a bent-knees attention stance, and slide either leg into whatever stance you chose. Again, never step forward from crane stance into some other stance. You can -- and will -- be swept.

[Outside crescent kick videos, fast and slow, from the front and side.]

Spinning crescent snap-kick

While Goshin-Jutsu Karatedō rarely uses spinning kicks, in the rare times that when we do, they are either spinning outside crescent kicks, hook kicks, or wheel kicks. Spinning kicks are intimidating, and they have more momentum (and power) than regular kicks. However, this move is intrinsically dangerous since it forces you to turn your back to your opponent, and it briefly places you in an awkward, twisted position, and adds another step to the kicking process, slowing down the response time. This kick also requires an impeccable sense of balance to execute correctly; we practice this kick mainly to develop our sense of balance.

Directions on how to throw right spinning outside crescent kick is given below; changing directions for a left kick is an exercise left for the reader.

1. Origin. Start in a left fighting stance facing #1.
   
   
2. Spin. Twist clockwise 270° to #2, pulling your right leg up into a left cat-like stance, except that your legs will be crossed, like you’re waiting in a line to use the toilet.
   
   
3. Kick. Execute an outside crescent snap-kick, as per usual, minding all four points. The secret to hitting the target is kick 1/8th of a turn early; so kick at #2, and the momentum will carry you, and the kick, to the intended target at #1. Just as marksmen lead their targets, spinning karateka must trail their targets.

[spinning Outside crescent kick videos, fast and slow, from the front and side.] Mikazuki geri-uke refers to the defensive applications of inside crescent kicks. This technique is usually reserved for intermediate or advanced students, since successful defenders must be refined, skilled, and comfortable with that particular technique.

Crescent kicks can be used to swat incoming attacks aside. This is most commonly used as a defense against kicks. When the opponent shifts into crane stance, you can crescent kick their thigh to rotate their body, causing the opponent’s technique to miss its target.

[crescent kick block videos, fast and slow, from the front and side.]

Crescent kick blocks are also incredibly useful in the special case where your hands are restrained.