Flying Kick

Family

Translation: flying kick

Range & classification

Overview

The Flying Kick family encompasses all kicking techniques delivered while the attacker is airborne, having leapt off the ground before executing the kick in midair. ^[1] Flying kicks sacrifice the stable base of grounded techniques in exchange for added height, distance, and dramatic momentum, using the forward and upward energy of the jump to amplify the force of the kick. ^[1],[2] These techniques are high-risk, high-reward attacks — a well-timed flying kick can cover significant distance and deliver devastating force, but a missed flying kick leaves the attacker airborne and unable to change direction, vulnerable to counters and takedowns. ^[2],[3] Flying kicks are prominent in taekwondo, kung fu, and karate, and they occasionally produce spectacular knockouts in MMA and kickboxing. ^[3]

Also known as

Jumping Kick^[1]Aerial Kick^[2]Tobi GeriJP^[3]

Used in

Taekwondo Karate MMA Kung Fu

History & Origin

Flying kicks appear in many Asian martial arts traditions, with Chinese kung fu featuring numerous airborne techniques in styles such as changquan (long fist) and various Shaolin methods dating back centuries. ^[1] Korean martial arts, particularly taekwondo, elevated the flying kick to a hallmark of the art, with techniques such as the flying side kick (twi-myo yeop chagi) becoming demonstration and breaking staples. ^[1],[2] In competitive combat sports, flying kicks have produced some of the most memorable knockouts in UFC history, including Anderson Silva's flying front kick knockout of Vitor Belfort at UFC 126 in 2011. ^[2],[3]

Country of origin· shown in random order

KoreaTaekwondo
Japan飛び蹴り(Tobi-geri)Karate, Kickboxing
BrazilMMA
USAMMA, Kickboxing
ChinaKung Fu, Sanda

Effectiveness

Flying kicks use airborne momentum to deliver powerful kicks. ^[1],[2]

Lineage

Flying kicks are spectacular techniques found in TKD, karate, and Muay Thai. ^[1]

Competition Record

Flying kicks have produced memorable knockouts in MMA and TKD competition. ^[1]

Images

No images yet for this technique.

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 outside range (running or stepping) — Take an explosive forward step, jump off the lead foot, chamber and extend the kick while airborne

As surprise attack — Close distance rapidly with a leap, launch the kick at the apex of the jump

Videos

Looney Goons

HOW TO DO A FLYING BACK KICK

Flying Kick·Looney Goons

Make sure you subscribe!! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . key words: taekwondo, marti…

1 video

Learn This Technique

No instructional courses yet for this technique.

Ratings

Danger Rating

Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to

Very High7/10

Airborne kicks maximize momentum; high injury risk to both fighters

Difficulty

Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably

Expert

Competition Legality

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 2025PDF

— body

WKF Competition Rules 2024PDF

Kyokushin — 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 RulesPDF

K-1/GLORY — Legal {src— K-1/GLORY Kickboxing Rules}

— IFMA — Legal — kicks are a core Muay Thai technique

IFMA Muay Thai RulesPDF

Training Notes

✓Flying kicks add airborne momentum to a standard kick by leaping off the ground before delivering the technique

✓The power comes from forward horizontal momentum, not vertical height — jump forward, not up

✓Use the non-kicking leg to generate the leap: drive the knee upward to launch the body, then fire the kicking leg

✓Flying kicks bridge distance explosively — they close gaps that standard kicks cannot reach

✓They are commitment techniques: once airborne, you cannot change direction or abort

✓In Taekwondo, flying kicks are a major part of the competitive repertoire and can score maximum points

✓Set up flying kicks by conditioning the opponent at ground level first, then surprise them with the airborne attack

Common Mistakes

!Jumping straight up instead of forward, wasting the momentum that makes flying kicks effective

!Kicking too early (while still rising) or too late (while already descending), losing maximum force

!Not committing to the full leap, resulting in a weak, half-airborne kick

!Dropping the guard during the jump — both hands should stay near the face

!Landing off-balance and being unable to defend or follow up

!Using flying kicks against grapplers who will time the landing and shoot a takedown

!Throwing flying kicks when fatigued — they require peak coordination and any deterioration in timing makes them ineffective and dangerous

Related Techniques

Check — the primary defensive response to this kicking technique Combination — multi-strike sequence incorporating this technique for higher effectiveness

Counter Techniques

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

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] Dynamic Karate (Nakayama, 1966) [2] Dynamic Karate (Nakayama, 1966) [3] Dynamic Karate (Nakayama, 1966)

2BookKarate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935)

Effectiveness sources — [1] Comprehensive Asian Fighting Arts (Draeger & Smith, 1969) [2] Muay Thai Unleashed (Delp, 2006)

3SyllabusJapan Karate Association (JKA) — Official Technical Terminology

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] Dynamic Karate (Nakayama, 1966) [2] Dynamic Karate (Nakayama, 1966) [3] Dynamic Karate (Nakayama, 1966)

6CitationKarate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935)

Effectiveness sources — [1] Comprehensive Asian Fighting Arts (Draeger & Smith, 1969) [2] Muay Thai Unleashed (Delp, 2006)

Community

Athletics

Requires

explosive leg power for jumping, aerial body control, timing

Favours

lighter, more explosive athletes with good coordination

Key muscles

quadriceps, calves, hip flexors, core (aerial stability)

Sub-techniques

Find by what a technique does — not its name

Every move, in any martial art, shares a few universal traits. Mix and match below to pinpoint the right tool — or compare equivalents across styles.

Flying Front Kick

SubFamily

The Flying Front Kick subfamily covers front kicks executed while the attacker is airborne, combining a forward leap with a linear front kick thrust to strike the opponent's face, chest, or midsection with increased range and momentum. [1] The jumping motion adds bodyweight and forward momentum to the kick, making the flying front kick substantially more powerful than its grounded counterpart. [1,2] The technique requires explosive leg power for the jump and precise timing to extend the kicking leg at the apex of the leap. [2,3]

1 genera·1 techniquesExplore

Flying Roundhouse Kick

SubFamily

The Flying Roundhouse Kick subfamily covers roundhouse kicks delivered while the attacker is airborne, combining a forward leap with a circular kicking motion to strike the opponent's head or body with the shin or instep. [1] The jump adds height to the kick, allowing the attacker to target over the opponent's guard, and the forward momentum increases the mass behind the impact. [1,2] Flying roundhouse kicks are visually spectacular and can be devastatingly powerful, but they require precise timing and distance to avoid landing in a vulnerable position. [2,3]

1 genera·1 techniquesExplore

Flying Side Kick

SubFamily

The Flying Side Kick subfamily covers side kicks delivered while the attacker is airborne, involving a leap followed by a lateral thrusting kick that drives the heel or blade of the foot into the target. [1] The flying side kick is perhaps the most iconic aerial technique in martial arts, frequently used in board-breaking demonstrations, and it combines the linear power of the side kick with the momentum of a full-body leap. [1,2] The technique can cover impressive distance — up to two metres or more in elite practitioners — making it useful for closing the gap against a retreating opponent. [2,3]

1 genera·1 techniquesExplore

Nidan Geri

SubFamily

Nidan Geri is a jumping double kick where the attacker delivers two kicks at different heights while airborne — typically a front kick to the midsection followed immediately by a front kick to the face, both executed before landing. [1] The name literally means 'two-level kick' (nidan = two levels, geri = kick). [1] It requires explosive jumping ability, rapid leg chambering, and excellent balance in the air. [1]

Explore

Notes

Flying kicks sacrifice stability for height and closing distance. In traditional martial arts they appear in kata and demonstrations; in MMA, flying knees and flying kicks produce some of the most spectacular KOs. (De Bremaeker & Faige, Essential Book of Martial Arts Kicks)

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the basic sequence for setting up a flying back kick?

Pick up your leading leg and turn that shoulder away, then jump with it before implementing your spin. According to Looney Goons, this setup prevents you from just turning in place and instead commits your body to the aerial movement.

How does the Flying Kick work?

The Flying Kick family encompasses all kicking techniques delivered while the attacker is airborne, having leapt off the ground before executing the kick in midair. Flying kicks sacrifice the stable base of grounded techniques in exchange for added height, distance, and dramatic momentum, using the forward and upward energy of the jump to amplify the force of the kick.

Where does the Flying Kick come from?

Is the Flying 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 Flying Kick?

Danger rating 7/10. Very High — airborne kicks maximize momentum; high injury risk to both fighters

How do I set up the Flying Kick?

The standard setup chain: Stance and Range → Chamber the Leg → Execute the Kick → Recover.

How do I defend against the Flying 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 Flying 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 Flying Kick in competition?

Flying kicks have produced memorable knockouts in MMA and TKD competition.

What are common mistakes when doing the Flying Kick?

Top errors to watch for: Jumping straight up instead of forward, wasting the momentum that makes flying kicks effective / Kicking too early (while still rising) or too late (while already descending), losing maximum force / Not committing to the full leap, resulting in a weak, half-airborne kick / Dropping the guard during the jump — both hands should stay near the face.

What are other names for the Flying Kick?

The Flying Kick is also known as Tobi-geri, Jumping Kick, Aerial Kick, Tobi Geri.

aerial jumping flying spectacular high-risk