How useful is a spin kick in a real fight?

So, I'm not martial artist. I haven't even ever been in a real fight. But, one thing that bugs the hell out of me in choreography is the constant use of the spin kick (jumping or otherwise) I know it's a really flashy move that probably wows audiences. But, I feel that it would be pretty impractical in a real fight. If your opponent has fast enough reflexes, he could attack you when you're back is turned during the kick.

So asking martial artists or MMA enthusiasts, are spin kicks practical in a real fight?

It could be devastating if it connects but that's highly unlikely so it's not very practical.

Never use it in a fight

If you're going up against anyone with decent skill they'll just ko you when your back is turned

It's a niche kick, you'd probably be safer throwing a teep, push or muay thai roundhouse, in the same way you're safer throwing a jab or cross than a spinning backfist.

That being my opinion, personally I've never seen one thrown in a street fight, as the only people I've seen fight are either brawlers, boxers or muay thai fighters fond of clinches and knees.

I've never known it to be practical.

It's useful if you have good timing. Anything flashy when it comes to fighting leaves you open. It requires setup an timing. Throwing it by itself or without setting it up would make you wiff air an miss or leave yourself right open to be countered

usefulness not very

amazing very

He's right if your skilled enough to incorporate it into a combo or stagger/stun your opponent first then it's doable.

Edit: or bait him in order to set him up for it but, that could be tricky.

Not

Experience to answer question : Previous cage fighting in Tampa Florida circuit experience, 11 years in Judo.

Answer to questions provided :

Movie wise they use it as a show of speed more than anything I believe, to show off the person's abilities as a martial artist, not so much the actual use in a fight.

MMA / Martial Arts use in a real fight scenario - Depends on the use of the kick. If it is used as a capitolization such as a knock-out or end-fight blow then yes it is very usable however if it is used just out of nowhere for no reason, me personally... I am going to slam your face into the ground by ducking under your hip.

You have to be fast to make it effective. The misconception with jump kicks is that they are powerful, which is untrue in a majority of cases. When you make impact, the kinetic energy you send through your appendage comes back after going through your intended target, it's one of the many reasons as to why after throwing a punch, you bring it right back, don't follow through with it. With an air kick, the kinetic energy comes back to you and it can inflict less than the intended impact/damage because you have no ground to keep yourself from bouncing backwards. With speed on your side, however, and enough momentum, it's great and effective for a seasoned combatant--To those who say they'll hit when the back is turned while performing this move: "Yeah, right".

I've seen alot of spin kicks followed up with a punch from the opposing fist of whatever direction the kick is being thrown; A punch after a spin kick is great if you need a rebound shot after missing because, usually, a duck lets your opponent dodge successfully, but with the momentum of your swinging body, a blow to the head will be very effective.

you have never been in a fight? i go into fights at least twice a week on the boxing practice

If you do it right, it can be successful. Don't try this at home, kids.

Not at all pretty much useless

A guy in my training tried to do it on me, and the trainer told him not to do so. I can perform a spinning kick, but only do it if you're fast and know how to do the technique. Also, if the guy you're facing is skilled, then don't try to do it, because he will go for the KO behind your back, or he can just sweep your legs, which will hurt your head and the middle section of your body.

Those who said that its not useful are wrong.
The spin adds a lot of power to the kick.

I've got 20 year martial arts experience, with a core set of three: TKD, Muay Thai, and BJJ. Spin kicks become a core skill in TKD.

In my experience, it depends on how good the individual fighter is, how good his opponent is, and how fast you can execute in a given amount of time.

Fighting is always situational, and always dependent on many factors. You weigh risk, reward, opportunity, and personal exposure (you train till those factors are observed and sorted instinctually). Then you use what's best based on that. In many ways its the same tactical assessments you make during a gun fight in my experience.

Is it the most practical? No, because of the risks involved and the exposure you open yourself up to. However if you got someone on the ropes is a good, powerful finish if you're proficient? Sure.

I've never used it in either of my MMA bouts or any street fight though. But I also didn't need to.

I'm not a mixed martial arts champion or anything. But I'm sure it's better to know it than not know it at all. So it'd be pretty useful if you've got it down pretty good.

Useful

Against an unskilled opponent it could be great, have ya'll seen this video? I wont post it do to the cursing but here's the link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kL6gKdbHrw

It's is a pretty powerful kick, the only problem is implementing it. It telegraphs way too much.

Like all fighting moves it depends when you use it

Mongoose

Useless, if you can actually land one then that says more about your opponent, the guy your fighting simply does not have the ability to react to a guy turning around and presenting his back.

I'd make it work /flex

Pretty much.

this

If it doesn't land perfectly, it's a good way to end up on your back. Also, most street fights don't allow for that type of distancing.

If you know how to do a proper one and hit your target in the right place, could be much worst than a punch.

@rdclip: see bruce lees heet kune do complete fighting method.

Hey a spin kick is extremely practical... When your opponent isn't looking.

We use jumping spin kicks a lot though, mainly because we're small and flexible so it works for us.

not very useful unless you have great speed and timing

High risk, high return move basically. Be sure to get the timing right, or don't use it. Not as useful as the simpler attacks.

It's just flashy. There's no real point in using one unless your opponent sucks and you want to show off.

Pretty useful to surprise your enemy.

The back is only exposed for a fraction of a second, also see spinning elbow technique

@rdclip: Unless you have been doing Tae Kwon Do or Kempo Karate or any Martial Art that teaches a lot of spinning techniques, from a very young age, you will never develop the speed and hip-mobility to pull off a spinning kick, fast enough to be effective. That's why you rarely see Muay Thai fighters use spin-kicks, they mostly prefer to stick to the basics (good defense, lowkicks, roundhouse kicks to the body and head etc). Because if you don't have the speed and hip-mobility to be really fast with it, it will do more harm than good.

Examples of incredible spin-kicks

Unless you have the speed and flexibility to pull it off. Edson Barboza, Wonderboy, Raymond Daniels etc etc. In general, most Kickboxers/Nak Muays don't have the hip flexibility to pull it off fast enough to be effective.

It depends on whether one has the necessary speed and hip-flexibility to pull it off. People who have been doing Tae Kwon Do chince they were little, do develop the flexibility to spin-kick someone before they can react. But most Kickboxers and Muay Thai fighters don't, they prefer sticking to roundhouse kicks and front kicks.

It all depends on whether you have grown up throwing them or not.

Can be tricky to pull off in a real fight, but worth it if you connect.

Even so, you can only do one so fast. Anyone with good reflexes will just strike you when your back is turned. In general, never turn around in a fight unless you absolutely have to. It's just not worth the risk, unless there is no real risk and you're just showing off.

@pipxeroth:

Even so, you can only do one so fast. Anyone with good reflexes will just strike you when your back is turned.

Not true. World-class fighters, people with reflexes much faster than the average man, have been KO'd with spin kicks or dropped by spinning back-kicks to the body. Go watch an Olympic-level TKD fighter or someone like the late Andy Hug and see how fast they spin.

Watch Edson Barboza KO Terry Etim with a beautiful spinning heel-kick and then tell me people can't spin fast enough.

Or GLORY Kickboxer and Kempo-Karate specialist Raymond Daniels unleashing a perfect two-touch jumping spinning hook-kick

Again, it depends on whether or not you have the speed and flexibility to pull a move as complex as this, off. And also on how well you set it up, fighting is all about set-ups. If you have never properly trained to spin, and attempt a pi$$-poor spinning kick, a good opponent will make you pay for it. Like Luke Rockhold against Chris Weidman.

Pretty useful. It's been used effectively by top fighters like Conor McGregor, Stephen Thompson and Edson Barboza.

Even if you aren't using it to connect, you can use it to back your opponent up to the cage. McGregor uses (or at least used to use them back at featherweight) to stop his opponent from circling off from his left hand. The threat of landing the kick forces them to move towards his left side, closer to his powerful left hand.

He also uses them to enter into punching exchanges and can counter off spin kicks. Some fighters like to rush in directly after a spin kick is thrown at them so Conor can use them to convince opponents to run straight onto his left after throwing one.

Ryan Hall uses them pretty effectively to enter grappling exchanges. Hall is an elite level BJJ guy so he doesn't mind falling over and being on the ground on his back if he misses a spin kick. The ground is where he wants to be after all.

Then in kickboxing you have unorthodox fighters like Manson Gibson (the Black Bruce Lee) who stand very bladed. The bladed stance leaves you open to low kicks, Gibson would move with the low kick into a spin kick or a spinning backfist to dissuade his opponent from throwing them. One the threat of the spin is established he can fake the spin to draw out attacks from his opponent so he can counter them. Sean O'Malley has also done this, he looks away like he's about to spin to get his opponent moving away from the kick but nails them with a hard right hand as they move to his power side to evade a kick which was never arriving.

Sorry for the long post lel.

If someone has full mounted me, I just do a spin kick and knock his head off.

Not very practical. It requires perfect timing, but can be devastating if you can connect with it

If you're good enough to do it and can connect with the liver the person you kick is going down.

You're probably gonna get hit in de balls.