Combatives 101: How to Throw Basic Knee and Elbow Strikes

It’s undeniable that knee and elbow strikes can be quite savage, especially for the person on the receiving end. From traditional Muay Thai to the Octagon, these strikes have been proven fight enders time and time again. So, with the argument of “will that work in the ring” being a thing of the past, let’s take a dive into how normal, everyday, non-professional-ring-fighting people can practice and deliver some basic yet effective elbow and knee strikes for street self-defense.

Throwing Basic Knee and Elbow Strikes

Almost every martial art or combatives system already has knee and elbow strikes in it. I have always taught that a punch is an extension of an elbow, and a kick is an extension of the knee.

What do I mean by this? If you are a solid kicker, you already know that a front kick chamber and a roundhouse kick chamber are basically knee strikes. If you are too close to throw a roundhouse kick, then you throw a knee. You just drop your weight and sink the knee in on the strike.

The same basic principle applies to a cross. If you are too close to throw a punch, you throw an elbow.

Combative knee and elbow strikes are pretty much universal in any martial arts system. Sure, there are several variations of every knee or elbow strike. However, they all serve the same basic purpose: To keep you from getting overwhelmed when you find yourself in a close-quarter fight.

In today’s article, we are going to cover some very basic striking principles. Why? Because basics work in and out of the ring, making them ideal for street defense. While flying knees and “Ong-Bak” style flying elbows have ended fights in MMA, those are high-risk maneuvers that take a lot of skill and practice to deliver.

Translation: you are not going to get those types of skills out of simply reading a magazine article. So, to keep things simple, we are going to discuss basic counters and elbow and knee strikes. How, why, and when they work, and how to execute them at a fundamental level.

Practice Your Strikes from An Arms Reach

Again, knees and elbows are close-range strikes. You can use them to counter and move to bridge the fight gap. However, if you are too far to throw a knee or elbow, then just throw a punch or kick.

In the above and below photos, you will see Frank and Sam using their arms to keep their distance. This type of move/position allows you to protect yourself by blocking and striking. Likewise, you can push a person back to the range that you want to control and check the distance of the person in front of you. If you are close enough to touch them, you are close enough to hit them.

This position also easily transitions into a cross-elbow strike. As Frank and Sam demonstrate a right elbow, they are using the opposite hand to cover their heads to defend against a counter. Also, it’s easy to throw a counter left-handed strike from this position.

Frank and Sam practice throwing an elbow.

Elbows can be used both as strikes and blocks to counter attacks. An attacker can really damage their hand when colliding against a solid elbow strike. If a person can’t make a solid fist, they will have a hard time throwing a punch.

Find A Training Buddy

Heavy bags are great for practicing knee and elbow strikes. However, it’s not the same as training with a bud who’s holding a kicking/striking shield or focus mitt for you. Plus, when throwing knees, you need a partner to figure out how to position your controlling holds against a live, somewhat resisting partner.

It is easier to practice knee and elbow strikes with a friend holding a shield or focus mitt.

Remember, these strikes hurt a lot. So, if you hurt your training partners, you will quickly find yourself training solo.

Safety is up to you, though. So, it’s important that the person holding the shield or striking mitt understands how to hold it correctly. The basic rule is that one hand supports the opposite wrist. Push a bit into the strikes, meet force with force—don’t just absorb the strike energy.

Always Control Your Attacker Before Delivering a Knee

Controlling your opponent/attacker is essential if you want to land a solid knee strike. In this next series of photos, the author demonstrates basic control over his attacker to create an opening to strike.

Remember, we live in a world of MMA and grappling. A good grappler may attempt to hook behind your knee and take you down if you do not obtain good control before launching a knee. So, be prepared to sprawl.

Demonstration

Sam attempts to throw a right punch, Johnny open palm blocks, and (Angle 2 V-Step) steps to the outside of the strike.

Basic Knee and Elbow Strikes: Johnny shoots in and slips his left hand under Sam’s arm while driving his right outer forearm into the side of Sam’s neck. — Johnny shoots in and slips his left hand under Sam’s arm while driving his right outer forearm into the side of Sam’s neck. This keeps his head turned away from him. Johnny keeps his right hand on the back of Sam’s shoulder for control.

Clinching his hands together, Johnny drops his full weight on the back of Sam’s rotator cuff. Simultaneously, he pulls his attack down and forward. Johnny shuffles his right leg back to set up the knee.

Basic Knee and Elbow Strikes: The author continues to pull his opponent down and forward while launching a full-power knee to the midsection of his would-be attacker. — The author continues to pull his opponent down and forward while launching a full-power knee to the midsection of his would-be attacker. As you can see, with Sam’s right arm locked out, it is difficult for him to fully block the knee, if he can block it at all.

Throwing Elbow Combinations Against a Punch

In this next series of pictures, Sam will demonstrate how to block/counter a strike, close the fighting distance, and counter with elbow strikes. These strikes may or may not end the fight. But one thing is certain: they will make an attacker think twice about getting too close. They hurt like hell. At a minimum, they should be enough to stun your attacker and allow you to get away.

Be aware that it is possible to cause extreme harm or even death when striking an attacker in the head and temple with full-power elbows. Always be able to justify the level of force you deliver should the boys in blue show up. You may end up in handcuffs and find yourself in court if you can’t.

Some readers may think, “Well, this is self-defense; I can beat the hell out of anyone who wants to FAFO.” To that, I would say think twice before you smash someone’s head in with ground and pound elbows. Self-defense is always about stopping the threat and getting away to safety.