USHIRO GERI TUTORIAL (Spinning Back Kick)
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Standard Spinning Back Kick·ULTIMATE KARATE
Welcome to Ultimate Karate, in today's Karate Lesson we are learning Ushiro Geri AKA "Spinning Back Kick" Jason Leung is…
Standard Spinning Back Kick
Genus後ろ回し蹴り（基本型）(Ushiro Mawashi-geri (Kihon-gata))
TraditionalTranslation: standard spinning back kick
Overview
The Standard Spinning Back Kick is executed by pivoting on the lead foot, rotating the body 180 degrees to face away from the opponent, looking over the shoulder to acquire the target, and thrusting the rear heel straight back with full leg extension. [1] The rotational momentum of the spin adds force to the linear thrust, and the heel impacts the opponent's solar plexus, liver, or abdomen with tremendous penetrating power. [1],[2] This technique requires precise distance and timing, as the rotation momentarily obscures the kicker's vision and creates vulnerability if the kick misses. [2],[3]
History & Origin
The standard spinning back kick is a staple of taekwondo (dwi chagi), where it is one of the most powerful and commonly used spinning techniques in competition. [1] The technique has been adopted across kickboxing and MMA, with memorable performances by fighters such as Bas Rutten, Cung Le, and Yoel Romero demonstrating its effectiveness. [2],[3]
Effectiveness
The spinning back kick delivers enormous force by combining rotational momentum with a linear heel thrust, producing one of the highest impact forces of any kick. [1] Biomechanical studies have measured spinning back kicks generating forces exceeding 1,500 pounds, making them among the most powerful techniques in striking martial arts. [1]
Lineage
The back kick is a signature technique shared across taekwondo (dwi chagi) and karate (ushiro geri), with both traditions claiming it as a fundamental kick in their curricula. [1]
Competition Record
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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
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
Videos
Master the Spinning Back Kick
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Standard Spinning Back Kick·Machida Karate
In this video We demonstrate basic to advanced drills to help you practice and master your spinning back kick. To learn…
How to Fix Your Spinning Back Kick / Turning Side Kick
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Standard Spinning Back Kick·Ando Mierzwa
The spinning back kick is a powerful strike... if you throw it correctly! But many people make one big mistake. Try this…
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3 videosWhat Instructors Say
The standard spinning back kick, known as Ushiro Geri in Japanese, is widely regarded as one of the most powerful strikes in martial arts. All three instructors emphasize that proper execution requires careful control of rotation and positioning. SenseiAndo stresses the critical distinction between a true back kick and a turning side kick: a back kick occurs when the striker's back faces the opponent with toes pointing 180 degrees away, striking with the heel. He identifies a common error where excessive head turning causes the entire spine and hips to rotate beyond 180 degrees, unintentionally converting the technique into a side kick. His solution is to spot the target with only the corner of one eye, initiating the kick as soon as the target becomes visible. Machida Karate and Ultimate Karate (Jason Leung) both emphasize the importance of minimal hip rotation to maintain proper alignment. Machida recommends thinking of the technique as a turning motion rather than spinning, moving forward while turning rather than purely rotating. Both Machida and Leung stress keeping toes pointed downward and striking with the heel to maximize power transfer. Leung additionally highlights the importance of following through with hip extension and the supporting leg to drive through the target, contrasting traditional forward-landing approaches with tactical modern combat positioning. All three instructors agree that maintaining awareness of the target and avoiding over-rotation are essential to executing a true back kick rather than accidentally reverting to a side kick.
Synthesized from 3 instructors
- SenseiAndo — How to Fix Your Spinning Back Kick / Turning Side Kick: Identified the primary mistake of excessive head turning causing unintended conversion to side kick; introduced the one-eye spotting technique to maintain proper 180-degree foot alignment and prevent hip over-rotation
- Machida Karate — Master the Spinning Back Kick: Provided progressive drilling methodology emphasizing forward movement alongside turning rather than pure spinning; detailed foot positioning and heel strike mechanics; advocated for forward body lean to optimize kicking angle
- ULTIMATE KARATE — USHIRO GERI TUTORIAL (Spinning Back Kick): Outlined three-step execution framework (spin, kick, land); emphasized heel striking with toes down and square hips to prevent side kick conversion; introduced both traditional and modern tactical landing approaches; stressed hip extension and supporting leg follow-through for power delivery
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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
✓Initiate the spin by pivoting the lead foot inward and driving the rear hip forward
✓Look over the lead shoulder to spot the target during the first 90 degrees of rotation
✓At 180 degrees, the body is turned sideways — fire the kick straight back with full hip extension
✓The heel should hit the target at the peak of the rotation, when the body is fully turned and the hip can extend maximally
✓This technique combines the momentum of the spin with the power of the linear thrust for devastating effect
✓Target the solar plexus, sternum, or floating ribs for maximum impact at body level
✓The spinning back kick is one of the top KO techniques in Taekwondo and has produced numerous highlight-reel finishes in MMA
Common Mistakes
!Separating the spin and the kick into two distinct actions instead of one fluid motion
!Looking at the ground during the spin instead of at the target — keep the eyes up and searching
!Spinning off the centre of balance and wobbling through the kick
!Not extending the hip fully at the moment of impact — the heel must drive through the target
!Using excessive upper body lean, which reduces the force transmitted through the hip to the heel
!Aiming at the head without the flexibility to maintain a linear thrust — the body is the optimal target for most fighters
!Not practising the recovery: drill the return to stance as part of the technique
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] Best Karate Vol. 5 (Nakayama, 1979) [3] Taekwondo: The State of the Art (Park, 1989)
2BookKarate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Biomechanics of Striking Arts, in Martial Arts Medicine (Kordi et al., 2009)
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] Best Karate Vol. 5 (Nakayama, 1979) [3] Taekwondo: The State of the Art (Park, 1989)
6CitationKarate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Biomechanics of Striking Arts, in Martial Arts Medicine (Kordi et al., 2009)
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
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my spinning back kick sometimes turn into a side kick?
According to Ando Mierzwa, this happens when you try to look at your target with both eyes while spinning—your head rotation causes your feet to turn further than intended. Spot your target with only one eye to keep your shoulders squared and throw a true back kick instead of accidentally converting to a side kick.
Should I think of the spinning back kick as a spinning motion or something else?
Ando Mierzwa recommends thinking of it as a 'turnaround technique' rather than a spinning technique. You only need to turn enough so your shoulders are squared toward the target—full circular spinning will throw off your aim and balance.
What's the difference between the traditional and modern way to throw a spinning back kick?
Ultimate Karate notes that the traditional approach is better for demonstrating fundamentals and Kihon, while the modern approach is more practical for real combat and application, emphasizing driving through the target with locked eyes, toes down, and squared hips rather than landing forward.
When I spin and kick, should I move forward or just spin in place?
Machida Karate emphasizes that you should turn and go forward—not just spin in place. Turn, move forward, and then kick; this ensures proper momentum and prevents the common mistake of spinning without forward progression.
How does the Standard Spinning Back Kick work?
The Standard Spinning Back Kick is executed by pivoting on the lead foot, rotating the body 180 degrees to face away from the opponent, looking over the shoulder to acquire the target, and thrusting the rear heel straight back with full leg extension. The rotational momentum of the spin adds force to the linear thrust, and the heel impacts the opponent's solar plexus, liver, or abdomen with tremendous penetrating power.
Where does the Standard Spinning Back Kick come from?
The standard spinning back kick is a staple of taekwondo (dwi chagi), where it is one of the most powerful and commonly used spinning techniques in competition. The technique has been adopted across kickboxing and MMA, with memorable performances by fighters such as Bas Rutten, Cung Le, and Yoel Romero demonstrating its effectiveness.
Is the Standard Spinning 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 Spinning 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 Spinning Back Kick?
The standard setup chain: Stance and Range → Chamber the Leg → Execute the Kick → Recover.
How do I defend against the Standard Spinning 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 Spinning 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 Spinning Back Kick in competition?
Conor McGregor knocked out Marcus Brimage with a spinning back kick to the body at UFC on Fuel TV 9 (2013) in his promotional debut. Cung Le used the spinning back kick as a primary weapon in his Strikeforce career.
What are common mistakes when doing the Standard Spinning Back Kick?
Top errors to watch for: Separating the spin and the kick into two distinct actions instead of one fluid motion / Looking at the ground during the spin instead of at the target — keep the eyes up and searching / Spinning off the centre of balance and wobbling through the kick / Not extending the hip fully at the moment of impact — the heel must drive through the target.
What are other names for the Standard Spinning Back Kick?
The Standard Spinning Back Kick is also known as Ushiro Mawashi-geri (Kihon-gata), Dwi Dollyo Chagi, Ushiro Mawashi Geri, Turning Back Kick.