Kicking above the waist is a "NO-NO" according to most self defense experts. It leaves your groin exposed and increases your chances of slipping and falling. While these reasons are valid, they're not the primary reasons you can't kick in the street. The person who gives this explanation demonstrates their inexperience with real world confrontations.
Under real world conditions your legs are going to be doing two things: keeping you standing and moving. Your adrenaline will not allow you to "stand and spar" at kicking range. I know you may think this is what you will do, but when your facing a determined attacker they will seek to close the distance and you will do the same. Your natural instinct to attack will take over and you will want to move forward. Plus in order to control the momentum of the fight, you need to take ground and keep your target off balance (Self Defense Training System Module 1).
According to Grossman's book On Combat, as your hormone induced fear (adrenaline) increases, you're only going to be able to perform a few gross motor skills. Running is one of them. Consider if you're wearing any gear, rough terrain, ice, snow or sand and you are going to want to keep your feet right underneath you. You are going to have to.
In the melee of a fight, your best chance of winning is with high percentage, gross motor, common denominator techniques and tactics that can be applied to any situation under any circumstances. Why waste your time learning complicated, low percentage kicking methods when you could spend your time training in proven methods and getting yourself physically prepared. Don't get me wrong, I have a second degree black belt in tae kwon do and won state and regional champion titles in the early 90's. Kicking has it's place, but it's not in the street.
There are only a handful of times to kick. The primary time to kick is when attacking a downed target or to close the distance from a standing position. When you have downed a target, stomps with the heel and front kicks with the toe of the boot allow you to deliver the most amount of force into your target while affording you more mobility. Plus, keeping your hands free will enable you to engage other targets and/or keep your weapon secure.
Kicks from a standing position are basically front kick, side kick and back kick which is a variation of the side kick. These are only used as opening techniques when you have the time and the distance. Knees are excellent when they are combined with convulsive, stomping and are not considered kicks. This is demonstrated in Self Defense Training System Module 1.
Stomping in a clinch, a body grab or a bear hug that is demonstrated by the vast majority of experts, it's totally unrealistic. When someone attacks you with a body grab they will hit you with a huge amount of force. The contact alone will most likely send you to the ground. If you do manage to stay on your feet you'll won't be able to even lift your foot to stomp the shin with your attackers force bearing down on you. (Self Defense Training System Module 4). In general, larger people attack smaller people with bear hugs and body grabs. It's not the other way around unless your attacker is comfortable with this type of attack. Either way, you're still going to have a hell of a time keeping your balance.
I'm sure somebody knows somebody who did something where they kicked someone in the street. Like the saying goes: Even the sun shines on a dogs ass every once in a while.
The question is, what to you want to do? Spend your time on low percentage, unlikely methods that force you to train against your natural instinct or maximize your time, energy and chance of surviving and winning with methods designed to capitalize your body's normal fight response. Many systems train you to work against your natural instincts when in realty you should embrace them and take advantage of the millions of years of evolution that have prepared you for fight or flight.
Simple techniques with proven tactics work, lofty ideas with good intentions will get you killed.
Damian Ross
Self Defense Training System
Self Defense
Martial Arts
The Self Defense Company
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