Editing Kick (section)

==Basic kicks==

===Roundhouse===
{{Further|Roundhouse kick}}
[[File:Muay Thai High kick.jpg|thumb|Roundhouse kick|alt=|left]]
The attacker swings their leg sideways in a circular motion, kicking the opponent's side with the front of the leg, usually with the instep, ball of the foot, toe, or shin. It can also be performed is a 360-degree kick where the attacker performs a full circle with their leg, in which the striking surface is generally either the instep, shin or ball of the foot.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2012/2/6/2773302/ufc-143-stephen-thompson-judo-chop-instep-roundhouse-kick |title=UFC 143 Judo Chop: The Instep Roundhouse Kick Of Stephen Thompson |work=Bloody Elbow |date=6 February 2012 |access-date=2014-01-17 |archive-date=2014-01-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140113121024/http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2012/2/6/2773302/ufc-143-stephen-thompson-judo-chop-instep-roundhouse-kick |url-status=live }}</ref>

There are many variations of the roundhouse kick based on various chambering of the cocked leg (small, or full, or universal or no chambering) or various footwork possibilities (rear-leg, front-leg, hopping, switch, oblique, dropping, ground spin-back or full 360 spin-back). An important variation is the downward roundhouse kick, nicknamed the "Brazilian kick" from recent K-1 use: A more pronounced twist of the hips allows for a downward end of the trajectory of the kick that is very deceiving.<ref>The Essential Book of Martial Arts Kicks: 89 Kicks from Karate, Taekwondo, Muay Thai, Jeet Kune Do, and Others by Marc De Bremaeker and Roy Faige</ref>

Due to its power, the roundhouse kick may also be performed at low level against targets, such as the knees, calf, or even thigh, since attacking leg muscles will often cripple an opponent's mobility. It is the most commonly used kick in [[kickboxing]] due to its power and ease of use. In most Karate styles, the [[instep]] is used to strike, though use of the shin as an official technique for a street fight would mostly be allowed.

===Front===
{{Further|Front kick}}
[[Image:EVD-taekwondo-061.jpg|thumb|Taekwondo front kick]]
Delivering a front kick involves raising the knee and foot of the striking leg to the desired height and extending the leg to contact the target. The strike is usually delivered by the [[ball of the foot]] for a forward kick or the top of the toes for an upward kick. [[Taekwondo]] practitioners utilize both the heel and ball of the foot for striking. Various combat systems teach "general" front kicks using the heel or whole foot when footwear is on. Depending on the fighter's tactical needs, a front kick may involve more or less body motion and thrusting with the hips is a common method of increasing both reach and power of the kick. The front kick is typically executed with the upper body straight and balanced. Front kicks are typically aimed at targets below the chest: stomach, thighs, groin, knees or lower. Highly skilled martial artists are often capable of striking head-level targets with front kicks.<ref>{{cite web |last=Breen |first=Andrew |url=http://www.blackbeltmag.com/daily/martial-arts-techniques/kicks/the-front-kick-how-to-do-it-when-to-use-it-what-to-destroy-with-it-part-1/ |title=The Front Kick: How to Do It, When to Use It, What to Destroy With It (Part 1) – - Black Belt |publisher=Blackbeltmag.com |date=2013-04-29 |access-date=2014-01-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140112133655/http://www.blackbeltmag.com/daily/martial-arts-techniques/kicks/the-front-kick-how-to-do-it-when-to-use-it-what-to-destroy-with-it-part-1/ |archive-date=2014-01-12 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2012/3/19/2872876/ufc-strikeforce-judo-chop-front-kick-lyoto-machida-anderson-silva-josh-thomson-ko |title=Judo Chop: Front Kicks With Lyoto Machida, Anderson Silva, Josh Thomson |date=19 March 2012 |publisher=Bloody Elbow |access-date=2014-01-17 |archive-date=2014-01-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140112141317/http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2012/3/19/2872876/ufc-strikeforce-judo-chop-front-kick-lyoto-machida-anderson-silva-josh-thomson-ko |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Side===<!-- This section is linked from [[Kickboxing]] -->
{{Redirect|Side kick||Sidekick (disambiguation)}}

This kick is native to traditional [[Chinese martial arts]], along with [[Taekkyon|Taekyyon]], [[Taekwondo]] and [[Karate]]. A side kick is delivered sideways in relation to the body of the person kicking.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2012/10/27/3562436/ufc-macau-anderson-silva-cung-le-bruce-lee-judo-chop-mma-technique |title=UFC Macau Judo Chop: Anderson Silva, Cung Le, Bruce Lee and the Side Kick |work=Bloody Elbow |date=27 October 2012 |access-date=2014-01-17 |archive-date=2014-01-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140112173659/http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2012/10/27/3562436/ufc-macau-anderson-silva-cung-le-bruce-lee-judo-chop-mma-technique |url-status=live }}</ref> A standard side kick is performed by first "chambering" by raising the kicking leg diagonally across the body, then extending the leg in a linear fashion toward the target, while flexing the abdominals. The two common impact points in sidekicks are the heel or the outer edge of the foot, with the heel is more suited to hard targets such as the ribs, stomach, jaw, temple and chest. When executing a side kick with the heel, the toes should be pulled back so that they only make contact the heel and not with the whole foot as striking with the arch or the ball of the foot can injure the foot or break an ankle.

Another way of doing the side kick is to make it a result of a faked roundhouse. This technique is considered antiquated{{Citation needed|date=November 2019}} and used only after an opponent is persuaded to believe it is a roundhouse (a [[feint]]) and then led to believe that closing the distance is best for an upper body attack, which plays into the tactical position and relative requirement of this version of the side kick.  In Chinese, this is known as c''è chuài(''侧踹). In Korean, it is known as ''yeop chagi'' and in Okinawan fighting, it is sometimes called a "dragon kick". Some have called this side kick a "twist kick" due to its roundhouse like origins. This side kick begins as would a roundhouse kick however the practitioner allows the heel to move towards the center of the body. The kick is then directed outward from a cross-leg chamber so that the final destination of the kick is a target to the side, rather than one that is directly ahead.

===Back===
[[Image:EVD-taekwondo-083.jpg|thumb|Taekwondo back kick|alt=]]

Also referred to as a donkey kick, mule kick, horse kick or turning back kick. This kick is directed backwards, keeping the kicking leg close to the standing leg and using the heel as a striking surface. In wushu, this kick is called the "half-moon" kick but involves the slight arching of the back and a higher lift of the leg to give a larger curvature. It is often used to strike opponents by surprise when facing away from them.