Okay, so I’ve been getting into MMA lately, and there’s this guy, Kamaru Usman, who’s just a beast. Specifically, his knees are insane. I decided I wanted to see if I could throw some knees like that, at least the basic motion. No way I’m at his level, but you gotta start somewhere, right?
Getting Started
First thing I did was watch a bunch of videos of Usman fighting. Just trying to soak it in, you know? How he sets them up, the way he moves his hips, all that stuff. It looked simple enough when he did it, but I knew it wouldn’t be.
Practicing the Motion
I started by just standing in my living room, trying to mimic the motion. Felt super awkward at first. Like, I was all stiff and my balance was way off. I tried to drive my knee up, kind of aiming for where a heavy bag would be. I did some repetitions in front of the mirror, which is so humbling.
- Grabbed an imaginary clinch.
- Pulled down with my hands (again, imaginary).
- Thrusted my hips forward.
- Drove my knee up.
Working on the Bag
After a while, I moved to the heavy bag I have in my garage. This is where things got real. Trying to get that same explosive power while also, you know, actually hitting something. I tried to really focus on snapping my hips forward, like I saw Usman doing.
Man, it’s tiring! I did a few sets of these, and my legs were burning. I took a few breaks to catch my breath and check my form.
Trying Different Variations
Then I started playing around with different variations. Like, sometimes I’d try a shorter, quicker knee, other times I’d try to really drive it in there, like I was trying to go through the bag. It’s interesting how just small changes in how you throw it can make a big difference in the power and feel.
- Tried switching stances to work both legs.
- Experimented with different angles.
- Worked on speed vs. power.
Still a Long Way to Go
After a few sessions, I’m definitely not throwing Usman-level knees, not even close. But I feel like I’m starting to get the hang of the basic mechanics. It’s a lot harder than it looks, but it’s also kind of addictive. I’m going to keep practicing and see how much I can improve. Maybe one day I’ll be able to throw a knee that doesn’t make me look like a total goofball.
I even added some shadow boxing to simulate a real fight scenario. I kept on improving every day. It’s really hard, but definitely worth it.
Keep pushing, guys. Everything is possible if you put in the effort.
