HOW TO: Outside Swing Kick
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Outside Axe Kick·Ryan Robertson
A step by step explanation on how to Outside Swing Kick
Outside Axe Kick
SubFamily外踵落とし(Soto Kakato Otoshi)
TraditionalTranslation: outside axe kick
Overview
The Outside Axe Kick subfamily covers axe kicks where the leg is raised by swinging it upward from the outside (lateral side) of the body in a wide arc before being brought straight down onto the target. [1] The outside trajectory gives the kick a wider, more visible path than the inside variant, but it can generate more momentum due to the larger arc and is effective at clearing the opponent's guard from the outside before striking downward. [1],[2] The outside axe kick targets the same areas — collarbone, shoulder, face, and top of head — but approaches from a different angle. [2],[3]
History & Origin
The outside axe kick developed alongside the inside variant in Korean martial arts, providing an alternative trajectory when the inside path was blocked. [1] Both variants have been standard techniques in taekwondo and karate competition since the formalisation of competitive rules in the 1970s. [2],[3]
Effectiveness
The outside axe kick raises the leg to the outside and brings it down on the opponent. [1]
Lineage
A taekwondo and karate technique. [1]
Competition Record
Used in TKD and MMA. [1]
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Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — Ballistic leg extension or rotation — the shin or foot impacts the target at high velocity
Joints Involved — Hip (flexion/rotation), knee (extension for front kicks, flexion-extension for roundhouse), ankle (stabilised)
Force Vector — Linear (front kick/teep — hip flexion and knee extension) or rotational (roundhouse — hip rotation with shin contact)
Kinetic Chain — Pivot foot rotation → hip turn → femur whip → shin contact — the leg acts as a heavy bat with the hip as the pivot
Position & Entry
From fighting stance — Raise the leg high (straight or crescent), drive the heel down onto the target (collarbone, shoulder, or head)
From close range — Short-arc axe kick brought down quickly when the opponent's hands are low
As counter (after opponent's kick) — Raise the leg as the opponent recovers from their kick, bring the heel down
Videos
AXE KICK LERNEN TAEKWONDO KICK TUTORIAL
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Outside Axe Kick·Turbo Torben
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
6
High6/10
Downward heel strike; collarbone/head impact risk
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Advanced
Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets
Illegal
WBC/Boxing — All kicks prohibited in boxing {src— WBC Rules of Boxing}
Legal
— Unified MMA — Legal striking technique
Unified Rules of MMA, August 2025PDFKyokushin — Legal at full power to body and head {src— IKO Kyokushin Tournament Rules}
— WT — Legal, body kick 2 points, head kick 3 points, spinn...
WT Competition Rules 2024PDF— WAKO — Legal in Full Contact and Low Kick formats
WAKO Competition RulesPDFK-1/GLORY — Legal {src— K-1/GLORY Kickboxing Rules}
— IFMA — Legal — kicks are a core Muay Thai technique
IFMA Muay Thai RulesPDFTraining Notes
✓Raise the kicking leg along the outside of the body (outside-in trajectory) and drop the heel down onto the target
✓The leg arcs outward and upward, then hooks inward and chops down — the most common axe kick trajectory
✓The outside axe kick comes over the opponent's lead shoulder, targeting the collarbone or face
✓It is more natural than the inside variant because the leg travels along its normal range of motion
✓Use it after establishing roundhouse kicks to the body — the leg raising looks similar to a roundhouse chamber initially
✓The outside axe kick was Andy Hug's trademark, often landing on the collarbone or the top of the opponent's guard
✓Drill flexibility daily: front splits and overhead leg swings build the range needed for effective axe kicks
Common Mistakes
!Arcing too wide and losing the downward angle — the kick must come over the top, not swing around the side
!Not raising the leg high enough, resulting in a kick that hits the shoulder at a horizontal angle instead of chopping down
!Losing balance because the wide arc pulls the body sideways off the support leg
!Telegraphing by leaning away from the kicking side before the leg rises
!Not following through the downward chop and letting the leg float down gently
!Kicking the bicep or forearm of the guard without enough downward force to affect the opponent
!Attempting from too far away — the outside arc shortens the effective range compared to a straight kick
Related Techniques
Counter Techniques
Setup Chain
1Stance and Range — verify correct distance for the kick to land at full extension
2Chamber the Leg — lift the knee to prepare the kicking trajectory
3Execute the Kick — extend the leg through the target with the appropriate striking surface
4Recover — retract the leg and return to fighting stance
Sources & References
Primary Source
Karate-Do Kyohan: The Master Text (Gichin Funakoshi, 1935)
1BookMuay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Kraitus, 2002)
Alias sources — [1] Kukkiwon Taekwondo Textbook (Kukkiwon, 2006) [2] Taekwondo: The State of the Art (Park, 1989) [3] Karate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935)
2BookKarate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Comprehensive Asian Fighting Arts (Draeger & Smith, 1969)
Official karate technique names (和語/漢語)
4OtherJapanese Martial Arts Standard Terminology (武道用語)
Established Japanese martial arts naming convention — native Japanese term (和語/漢語)
5CitationMuay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Kraitus, 2002)
Alias sources — [1] Kukkiwon Taekwondo Textbook (Kukkiwon, 2006) [2] Taekwondo: The State of the Art (Park, 1989) [3] Karate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935)
6CitationKarate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Comprehensive Asian Fighting Arts (Draeger & Smith, 1969)
Community
Athletics
Requires
exceptional hip flexibility, hamstring length, leg raising speed
Favours
extremely flexible hips for raising the leg above head height
Key muscles
hip flexors, hamstrings (eccentric), quadriceps, core
Sub-techniques
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the main purpose of the outside axe kick?
The outside axe kick is designed to get over your opponent's shoulders and strike across the head using your outside blade, either coming down or smacking across horizontally.
How should I position my body when throwing an outside axe kick?
You want to trace your whole body and get over your own shoulders to generate power and proper height for the kick to clear your opponent's guard.
What's the setup for throwing an outside axe kick?
Start with your hands up, put your leg back, and then rotate to the outside at a higher trajectory to execute the kick.
How does the Outside Axe Kick work?
The Outside Axe Kick subfamily covers axe kicks where the leg is raised by swinging it upward from the outside (lateral side) of the body in a wide arc before being brought straight down onto the target. The outside trajectory gives the kick a wider, more visible path than the inside variant, but it can generate more momentum due to the larger arc and is effective at clearing the opponent's guard from the outside before striking downward.
Where does the Outside Axe Kick come from?
The outside axe kick developed alongside the inside variant in Korean martial arts, providing an alternative trajectory when the inside path was blocked. Both variants have been standard techniques in taekwondo and karate competition since the formalisation of competitive rules in the 1970s.
Is the Outside Axe Kick legal in competition?
Unified MMA: legal — Legal striking technique; WBC/Boxing: banned — All kicks prohibited in boxing; WKF: legal — Legal, chudan (body) kick scores 2 points, jodan (head) kick scores 3 points; Kyokushin: legal — Legal at full power to body and head; WT: legal — Legal, body kick 2 points, head kick 3 points, spinning body 4 points, spinni…; WAKO: legal — Legal in Full Contact and Low Kick formats; K: legal — 1/GLORY — Legal; IFMA: legal — Legal — kicks are a core Muay Thai technique
How dangerous is the Outside Axe Kick?
Danger rating 6/10. High — downward heel strike; collarbone/head impact risk
How do I set up the Outside Axe Kick?
The standard setup chain: Stance and Range → Chamber the Leg → Execute the Kick → Recover.
How do I defend against the Outside Axe Kick?
Standard counters include: Check (Shin Block) — raise the shin to intercept the kick before it lands / Catch and Sweep — catch the kicking leg and sweep the standing leg / Step Inside — close distance inside the kick's effective range to smother it.
What are the variants of the Outside Axe Kick?
Common variants: Outside axe kick (raising the leg outside and bringing the heel straight down); Inside axe kick (raising the leg inside in a crescent arc before chopping …); Spinning axe kick (adding a spin before the downward chop).
How effective is the Outside Axe Kick in competition?
Used in TKD and MMA.
What are common mistakes when doing the Outside Axe Kick?
Top errors to watch for: Arcing too wide and losing the downward angle — the kick must come over the top, not swing around the side / Not raising the leg high enough, resulting in a kick that hits the shoulder at a horizontal angle instead of chopping… / Losing balance because the wide arc pulls the body sideways off the support leg / Telegraphing by leaning away from the kicking side before the leg rises.
What are other names for the Outside Axe Kick?
The Outside Axe Kick is also known as Soto Kakato Otoshi, Bakkat Naeryeo Chagi, Outside Downward Kick, Kakato Geri Soto.