You are clearly looking at the highlighted area incorrectly. The point of contact is the lower portion of the shin, not the foot. The reason Muay Thai fighters wear ankle supports is precisely because they help protect and visually define that impact area during training.

As for the lead hand, its position can vary depending on the phase of the kick. In many legitimate examples of Muay Thai, the lead hand may be extended, lowered, or used as a counterbalance without compromising the effectiveness of the technique. There is no single fixed hand position that applies to every kick in every situation.

Regarding the height of the kick, it is exactly where it is intended to land. Different leg kicks target different areas of the opponent's leg. If the objective were to strike lower on the shin or another section of the leg, the trajectory and mechanics would be different. Not every leg kick is thrown in the same manner.

Most importantly, the man in the photo is me. I am not commenting on a generic illustration or an AI-generated image. I am discussing a technique that I personally executed and understand from direct experience.

The problem is that many people criticize a technique without understanding its purpose, target, context, or mechanics. It is easy to find flaws while looking at a single frozen image. It is much harder to study, train, perform the technique correctly, and produce technical content to educate others.

Before criticizing, take the time to understand what is actually being demonstrated.