Taekwondo Fundamentals: Back Kick
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Drop Back Kick·TaekwondoShawn
Back Kick 뒤차기 Dwi Chagi is arguably one of the strongest kicks! Training a good Back Kick will benefit your 'power' dem…
Drop Back Kick
SubFamilyドロップ・バック・キック(Doroppu Bakku Kikku)
Translation: Drop back kick
Overview
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]
Dropping Back KickSacrifice Back Kick
History & Origin
Effectiveness
Offers specific tactical advantages over the standard back kick in appropriate situations. [1]
Lineage
Cross-style martial arts kicking tradition; documented in kick compendiums. [1]
Competition Record
An acrobatic kick variation primarily seen in demonstrations and point-fighting tournaments. Not practical in full-contact competition due to the ground recovery time required. [1]
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Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — Back Kick mechanics modified for drop back kick variant
Joints Involved — Hip, knee, ankle — specific to back kick trajectory
Force Vector — Modified back kick trajectory
Leverage Principle — Hip rotation and leg extension generate force along the back kick arc
Position & Entry
From fighting stance — Chamber and execute the drop back kick
From close range — Adapted version for tight distance
Variants
High variant
Mid variant
Low variant
Videos
Tutorial: Back Kick AKA Back Piercing Kick (뒷차지르기. 後ろ蹴り)
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Drop Back Kick·Van Roon Martial Arts
Tutorial: Back Kick AKA Back Piercing Kick (뒷차지르기. 後ろ蹴り) In this video Carl van Roon looks at key considerations for th…
2 videos
What Instructors Say
The back kick, known as dwee chuggy in Korean or ushirogeri in Japanese, is considered one of the strongest kicks in martial arts due to its ability to harness the body's largest muscle groups, particularly the glutes, combined with hip extension and rotational force. Both TaekwondoShawn and Van Roon Martial Arts emphasize that proper execution requires leaning the chest forward in the opposite direction of the kick while chambering the knee high and extending straight back with the heel or foot blade (bao kal in Korean, yosokuto in Japanese). TaekwondoShawn stresses maintaining close knee alignment to avoid converting the technique into a side kick, keeping toes pulled in line with the body, and executing the kick as one continuous motion rather than two separate parts to maximize power generation. Van Roon adds that the true back kick maintains a direct center-line approach, distinguishing it from the more powerful but less efficient spinning or turning side kick variation. Both instructors agree on the importance of the recoil and recommend preparatory conditioning through exercises like burpees, split squats, and forward-backward leg swings to develop the necessary strength and flexibility. TaekwondoShawn highlights the technique's versatility in competitive sparring (earning more points than front turning kicks), power breaking demonstrations, and self-defense applications including shin rakes and groin strikes. Van Roon contextualizes the back kick's range advantages over spinning variations, noting it can be executed from closer distance while maintaining directness and efficiency.
Synthesized from 2 instructors
- TaekwondoShawn — Taekwondo Fundamentals: Back Kick: Detailed mechanical execution emphasizing glute engagement, knee alignment, and continuous motion; provided warm-up exercises (forward-backward leg swings, squat jacks), progressions from all-fours to standing with support, conditioning drills (burpees, split squats), and stretching protocols (leg cross toe touches, pigeon stretch); discussed applications in kyorugi competition, power breaking, and self-defense.
- Van Roon Martial Arts — Tutorial: Back Kick AKA Back Piercing Kick (뒷차지르기. 後ろ蹴り): Clarified terminology across Korean and Japanese martial arts traditions; distinguished the true back kick from spinning/turning side kick variations, explaining efficiency, directness, and range trade-offs; demonstrated chamber and hip positioning, rewind recovery methods, and integration with guard positions from boxing and karate kamae; emphasized center-line directness and power generation mechanics.
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
6
High6/10
Back Kick variant with standard striking power
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
✓Master the standard back kick before attempting the drop back kick (De Bremaeker & Faige, 2010)
✓Practise with pad work for targeting accuracy
Common Mistakes
!Attempting without solid back kick foundation
!Poor balance
!Insufficient power generation
Related Techniques
Counter Techniques
Setup Chain
1Feint → Drop Back Kick → Follow-up combination
Sources & References
Primary Source
Essential Book of Martial Arts Kicks (De Bremaeker & Faige, 2010)
1Book[1] De Bremaeker, M. and Faige, R. (2010). Essential Book of Martial Arts Kicks: 89 Kicks from Karate, Taekwondo, Muay Thai, Jeet Kune Do, and Others. Tuttle Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4629-0558-4.
2Citation[1] De Bremaeker, M. and Faige, R. (2010). Essential Book of Martial Arts Kicks: 89 Kicks from Karate, Taekwondo, Muay Thai, Jeet Kune Do, and Others. Tuttle Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4629-0558-4.
[1] De Bremaeker & Faige, Essential Book of Martial Arts Kicks (2010)
Community
Athletics
Requires solid back kick foundation
Good balance and coordination
Notes
Documented in De Bremaeker & Faige, Section 4.5. A drop kick variant where the attacker drops to the ground while delivering a back kick — sacrifices position for unexpected angle. (De Bremaeker & Faige, Essential Book of Martial Arts Kicks, 2010)
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the most common mistake people make when performing a back kick?
According to TaekwondoShawn, a big bad habit is opening up into a side kick instead of keeping the kick straight back. You want to close the same shoulder as the kicking leg to keep your body straight and engage your glutes properly at impact.
How should I position my foot when extending a back kick?
TaekwondoShawn emphasizes pulling your toes in line with the rest of your body to expose the foot blade (the striking surface), while squeezing your glutes tight throughout the extension and recoil.
What warm-up exercises should I do before practicing back kicks?
TaekwondoShawn recommends forward-backward leg swings through full range of motion and squat jacks to prepare your body, followed by split squats to engage the glutes—the biggest muscle involved in the back kick.
Should I turn and kick in one smooth motion, or can I pause between them?
TaekwondoShawn stresses that the back kick should look like one motion after practice, advising not to break it up too much or practice it as two separate motions. The power comes from combining the extending motion with the spinning momentum without stopping.
How does the Drop Back Kick work?
The Drop Back Kick is a back kick delivered while intentionally dropping the body forward to the ground. The forward drop creates momentum that adds power to the backward kick, while the unexpected level change makes the kick difficult to defend.
Where does the Drop Back Kick come from?
The Drop Back Kick is a specialised variant documented in cross-style kicking methodology. It represents an advanced development of the standard back kick.
Is the Drop Back 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 Drop Back Kick?
Danger rating 6/10. Back Kick variant with standard striking power
How do I set up the Drop Back Kick?
The standard setup chain: Feint → Drop Back Kick → Follow-up combination.
How do I defend against the Drop Back Kick?
Standard counters include: Step inside range / Block and counter / Low kick to support leg.
What are the variants of the Drop Back Kick?
Common variants: High variant; Mid variant; Low variant.
How effective is the Drop Back Kick in competition?
An acrobatic kick variation primarily seen in demonstrations and point-fighting tournaments. Not practical in full-contact competition due to the ground recovery time required.
What are common mistakes when doing the Drop Back Kick?
Top errors to watch for: Attempting without solid back kick foundation / Poor balance / Insufficient power generation.
What are other names for the Drop Back Kick?
The Drop Back Kick is also known as Doroppu Bakku Kikku, Dropping Back Kick, Sacrifice Back Kick.