Back Kick

The Back Ghost Lift Kick is a deceptive back kick that feints low then redirects upward, catching the opponent off-guard with the height change. [1] The initial motion suggests a low back kick, triggering a downward defensive response, before the kicker lifts the trajectory to strike the body or head. [1] The name 'ghost' refers to the phantom-like nature of the initial feint. [1]

The Double Drop Back Kick delivers two back kicks in rapid succession while dropping to the ground, alternating legs for a devastating two-strike combination. [1] The momentum from the first kick's recoil helps chamber the second, creating a rapid-fire sequence from ground level. [1]

The Downward Back Kick drives the heel downward and backward at approximately 30-45° below horizontal, targeting the opponent's knee joint, shin, or instep (top of the foot) from behind — a stomping back kick that attacks the structural integrity of the opponent's legs rather than their body. [1] The technique combines the backward direction of the standard back kick with the downward stomping trajectory of the oblique kick, creating a hybrid that targets the most structurally vulnerable part of the human body — the knee — from the direction the knee is least able to resist force (from above-behind). [1] The human knee is a hinge joint designed to flex and extend along a single axis; forces applied from above and behind force the joint to buckle forward (hyperflexion), which can tear the ACL, PCL, and popliteal ligaments that stabilise the joint. [1] De Bremaeker and Faige document the Downward Back Kick as one of the back kick variants, noting its tactical application when the opponent is standing close behind the practitioner — the downward trajectory targets the lead leg's knee, which is the opponent's primary weight-bearing structure in that position. [1] The technique is sometimes called the 'Donkey Kick' because it resembles the kicking motion of a donkey — a powerful downward-backward stamp that drives the heel into whatever is behind and below the animal. [1] In MMA, the oblique kick to the knee (a related front-facing technique popularised by Jon Jones) has demonstrated the devastating effectiveness of stomping kicks to the knee joint — the Downward Back Kick applies the same principle from a rearward direction. [2] In self-defence, the Downward Back Kick is one of the most effective responses to being grabbed from behind: the heel stomps down onto the attacker's shin, knee, or instep without requiring the defender to turn around. [1]

The Drop Back Kick is a back kick delivered while intentionally dropping the body forward to the ground. [1] The forward drop creates momentum that adds power to the backward kick, while the unexpected level change makes the kick difficult to defend. [1] This sacrifice technique requires practiced falling skills for safe execution. [1]

The Drop Hooking Back Kick combines a body drop with a back kick that hooks at the end, creating a sweeping attack from ground level. [1] The combination of the drop and the hook creates a wide, unpredictable arc that is extremely difficult to anticipate. [1]

The Drop Overhead Back Kick is a dramatic technique where the practitioner drops forward while kicking the heel overhead and behind, striking a target above and behind them in a scorpion-like motion. [1] This highly acrobatic kick requires exceptional flexibility and body control. [1] It is sometimes called the scorpion kick for the arched-back position during execution. [1]

The Flying Back Kick (Twimyo Dwit Chagi) is a back kick executed with a jumping/flying motion, delivering a powerful heel thrust while airborne. [1] The principle is the same as a standard back pushing kick except the fighter becomes airborne before impact, adding the body's dropping weight to the kick's force. [1] The technique requires the fighter to jump, rotate to sight the target over the shoulder, and drive the heel backward — all while in the air. It is one of the most powerful but highest-risk kicking techniques in the TKD arsenal. [1]

The Low Back Kick targets the opponent's knee, shin, or lower thigh from behind, aiming to damage the structural support of the lead leg. [1] By directing the back kick downward at the opponent's lower body, the practitioner attacks a target that is difficult to defend when struck from behind. [1] This technique is particularly effective as a counter when the opponent is advancing. [1]

The One-Legged Drop Back Kick is a drop back kick that lands on one leg only, allowing immediate follow-up techniques without the need for full ground recovery. [1] By controlling the landing to a single-leg base, the practitioner maintains enough mobility to continue attacking or transition to a takedown. [1]

The Penetrating Back Kick is the foundational back kick — a straight-line thrust delivered backward using the heel, driving through the target with full hip extension. [1] From fighting stance, the fighter looks over the shoulder to sight the target, chambers the kicking leg with the knee raised, and drives the heel straight back into the opponent's midsection. [1] This is one of the most powerful kicks in martial arts — the alignment of the spine, hip, and heel in a straight line allows maximum force transfer. [1] It is particularly effective as a counter against opponents who rush forward, using their own momentum against them. [1]

The Short Back Kick is a compact variant of the back kick that uses minimal leg extension to deliver the heel into a target directly behind the practitioner, optimised for very close range situations where a full-extension back kick (ushiro geri kekomi) would over-extend and miss or lose power. [1] The technique resembles a mule's kicking motion — hence the common name 'Mule Kick' — with a short, sharp hip extension that drives the heel straight backward into the opponent's midsection, groin, knee, or shin from distances as close as 12-18 inches. [1] While the standard back kick chambers the knee high and thrusts the leg out to full extension (reaching targets 3-4 feet behind), the Short Back Kick keeps the knee relatively low and the extension minimal — the power comes from a sharp hip extension (gluteal contraction) rather than a full leg thrust, producing a compact, fast kick that operates in the space between clinch range and standard kicking range. [1] De Bremaeker and Faige document the Short Back Kick as the close-range member of the back kick family, filling the tactical gap where the opponent is too close for a standard back kick but positioned behind the practitioner — a common situation in multiple-attacker scenarios, after a missed spinning technique, or when the opponent circles to the practitioner's rear quarter. [1] In MMA, the Short Back Kick has been used effectively against opponents who circle behind the fighter during cage-wall exchanges — the compact kick fires backward without the fighter needing to fully turn around, maintaining their position against the cage while punishing the opponent's circling movement. [2] The technique's simplicity — it is essentially a backward hip thrust with the heel — makes it accessible to beginners while remaining effective at the highest levels. [1]

The Spin-Back Back Kick combines a 180-degree spin with a straight back kick, using rotational momentum to increase the power of the heel thrust. [1] The fighter pivots on the lead foot, rotates the body backward while sighting the target over the shoulder, and drives the rear leg straight back as the rotation completes. [1] The spin adds significant power to what is already one of the strongest kicks in martial arts. [1] Unlike the standard back kick which is thrown from a static position, the spin-back version is typically used as an offensive technique to close distance while attacking. [1]

The Spin-Forward Back Kick is a back kick preceded by a forward-moving spin, simultaneously closing distance and generating rotational power. [1] Unlike a standard spinning back kick which maintains position, this variant covers ground forward during the spin, making it an effective attacking technique against retreating opponents. [1]

The Spin-Forward Hook Back Kick combines a forward spin with a back kick that hooks at the end, creating a complex multi-phase attack. [1] The forward spin closes distance, the back kick delivers power, and the hook redirects the strike around the opponent's defence. [1]

The Standard Back Kick subfamily covers the fundamental back kick execution, where the fighter looks over the shoulder, pivots on the lead foot, and drives the heel of the rear foot straight back into the opponent's midsection or solar plexus. [1] The kicking leg extends fully in a linear thrust, and the power is generated by driving the hip backward while maintaining a rigid leg structure at the moment of impact. [1,2] The standard back kick is one of the most powerful linear kicks, and its trajectory makes it difficult to catch or sweep compared to circular kicks. [2,3]

The Uppercut Back Kick delivers a back kick with an upward-rising trajectory, targeting the opponent's chin, solar plexus, or groin from below and behind, combining the directional advantage of the back kick (striking behind the practitioner) with the angular advantage of an uppercut (rising from below the opponent's visual field). [1] While the standard back kick (ushiro geri kekomi) travels in a straight horizontal line backward, the Uppercut Back Kick angles upward at approximately 30-60° from horizontal, driving the heel upward and behind into targets that are above the standard back kick's trajectory. [1] The technique is particularly effective against opponents who lean forward or duck — the rising heel catches them under the chin as they drop their head, or drives upward into the solar plexus from below the protective arm guard. [1] De Bremaeker and Faige document the Uppercut Back Kick as one of the back kick variants in their 89-kick compilation, noting that it fills a tactical gap: the standard back kick misses opponents who duck or lean forward, while the uppercut variant rises to meet them at their lowered position. [1] The mechanical execution uses the same hip extension as a standard back kick but adds hip flexion to elevate the heel's trajectory — the kick effectively 'scoops' upward behind the practitioner rather than thrusting straight backward. [1] In MMA, the rising back kick has been used by fighters to catch opponents who duck under spinning attacks — the opponent ducks to avoid a spinning head kick, and the rising heel catches them under the chin as they come up. [2]

The Upward Hook Back Kick combines back kick power with a hooking redirection at the end of the trajectory, sweeping upward and around the target. [1] The initial motion is a standard back kick, but near full extension, the foot hooks upward and inward, creating a scooping effect that can catch targets behind the opponent's guard. [1]