Kicks

[kickingme]

How many basic kicks are there?
I am talking about bare basic kicks. I can see Front kick, Roundhouse, Side kick, Back kick,
Crescent (inside / outside ), is there any other basic kick. Not adding a jump or spin to the kick ( Jump front kick is still a front kick ). Just something I have been thinking about.

 

[andyjeffries]

How many basic kicks are there?
I am talking about bare basic kicks. I can see Front kick, Roundhouse, Side kick, Back kick,
Crescent (inside / outside ), is there any other basic kick. Not adding a jump or spin to the kick ( Jump front kick is still a front kick ). Just something I have been thinking about.

Never thought about compiling a list, but here are some (Kukki-Taekwondo) you're missing:

Push Kick
Axe Kick
Half-turning Kick (rarely done these days in modern clubs)
Cut Kick
Hook Kick
Whisk Kick
Twist Kick (we very rarely do this one, but definitely more popular in ITF/CKD)

 

[Manny]

For me the basick kicks are:

1.-Front kick.
2.-Roundhouse/Round kick.
3.-Side kick.
4.-Back kick.
5.-Ax kick (inward/outward).
6.-Hook kick.

The other kicks are variations of these kicks.

Manny

 

[dancingalone]

What is a whisk kick?

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

How many basic kicks are there?
I am talking about bare basic kicks. I can see Front kick, Roundhouse, Side kick, Back kick,
Crescent (inside / outside ), is there any other basic kick. Not adding a jump or spin to the kick ( Jump front kick is still a front kick ). Just something I have been thinking about.

As far as foundational kicks go, I'd say that's about right, adding in hooking kicks, which would include the front hook kick, back hook kick, and depending on who you ask, the axe kick, all of which involve hooking and/or striking with the heel or bottom of the foot from different angles.

A lot depends upon how you look at kicks. Is a back hook kick a distinct kick or just a hook kick with a spin? No right or wrong way to look at it, but how you look at it will affect your total count.

Daniel

 

[andyjeffries]

What is a whisk kick?

A downward 45 degree kick. Like a half-turning kick is a cross between a front kick and a full turning kick, a whisk kick is a cross between an ax kick and a hook kick

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

A downward 45 degree kick. Like a half-turning kick is a cross between a front kick and a full turning kick, a whisk kick is a cross between an ax kick and a hook kick

That's what we call a 'front hook kick at our school.

Daniel

 

[Rumy73]

I learn something new everyday from you guys. I love it.

 

[puunui]

I can see Front kick, Roundhouse, Side kick, Back kick,
Crescent (inside / outside ), is there any other basic kick. Not adding a jump or spin to the kick ( Jump front kick is still a front kick ).

Originally, I do not believe that the crescent kick was considered an offensive weapon, but rather a block. In fact, one of my teachers used to refer to crescent kicks as "block kick". Also, we never practiced spinning crescent kicks in class, although some people used to practice that on their own. The rationale was that if you are blocking, then there is no need to spin.

 

[Gwai Lo Dan]

Where I study, when the GM says we'll do "basic kicking", we do:

- front kick (rear-leg)
- roundhouse (rear-leg)
- side kick (rear-leg)
- back kick
- crescent kick (outside to inside, and inside to outside).
- no hook kick or axe kick

 

[Dragons TKD]

I've always taught 3 basic kicks:
Front Kick
Round House
Side Kick

These are the building block kicks. I'm going to say *most* of the other kicks are a variation of these kicks.

Kicks that aren't quite basic are:
Crescent Kick (Wheel Kick)
Axe Kick
Back Kick
Hook Kick

Now that you have your foundation, you can mix in any variation of these with a turn or spin and call them a "spinning crescent kick" or what ever fits.

I am also a firm believer that some kicks have many variations. I'll give the example of a roundhouse kick. The round house I use for sparring is not the same I use for forms or breaking. I have a pretty one for forms, a powerful one, with a follow through for breaking and a fast/efficient one for sparring. I also train Muay Thai, so I have a round house that I hit with my shin. My round house has 4 different looks as well as functions.

 

[ralphmcpherson]

On the subject of kicks, Ive noticed that everyone where I train calls an axe kick a "high heel kick", is that its original name? When did the term "axe kick" become popular? I notice the young kids coming through our system are starting to call it axe kick now.

 

[andyjeffries]

On the subject of kicks, Ive noticed that everyone where I train calls an axe kick a "high heel kick", is that its original name? When did the term "axe kick" become popular? I notice the young kids coming through our system are starting to call it axe kick now.

I've never heard it called "high heel kick", probably because we aim to point the foot and hit with the ball of the foot.

As an aside, it's the Korean for the kick that always gets me, I've heard three different names for it (and all of them used regularly by those people depending on where they came from): Naeryo Chagi, Chito Chagi, Naka Chagi. I believe (although this not based on fact I am certain of) that the terms mean "Axe Kick", "Chopping Kick", "Downward Kick", but don't know which is which. Which Korean term do you use?

As an aside, we've never used the term "Roundhouse Kick" at our dojang. I've used it occasionally in online forums as it makes it easier discussing it with international taekwondoin, but for us it's always a "turning kick"/dollyo chagi. We also do a half-turning kick (45 degree upward) which seems to have been phased out everywhere else.

 

[RobinTKD]

i'm sure that the axe kick is also called a 'crocodile' kick in other martial arts?

 

[ralphmcpherson]

I've never heard it called "high heel kick", probably because we aim to point the foot and hit with the ball of the foot.

As an aside, it's the Korean for the kick that always gets me, I've heard three different names for it (and all of them used regularly by those people depending on where they came from): Naeryo Chagi, Chito Chagi, Naka Chagi. I believe (although this not based on fact I am certain of) that the terms mean "Axe Kick", "Chopping Kick", "Downward Kick", but don't know which is which. Which Korean term do you use?

As an aside, we've never used the term "Roundhouse Kick" at our dojang. I've used it occasionally in online forums as it makes it easier discussing it with international taekwondoin, but for us it's always a "turning kick"/dollyo chagi. We also do a half-turning kick (45 degree upward) which seems to have been phased out everywhere else.

Thats interesting that you use the ball of the foot for axe kick, Ive never tried that as we always use the heel. We dont actually use korean names for kicks, so Ive only ever known axe kick as "high heel kick".

 

[seasoned]

Are we talking just sparring kicks? I know there are no points for a stomp kick on someone you have just taken down, but can it make the list?

 

[andyjeffries]

Thats interesting that you use the ball of the foot for axe kick, Ive never tried that as we always use the heel. We dont actually use korean names for kicks, so Ive only ever known axe kick as "high heel kick".

It's actually probably better phrased as we don't try to use the ball of the foot, but we point our foot flat and aim to get as much reach as possible, so the ball of the foot is probably a good striking area to aim for.

 

[leadleg]

This would be the difference in trying to score points and trying to break a nose.
We do a version of an axe kick bending the knee like a front kick but hitting the face with the bottom of the foot, we call it a "slap axe", usually a defensive kick.