How to Do a Taekwondo Back Kick
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Standard Back Kick·Taekwondo Guide
Paul Van Schoyck of Taekwondo Guide demonstrates how to do a back kick (the most deceptive kick in Taekwondo) along with…
Standard Back Kick
SubFamilyスタンダード後ろ蹴り(Sutandādo Ushiro-geri)
HybridTranslation: standard back kick
Overview
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]
History & Origin
The standard back kick has been a core technique in taekwondo since the art's formalisation in the 1950s, and it appears as ushiro geri in Shotokan karate's standard curriculum. [1] The technique is universally taught across kicking arts and has proven effective in both point-based and full-contact competition. [2],[3]
Effectiveness
Standard back kick. [1]
Lineage
From TKD and karate. [1]
Competition Record
Used in competition. [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 (spinning) — Turn the head to spot the target, spin on the lead foot, thrust the heel backward into the target
As counter (opponent circles) — When the opponent moves to the rear side, spin and drive the heel into their body
Videos
How To Back Kick Tutorial | Catholic Karate Lesson
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Standard Back Kick·ᴶᴹᴶ Dojo Go ! | Online Kids Martial Arts & Karate
🏠 Dojo Go Online Academy 2.0 is Live! https://www.skool.com/grand-prairie-muay-thai-3175/about 20+ weeks of structured,…
2 videos
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
7
Very High7/10
Spinning back kick generates extreme force; liver/solar plexus KO 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
✓From fighting stance, pivot on the lead foot and look over the lead shoulder to spot the target
✓Drive the rear heel straight back in a linear path, extending the hip fully
✓The body should form a straight line from the upper back through the hip to the heel at full extension
✓Keep the toes pointing downward so the heel strikes first with maximum force concentration
✓The arms stay close to the body during the spin to maintain balance and protect the torso
✓Retract the kick along the same line and reset to fighting stance
✓Practise the spin and kick separately: spin to spot the target, then add the kick once the spotting is consistent
Common Mistakes
!Spinning without spotting the target over the shoulder — the most common and most dangerous mistake
!Swinging the leg in an arc instead of thrusting straight back — keep the trajectory linear
!Kicking with the sole of the foot flat instead of driving with the heel point
!Leaning forward during the kick and exposing the back of the head
!Spinning too slowly, giving the opponent time to move out of the way or close distance and clinch
!Not driving the hip into the kick — the leg alone is not enough to generate fight-ending power
!Over-spinning and completing nearly a full 360, ending in a worse position than you started
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] Karate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935) [3] Dynamic Karate (Nakayama, 1966)
2BookKarate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Comprehensive Asian Fighting Arts (Draeger & Smith, 1969)
3OtherJapanese Martial Arts Hybrid Terminology
Mixed Japanese-Western terminology — combines traditional Japanese terms with katakana loanwords
4CitationMuay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Kraitus, 2002)
Alias sources — [1] Kukkiwon Taekwondo Textbook (Kukkiwon, 2006) [2] Karate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935) [3] Dynamic Karate (Nakayama, 1966)
5CitationKarate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Comprehensive Asian Fighting Arts (Draeger & Smith, 1969)
Community
Athletics
Requires
rotational awareness, hip extension power, target spotting ability
Favours
strong posterior chain for powerful backward thrust
Key muscles
glutes, hamstrings, erector spinae, core rotators
Sub-techniques
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the most common mistake beginners make when executing a back kick?
The most common mistake is trying to kick too early in the turn before you've fully rotated and looked over your shoulder. You need to complete your turn and visual check before lifting your kicking foot.
How should I position my body and lean when throwing a back kick?
Lean your upper body forward and show your back to the target while keeping your kick traveling in a straight line. This forward lean combined with proper body alignment ensures your heel strikes directly at the opponent rather than on an angled path.
What part of my foot should I aim with on a back kick?
Aim with your heel. Step with your heel first, look over your shoulder, pick up your leg, bend your knee, and thrust out as if throwing a side kick.
How does the Standard Back Kick work?
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. 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.
Where does the Standard Back Kick come from?
The standard back kick has been a core technique in taekwondo since the art's formalisation in the 1950s, and it appears as ushiro geri in Shotokan karate's standard curriculum. The technique is universally taught across kicking arts and has proven effective in both point-based and full-contact competition.
Is the Standard 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 Standard Back Kick?
Danger rating 7/10. Very High — spinning back kick generates extreme force; liver/solar plexus KO risk
How do I set up the Standard Back Kick?
The standard setup chain: Stance and Range → Chamber the Leg → Execute the Kick → Recover.
How do I defend against the Standard Back 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 Standard Back Kick?
Common variants: Standard back kick (spinning and thrusting the heel backward into the target); Spinning back kick (full 360° rotation for maximum power); Mule kick (short backward thrust without a full spin).
How effective is the Standard Back Kick in competition?
Used in competition.
What are common mistakes when doing the Standard Back Kick?
Top errors to watch for: Spinning without spotting the target over the shoulder — the most common and most dangerous mistake / Swinging the leg in an arc instead of thrusting straight back — keep the trajectory linear / Kicking with the sole of the foot flat instead of driving with the heel point / Leaning forward during the kick and exposing the back of the head.
What are other names for the Standard Back Kick?
The Standard Back Kick is also known as Sutandādo Ushiro-geri, Dwi Chagi, Ushiro Geri, Back Thrust Kick.