Knowing how to box is not enough if you want to call yourself a kickboxer. Since kickboxing combines kicks and strikes, we will now look at the three basic kicks: the front kick, roundhouse kick, and side thrust kick. Which kick you use depends on your position, on your distance to the target, and on what you are trying to accomplish. The benefit of a kick over a punch is that you can reach any target on your opponent's body. While the hands can be used for punching to the head and body, the legs can be used for kicking to the head, body, and legs. In this sense, kicks are more versatile than punches. All kicks can be thrown with the lead or rear leg. In general, your lead leg is used much like the jab: to gauge distance. Since your lead leg is closer to the target than your rear leg, it is faster and needs less movement. Your rear leg, by contrast, has the potential to create a more powerful kick. Throughout your training, we will explore those kicks that are the most practical for competition kickboxing, and learn their application from beginning to advanced stages. Kickboxing: From Initiation To Knockout comprises a series of short books with focus on learning specific techniques and strategies for the exciting sport of competition kickboxing. With plenty of pictures, each book breaks the material down into bite-size pieces that allow you to practice to perfection. The material in this book previously appeared in Complete Kickboxing, now out of print.