# One leg spinning back kick



## KOKarate

Saw this kick in the ufc last night. Great kick first I’ve ever seen in mma like that. It probably landed as it was so unexpected. You can see when the guy catches the kick it’s a pretty lazy catch and he was kind of just holding it maybe using it to catch a quick break But a great counter from the other guy.


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## Tony Dismukes

Impressive.


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## Graywalker

Nice!


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## JowGaWolf

Text book kick. it almost looks like a dril


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## dvcochran

Yea, but in the ring at game speed it definitely was not a drill. The drilling may have perfected the kick, but not many people can do that at game speed.


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## JowGaWolf

dvcochran said:


> Yea, but in the ring at game speed it definitely was not a drill. The drilling may have perfected the kick, but not many people can do that at game speed.


If you train that, then you can do it at game speed.   Most people probably don't train it, which is why they can't do it at game speed.

If you look at how calm he is when he does the kick, I would say that he trains that kick a lot,. It also looks like the guy holding his foot almost helps him to turn into the kick.  That's not the type of kick someone would be able to do if they haven't trained that kick or a similar kick.  The kicker probably sensed that the movement felt like a kick that he does often and he just went with the flow instead of fighting it.

Don't get me wrong.  It's a great kick, but I think it's something he trains.   If I like to kick people then I also have to train what to do if someone catches my kick.  For me personally, I have trained that so much that I will often bait people in hopes that they will catch my leg.  I know I can't be the only person in the world that thinks that way.  He was very calm when he kicked so that tells me that it's something he's familiar with, most likely something he trains.


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## Hanzou

Yep, that definitely ranks in the craziest KOs category.


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## Jaeimseu

That’s really not too difficult a kick if you’re a kicker, especially if the opponent helps out by standing there holding your other leg up. It took some stones to go all in with it, though!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## JowGaWolf

Jaeimseu said:


> That’s really not too difficult a kick if you’re a kicker, especially if the opponent helps out by standing there holding your other leg up. It took some stones to go all in with it, though!
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


You can't do good martial arts by going in half way.  It's either all the way or not at all.  You either trust the technique and see it through or be indecisive about it and possibly pay a bigger price.


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## _Simon_

Far out... awesome! That's one of my favourite kicks in sparring (minus the leg being caught), but to the body, can whip it round super quick!


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## Dirty Dog

Not a difficult kick, but not a high percentage move either. It's one of those things that if everything clicks just right, you'll get the chance to throw it.


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## dvcochran

I have to agree with Dirty Dog, it is a super low percentage kick in real application, something beyond classroom practice/sparring. If it had a higher likelihood of success don't think you would see it more? And if that was the case it wouldn't even make the highlight reel like it did. 
It is a great what if or tool bag kick to have available I agree. Definitely a younger persons kick since it takes a good bit of agility and flexibility, not so much of a technical kick as a flashy kick. But if it works, I will take it. 
The kind of thing that makes MMA enjoyable to watch because it rarely ever happens.


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## Yokozuna514

Every time I watch that clip I am still amazed.   Not sure you can effectively drill that kind of kick.  Not in the way you can drill other techniques to put into your tool bag.   To me, that situation doesn't occur enough to dedicate the time to make a kick like that proficient.   That being said, it is a very inspired kick and I expect it was more reactionary (like I want this guy to drop my foot) than thinking this is the perfect opportunity to pull this kick out of my bag and KO is guy.  Be interesting to hear his thoughts about it and I bet this will be the most practiced kick in training halls for the next short while.


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## dvcochran

Yokozuna514 said:


> Every time I watch that clip I am still amazed.   Not sure you can effectively drill that kind of kick.  Not in the way you can drill other techniques to put into your tool bag.   To me, that situation doesn't occur enough to dedicate the time to make a kick like that proficient.   That being said, it is a very inspired kick and I expect it was more reactionary (like I want this guy to drop my foot) than thinking this is the perfect opportunity to pull this kick out of my bag and KO is guy.  Be interesting to hear his thoughts about it and I bet this will be the most practiced kick in training halls for the next short while.


Agree. I have not tried to go back and watch the fight before the kick. Possibly the guy was grabbing the foot a lot and the kicker already had the kick in mind and was ready for an opportunity to throw it.


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## Yokozuna514

dvcochran said:


> Agree. I have not tried to go back and watch the fight before the kick. Possibly the guy was grabbing the foot a lot and the kicker already had the kick in mind and was ready for an opportunity to throw it.


Here is the post fight interview.  Looks like you called it:


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## JowGaWolf

Yokozuna514 said:


> Not sure you can effectively drill that kind of kick. Not in the way you can drill other techniques to put into your tool bag.


Sure you can.  I drilled stuff like that all the time. when I was taking classes  Not that specific kick, but what do when someone captures my kick.


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## Buka

It's an easy kick to train, you just have to use a spotter. It's an easy kick to throw and an even easier kick to counter.


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## Yokozuna514

JowGaWolf said:


> Sure you can.  I drilled stuff like that all the time. when I was taking classes  Not that specific kick, but what do when someone captures my kick.



I'm sure there are going to be a lot of people drilling that kick from now on so I am sure there are many that are going to look for ways to drill it effectively.   If enough people put the effort in to design a way to teach it, I suppose methods can be developed to drill it effectively.   Since the counter to that move is simply dropping the foot, I still don't think the time and effort to 'drill' it makes a lot of sense in the overall scheme of things but it is a cool kick none the less and some people are going to run with it and try to emulate it.  



Buka said:


> It's an easy kick to train, you just have to use a spotter. It's an easy kick to throw and an even easier kick to counter.



Agree 100% on the ease to counter.   Now that we have seen someone effectively use it at the highest level, there will be people that will develop it.  Still seems like a high risk kick where you land at a disadvantage.   Will certainly be interesting to see where it goes from here.


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## JowGaWolf

Yokozuna514 said:


> I'm sure there are going to be a lot of people drilling that kick from now on so I am sure there are many that are going to look for ways to drill it effectively. If enough people put the effort in to design a way to teach it, I suppose methods can be developed to drill it effectively.


The success of this kick has more to do with how someone grabs your kick and less about the kick itself.  In short, the type of foot grab dictates the type of kick you can use to get out of it.  

The foot grab that the MMA guy uses should not have been a grab at all.  That grab should  have been carried out as a scoop which moves the foot out of the way so you can advance and attack.  But it's not enough to  just move the kicking foot out of the way.  You have to move that foot/leg so that it creates an imbalance which prevents your opponent from countering.  If you just swipe it out of the way then your opponent will still be able to turn into the kick.  The sland thing you want to do is hold onto the foot without pulling it, pushing it,  throwing it, lifting it or locking it.  He would have been safe had he done one of those things.


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## JowGaWolf

Yokozuna514 said:


> some people are going to run with it and try to emulate it.


Yeah they will learn the hard way that the kick will only work with certain foot grabs.  It only works for certain types of grabs.

In reality there are limited ways to grab a foot so you should be able to drill the counters fairly easily.  For a higher success with this kick you have to learn how to bait the so that they are more likely to grab the foot the way that you need them to grab it.   I personally use a kick, that causes my opponent to reach for my foot a specific way.  It works 95% of the time without fail.  The other 5% would be screwing up the bait.  It's not the same kick that we saw in the video, but I'm guessing the need for a set up would be needed.  Stuff like that you don't want to hope that your opponent grabs your foot a certain way.  You would want to have more influence than just hope.


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## Buka

We've been using that kick for well over forty years.

And the best counter to that kick, which you have to watch out for when throwing it, is the person holding the foot or the leg - let's go when you throw it. You usually screw yourself into the ground, hard.


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## Monkey Turned Wolf

I learned that kick when I was like 9. Thought it was fun at first, then thought it was silly, then thought it was a balance exercise. Cool to see it actually used.


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## JowGaWolf

Buka said:


> We've been using that kick for well over forty years.
> 
> And the best counter to that kick, which you have to watch out for when throwing it, is the person holding the foot or the leg - let's go when you throw it. You usually screw yourself into the ground, hard.


ha ha ha.. soooooooo True.  I actually have a video of this exact same thing. The key to prevent that is to not  depend on the person holding the foot.  Think of it as putting as much weight on one leg to escape the grip and the other leg to kick.   If you do the kick as if the person is going to continue to hold you, then that's when you get that nasty fall.


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## _Simon_

Anyone wanna grab my foot for a moment?


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## Yokozuna514

_Simon_ said:


> Anyone wanna grab my foot for a moment?


Karate version of 'pull my finger' ?


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## john_newman

The knock-out kick really impressive even the opponent was not expecting it.


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## isshinryuronin

Nothing new, but Wow!  Great clip.  It was wonderfully executed however in a combat setting.  I have practiced this move on the heavy bag, but never threw it in sparring as was worried about controlling power.  Nice to actually see it put into action.  A great example turning what most would consider a defensive situation into an offensive opportunity.

I agree with JowGaWolf that the guy made a big mistake holding on to that foot, rather than using it to immediately further his own ends.  (see my post on "Guard vs Block." thread)

If you change that roundhouse kick into a crescent and recover from the back kick in a crouch, you have an application from Kusanku kata's signature move.


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## dvcochran

When training for the Nationals and upper level tourneys we do a drill call "tap-tag". It is a sparring drill where one person calls "tap" when doing a move that should be seen as a setup or opening. One of many is to hold/grab a kick. It will really test the kickers balance, position bias, and vision/awareness. 
A common offensive setup is to get an opponent to grab/reach for a lead leg kick and having the spin kick quickly follow. 
As others have said, you cannot count on the lead kick to actually be held up, so the spin has to be done on it's own merit. 
It is illegal now to outright grab and hold in TKD tourneys but it was often masked and effectively done. 
In that "be ready for anything" category.


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## john_newman

Here is the detailed information with pics of how to initiate the Spinning Kick.


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## dvcochran

john_newman said:


> Here is the detailed information with pics of how to initiate the Spinning Kick.


If I have not already said it, welcome to the forum John. It is great to read new perspective. I look forward to hearing more from you. 

A spinning hook kick is one of many to have in the tool bag. But I would say it is a more advanced kick that can be done well by fewer practitioners. 
I have to disagree with the wiki when it mentions "the aftermath" after throwing a spinning side kick. I assume if you know and are very comfortable with spinning hook kicks that you know there are several different variants of the spinning side kick, some returning to the original foot back some moving you forward and at various heights along the recipients body. 
To get really specific, the modern spinning hook kick isn't thrown the way the wiki tutorial describes and is definitely a kick more geared for tall, long legged people. 
I would argue it is a more useful kick selection as a disabling move. 

Just out of curiosity, how would you describe the path that the foot takes on a hook kick?


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## john_newman

I am attaching a detailed but interesting step-by-step technique along with anatomy for MMA/BJJ lovers alongside an app with complete planning to execution. I hope you will enjoy reading it.
Anatomy of the Spinning Hook Kick
Hook Kick & Spinning Hook Kick – fighttips.com
app


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## Razznik

JowGaWolf said:


> The success of this kick has more to do with how someone grabs your kick and less about the kick itself.  In short, the type of foot grab dictates the type of kick you can use to get out of it.
> 
> The foot grab that the MMA guy uses should not have been a grab at all.  That grab should  have been carried out as a scoop which moves the foot out of the way so you can advance and attack.  But it's not enough to  just move the kicking foot out of the way.  You have to move that foot/leg so that it creates an imbalance which prevents your opponent from countering.  If you just swipe it out of the way then your opponent will still be able to turn into the kick.  The sland thing you want to do is hold onto the foot without pulling it, pushing it,  throwing it, lifting it or locking it.  He would have been safe had he done one of those things.


Yes especially if he had pulled and then gave him an uppercut. It was really unlucky from the dude who caught the kick


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