This page provides details on a huge variety of martial arts kicks such as the axe kick, spinning hook kick and flying back kick. It also provides videos and/or written instructions for each of the kicks listed below in order to help martial artists to learn more about specific martial arts kicking techniques. Martial arts kicks are often practiced extensively by martial artists because they are used in a wide range of different situations including self-defense, sparring, katas & forms, breaking techniques and demonstrations. Given the skill and flexibility required, many of the more advanced kicks (i.e. spinning hook kick and butterfly kick) are also used in martial arts movies in order to show the movie hero’s mastery of the martial arts.
Kicking techniques can be done either with bare feet or with martial arts shoes. Some martial arts styles even practice kicks with street shoes (as a martial artist is unlikely to find themselves wearing martial arts shoes or walking around with bare feet in a self-defense situation). For additional kicking information, you should also visit the Black Belt Wiki sections on leg flexibility (necessary for high kicks), leg strength, kicking power, kicking speed and knee strikes.
Martial arts kicks and all other martial arts techniques should only be practiced under the supervision of a trained martial arts instructor in order to prevent injuries and to ensure the proper technique is utilized. In addition, all martial arts techniques and training should be used safely and responsibly.
Kicks – Training Equipment
Basic Martial Arts Kicks – Click on each kick for detailed instructions and/or videos
- Axe Kick
- Back Kick
- Crescent Kick
- Front Kick
- Push Kick or Front Thrust Kick
- Roundhouse Kick or Round Kick
- Side Kick
Master List of Martial Arts Kicks (Basic & Advanced) – Click on each kick for detailed instructions and/or videos
- Axe Kick – Traditional rear leg axe kick.
- Front Leg Axe Kick
- Back Kick
- Butterfly Kick
- Butterfly Twist Kick – A more advanced version of the Butterfly Kick.
- Calf Kick
- Cartwheel Kick
- Crescent Kick
- Cut Kick
- Double Front Kick or Jumping Double Front Kick
- Double Roundhouse Kick or Jumping Double Roundhouse Kick
- Downward Roundhouse Kick or “Brazilian Kick”
- Foot Sweep Kick – Karate’s Ashi Barai
- Flying Back Kick
- Flying Drop Kick
- Flying Front Kick
- Flying Side Kick
- Front Kick
- Front Kick – Ball of Foot – Hit target with ball of foot.
- Front Kick – Instep – Hit target with instep of foot.
- Heel Kick Lead Leg, Turning and Spinning
- Hook Kick or Whip Kick
- Inverted Roundhouse Kick
- Jumping Axe Kick
- Jumping Back Kick
- Jumping Front Kick or Flying Front Kick
- Jumping Roundhouse Kick
- Jumping Side Kick or Flying Side Kick
- Jumping Spinning Axe Kick or Tornado Axe Kick
- Jumping Spinning Crescent Kick
- Jumping Spinning Hook Kick or Jumping Reverse Hook Kick
- Knee Joint Kick – Karate’s Kansetsu Geri
- Knee Strike – This section provide instructions for a wide variety of knee strikes.
- Kyokushin Wheel Kick
- Low Kicks – List of kicks commonly used to strike targets below the waist.
- Oblique Kick or Scoop Kick
- Push Kick or Front Thrust Kick
- Roll Kicks or Rolling Kicks
- Cartwheel Kick
- Forward Roll Kick or Forward Falling Kick
- Side Roll Kick or Side Falling Kick, Kyokushin Wheel Kick, etc.
- Roundhouse Kick or Round Kick
- Scissor Kick
- Scoop Kick
- Scorpion Kick
- Shin Kick or “Muay Thai Kick”
- Shin Kick (Hapkido)
- Side Kick
- Skipping Axe Kick or Hopping Axe Kick, Sliding Axe Kick, etc.
- Skipping Crescent Kick or Hopping Crescent Kick, Sliding Crescent Kick, etc.
- Skipping Front Kick or Hopping Front Kick, Sliding Front Kick, etc.
- Skipping Roundhouse Kick or Hopping Roundhouse Kick, Sliding Roundhouse Kick, etc.
- Skipping Side Kick or Step Behind Side Kick, Hopping Side Kick, Sliding Side Kick, etc.
- Slap Kick
- Spinning Axe Kick
- Spinning Back Kick
- Spinning Crescent Kick
- Spinning Heel Kick or Spinning Sweep Kick
- Spinning Hook Kick or Spinning Whip Kick, Reverse Roundhouse Kick, Reverse Hook Kick, etc.
- Spinning Roundhouse Kick or Turning Roundhouse Kick
- Spinning Side Kick or Reverse Side Kick
- Stomp Kick – Karate’s Fumikomi
- Vertical Stomp Kick
- Stop Kick
- Stretch Kick
- Sweep Kick (Forward Foot)
- Sweep Kick (Low Heel) or Low Spinning Heel Kick
- Switch Kick
- Toe Kick or Karate’s Tsumasaki Geri
- Tornado Kick or Jumping Spinning Roundhouse Kick, 360 Roundhouse Kick
- Tornado Axe Kick
- Twisting Kick or Twist Kick
- Upkick
- Uppercut Back Kick
- 540 Crescent Kick
- 540 Roundhouse Kick
- 540 Spinning Hook Kick
Kicks from the Ground – If you have been knocked to the ground & must defend yourself with a kick.
- Front Kick from the Ground
- Roundhouse Kick from the Ground
- Defense Against A Leg Grab While On Ground – Hook or Heel Kick
- Defense Against A Leg Grab While On Ground – Roundhouse Kick
- Side Kick from the Ground
Martial Arts Kicks by Martial Arts Style
Training Equipment for Stronger & More Accurate Kicks
- Tips for Better Kicking Power
- How To Use A Kicking Bag – This “how to” section focuses on kicking bags such as Wavemaster, BOB – Body Opponent Bag, etc.
- How To Use A Kicking Paddle
- How To Use A Kicking Shield
- How To Use A Muay Thai Belly Pad – This tool is also known as a MMA Belly Pad.
- How To Use Rebreakable Boards – This training tool is used to practice breaking techniques (i.e. break a wooden board with a back kick).
- How To Use Thai Pads
- How To Use A Wing Chun Wooden Striking Dummy – This training tool is also known as Wooden Man Post, Mu Ren Zhuang, etc.
- For more equipment “how to” instructions and drills, please visit the main Martial Arts Training Equipmentsection.
Self-Defense Kicking Targets – Vital Areas
- Groin Kick
- Low Kicks – These are kicks aimed at targets below the waist (generally at the knee or lower).
Defenses Against Kicks
- Leg Grab Counter with Armbar – What to do if someone has captured your leg during a kick.
- How To Catch A Push Kick
- How To Catch A Roundhouse Kick
- How To Defend Against A Back Kick
- How To Defend Against A Front Kick – A wide variety of defenses against a front kick.
- How To Defend Against A Roundhouse Kick – A wide variety of defenses against a roundhouse kick.
- How To Defend Against A SideKick
- How To Defend Against A Spinning Hook Kick
Misc. Kicking-Related Techniques & Exercises
- Side Splits – Side split stretches are often used to achieve higher lateral kicks (i.e. higher roundhouse kick).
Martial Arts Kicks
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