Thats what I was thinking but not sure. What do you think is the best kick weither it be in general or specificity you.
I think it's the side kick. He always seemed to be doing that all the time in his films. He also practiced it alot in that clip of his backyard training as you can see if you watch it. If you don't know what this side kick is, it's that kick he used on Bob Wall in 'Enter The Dragon'(in slow-motion). Damn, I love that part. He's done it a couple of times in 'Way of the Dragon' as well.
-Read FIGHTING METHOD, he specifically refers to the side kick as the best or most useful kick (I don't have it infront of me, so I can't give you the exact quote). Also, look at the volume on street self defense; it's almost comical. His awnser to just about every situation is a side kick (usually low line).
I find the most power in a sidekick and it also keeps your distance making it imo the best kick. I love roundhouses/shin kicks but they leave you open for a straight attack (asuming the other guy is faster or equal to yourself). A low round house does not though. In sparring I love to pop ppl in the head with em (it's just fun) making it my second favorite kick. Dunno about some of those thai fighters though they can whip out that kick very fast. In tkd we train a sidekick more so that is why my sidekick better than my roundhouse. I think sidekicks take alot longer to train than any kick except maybe a spin heel asuming it's on the ground and not spinning . I do have a hell of a low roundhouse but it's not allowed until black belt lvl. I get to use it in kickboxing though. The sidekick that bruce did in the movie looks like a skip sidekick in my system. I have used it in sparring a few times when at far range. I did this to the karate guys that wore chest protectors and waited for my attack /chuckle. It snuck right under their guard . Knocks them right on the ground and would break ribs big time. Beleive it or not we spar very close in my tkd class and cannot move out of a certain area that is way smaller than in our touraments (which are smaller than most that I have seen). You get yelled at or bump into somone if you go out of the area you spar in.
He liked the sidekick a lot, it seems. But I don't think it's the best kick, either. I agree with Yoda, the straight groin kick is probably the most useful kick. But it depends on your enemy's stance. If they're crouched and easily able to back off, perhaps a better approach would be a mid-level side kick from a side stance.
In movies, yes, he used the flying kicks for theatrical purposes. He'd have never used one in real life...he really didnt need to. A pendulum sidekick to the midsection from Bruce Lee would probably result in a world of hurt.
Like the one he demonstrated in 'Way of the Dragon' in the back of the restaurant--one Karate guy was holding up a yellow soft padding and Bruce Lee kicked it multiple times with his shin. That one? Those were powerful kicks.
Um, I'm more talking about the one where the guy was holding up one pad and he kicked him, and sent him flying back into a pile of crates. He could actually throw kicks that hard in reality, and they're a whole lot more sound than a flying kick. Hence, he had absolutely no real need for flying kicks.
Oh ok. Yeah, that was just too powerful. I like it. And I know he could that in real life. I've seen the demonstrations.
yes the lead side kick was one of his most powerful kicks, pffft all his kicks were powerful, just watch Way of The Dragon where he sent that guy flying across the hall with his side kick, of coz he could kick a lot harder in real life and was able to knock down an opponent unconscious with 1 or 2 kicks