Kick

Kick is a physical strike using the leg, in unison usually with an area of the knee or lower using the foot, heel, tibia, thigh or knee (the latter is also known as a knee strike). This type of attack is used frequently by martial artists, fighters, etc.

Types of Kicks

There are several types of kicks in various martial arts, including the front kick, side kick, roundhouse kick, back kick, and hook kick.

Front Kick

A front kick (Japanese: mae geri) is a kick executed by lifting the knee straight forward, while keeping the foot and shin either hanging loosely or pulled to the hip, and then extending the foot forward. Front kicks are typically aimed at targets below the chest: the stomach, the groin, the solar plexus, etc.

Side Kick

A side kick (Korean: yeop chagi) is a kick delivered from a stance where the attacker's body is sideways (in relation to the target) with the leg extended to the side.

Roundhouse Kick

A roundhouse kick (Muay Thai: tornado kick) is a kick in which the attacker swings his or her leg around in a semicircular motion, striking with the front of the leg or foot.

Back Kick

A back kick is delivered with the attacker's back to the target. The attacker looks over his or her shoulder and kicks straight back.

Hook Kick

A hook kick (Taekwondo: huryeo chagi) is a kick executed by extending the leg out to the side of the body, and then hooking the leg back to strike the target with the heel.

See Also

• Martial arts
• Combat sport
• Self-defense

Kick Resources
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