KUNG FU OUTSIDE CRESCENT KICK
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Outside Crescent Kick·Janice Hung
There are several kicks in Kung Fu but it is important to first learn the basic kicks. The crescent kick is done in othe…
Outside Crescent Kick
SubFamily外三日月蹴り(Soto Mikazuki-geri)
TraditionalTranslation: outside crescent kick
Overview
The Outside Crescent Kick subfamily covers crescent kicks that travel from the inside to the outside in a sweeping arc, with the kicking leg swinging away from the body's centreline as it strikes. [1] The outside crescent kick uses hip abduction to swing the extended leg outward, impacting with the outer edge of the foot or heel against the opponent's head, shoulder, or extended arm. [1],[2] This kick can be used to sweep aside an opponent's guard or to strike the temple with a powerful outward-swinging arc. [2],[3]
History & Origin
Effectiveness
The outside crescent kick sweeps from inside to outside. [1]
Lineage
A TKD and karate technique. [1]
Competition Record
Used in competition. [1]
Images
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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 — Shift weight to the support leg, chamber the kicking leg, extend toward the target, and return to stance
As counter — Time the kick to intercept the opponent's advance or follow their missed attack
From combination — Set up the kick with punches or feints to create the opening for the leg attack
Videos
Crescent Kick
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Outside Crescent Kick·JKD Wednesday Night Group
#martialarts #kicks Crescent Kick with Sifu Vincent Raimondi. https://martialboutique.gumroad.com/l/chinatownjkd
2 videos
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
5
High5/10
Arcing kick; primarily used for guard manipulation
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Intermediate
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
✓Swing the kicking leg from inside to outside in a wide arc, striking with the outer edge or flat of the foot
✓The outside crescent kick sweeps outward across the opponent's face or guard from the inside
✓It is effective for knocking aside the opponent's lead hand, opening a line for a cross or hook
✓The leg rises across the centre line and then sweeps outward, reaching maximum height at the target
✓The outside crescent kick is sometimes called the "reverse crescent" and is common in Taekwondo
✓Use it as a flashy technique in point sparring or as a guard-clearing setup in combination
✓The whipping action at the peak of the arc generates surprising force when timed correctly
Common Mistakes
!Swinging too wide and losing the tight arc that makes the kick accurate and effective
!Not reaching target height — the leg must come up to head level for the kick to work
!Crossing the standing legs during the setup, which destroys balance
!Over-rotating the body with the outward swing, exposing the back
!Not following up after clearing the guard — the whole point is to create an opening
!Using the outside crescent at close range where a hook or elbow would be faster and more effective
!Dropping the guard on the opposite side during the sweeping motion
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)
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] Karate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935) [3] Dynamic Karate (Nakayama, 1966)
6CitationKarate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Comprehensive Asian Fighting Arts (Draeger & Smith, 1969)
Community
Athletics
Requires
speed, power generation through kinetic chain, striking surface conditioning
Favours
athletic build with fast-twitch muscle fibres
Key muscles
varies by strike — hip rotators, shoulders, core
Sub-techniques
Frequently Asked Questions
How should I prepare my body before practicing the outside crescent kick?
Make sure your body is fully warmed up and stretched before attempting the kick. Janis Hung recommends doing a kung fu wall stretch first to help prepare your body for kicking.
Is the outside crescent kick the same across all martial arts?
While the outside crescent kick term is used across different martial arts and combat sports, there are variations in how it is performed. Janice Hung notes that kung fu or wushu has its own specific way of executing this kick.
What's the most important thing to focus on when practicing the crescent kick?
Balance is critical—the JKD Wednesday Night Group instructor emphasizes that you must always work on your balance, as losing it means losing everything when executing the kick.
What should I do after I complete a crescent kick?
Always recover after executing the kick. The JKD Wednesday Night Group instructor stresses the importance of recovery as a fundamental part of the technique.
How does the Outside Crescent Kick work?
The Outside Crescent Kick subfamily covers crescent kicks that travel from the inside to the outside in a sweeping arc, with the kicking leg swinging away from the body's centreline as it strikes. The outside crescent kick uses hip abduction to swing the extended leg outward, impacting with the outer edge of the foot or heel against the opponent's head, shoulder, or extended arm.
Where does the Outside Crescent Kick come from?
The outside crescent kick parallels the inside variant in its development within Korean and Chinese martial arts. In taekwondo, both inside and outside crescent kicks are standard curriculum techniques, practised in forms and applied in free sparring.
Is the Outside Crescent 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 Crescent Kick?
Danger rating 5/10. High — arcing kick; primarily used for guard manipulation
How do I set up the Outside Crescent Kick?
The standard setup chain: Stance and Range → Chamber the Leg → Execute the Kick → Recover.
How do I defend against the Outside Crescent 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 Crescent Kick?
Common variants: Standard variation (primary execution of the strike from the most common stance); Power variation (modified mechanics for maximum force generation); Speed variation (minimised telegraph for a faster, harder-to-read attack); Counter variation (timed to exploit the opponent's offensive commitment).
How effective is the Outside Crescent Kick in competition?
Used in competition.
What are common mistakes when doing the Outside Crescent Kick?
Top errors to watch for: Swinging too wide and losing the tight arc that makes the kick accurate and effective / Not reaching target height — the leg must come up to head level for the kick to work / Crossing the standing legs during the setup, which destroys balance / Over-rotating the body with the outward swing, exposing the back.
What are other names for the Outside Crescent Kick?
The Outside Crescent Kick is also known as Soto Mikazuki-geri, Bakkat Bandal Chagi, Soto Mikazuki Geri, Outward Crescent.