Attacking the rear leg tutorial
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Drop Hooking Back Kick·Kevin Ross Official
Been asked frequently to do a tutorial on attacking the rear leg, which many people find difficult. So here you go. Drop…
Drop Hooking Back Kick
SubFamilyドロップ・フッキング・バック・キック(Doroppu Fukkingu Bakku Kikku)
Translation: Drop hooking back kick
Overview
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]
Dropping Hook Back KickBoxing
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]
Images
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Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — Back Kick mechanics modified for drop hooking 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 hooking back kick
From close range — Adapted version for tight distance
Variants
High variant
Mid variant
Low variant
Videos
What Is A Back Kick For?
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Drop Hooking Back Kick·THE PIT Online Dojo
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2 videos
What Instructors Say
The drop hooking back kick is a devastating close-range strike targeting the opponent's rear leg, executed by shifting the hips forward and driving downward with commitment. Kevin Ross Official emphasizes that the primary technical challenge is hip shifting without switching stances—a righty fighter must rotate their hips into a southpaw-like position to access the rear leg effectively. He outlines three progression variations: a direct one-two setup with forward drive and drop, a lateral step-and-switch entry, and a pure hip-shift method that preserves base position. Critical to power generation is deep penetration—the striker must step in aggressively, drop low, and extend the shin as far as possible into the target, avoiding the common error of throwing the kick too upright from distance. Ross stresses full commitment, with the head driving forward over the front foot, combined with hand control to occupy the opponent's space and prevent counters. THE PIT Online Dojo contextualizes the back kick more broadly, explaining that while back kicks are conventionally practiced from rear-shoulder awareness, their primary application is against front-facing opponents—either as a follow-up after a missed initial kick or as a spinning entry. Both instructors agree on the fundamental principle of torque and hip rotation generating power, though their emphases differ: Ross focuses on the drop-and-drive mechanics for static rear-leg attacks, while THE PIT frames the back kick within broader spinning combinations and distance management.
Synthesized from 2 instructors
- Kevin Ross Official — Attacking the rear leg tutorial: Detailed technical breakdown of hip-shift mechanics, three entry variations (direct drive, lateral step-switch, pure shift), depth-of-penetration principles, posture requirements (head over knee), hand control for defense, and common errors in execution distance and commitment.
- THE PIT Online Dojo — What Is A Back Kick For?: Strategic context on back-kick application (primarily against front-facing opponents), power generation through rotational torque rather than pure spin, positioning within combination sequences, and the distinction between rear-awareness practice and practical engagement scenarios.
Learn This Technique
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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
Expert
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 hooking 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 Hooking 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 4.13. A hooking back kick delivered while dropping to the ground — the hooking arc comes from an unexpected low angle. (De Bremaeker & Faige, Essential Book of Martial Arts Kicks, 2010)
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I generate power in a drop hook back kick?
Kevin Ross emphasizes committing fully to the technique by driving forward with your weight, dropping down, and ensuring your hips shift correctly—don't stay back or you'll lose power. Think about driving through your opponent similar to a headbutt motion, which helps you jam them up and commit fully to the kick.
What's the most common mistake when stepping and throwing a drop hook back kick?
Kevin Ross notes that when you step out to the side, many people throw the kick from too far back, which takes all the power away. Instead, make sure to drive back in after stepping so you maintain distance and force behind the technique.
When should I use a back kick in a real fight?
THE PIT Online Dojo recommends that if someone is behind you, you should turn around and face them rather than throw a back kick—turning is faster and safer. Back kicks are more useful if you miss a front kick and end up turned around, or as practice to develop your spinning mechanics for a spinning back kick.
How does the Drop Hooking Back Kick work?
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. The combination of the drop and the hook creates a wide, unpredictable arc that is extremely difficult to anticipate.
Where does the Drop Hooking Back Kick come from?
The Drop Hooking 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 Hooking 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 Hooking Back Kick?
Danger rating 6/10. Back Kick variant with standard striking power
How do I set up the Drop Hooking Back Kick?
The standard setup chain: Feint → Drop Hooking Back Kick → Follow-up combination.
How do I defend against the Drop Hooking Back Kick?
Standard counters include: Step inside range / Block and counter / Low kick to support leg.
What are the variants of the Drop Hooking Back Kick?
Common variants: High variant; Mid variant; Low variant.
How effective is the Drop Hooking 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 Hooking 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 Hooking Back Kick?
The Drop Hooking Back Kick is also known as Doroppu Fukkingu Bakku Kikku, Dropping Hook Back Kick.