BASIC MARTIAL ARTS JUMP KICKS | Samery Moras Taekwondo
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Standard Flying Front Kick·Black Belt Samery·Added by Admin
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Standard Flying Front Kick
Genus飛び前蹴り（基本型）(Tobi Mae-geri (Kihon-gata))
TraditionalTranslation: standard flying front kick
Overview
The Standard Flying Front Kick is executed by leaping off the rear foot, driving the lead knee upward for height, and then extending the kicking leg in a linear front kick thrust at the apex of the jump, targeting the opponent's chin, chest, or solar plexus with the ball of the foot or heel. [1] The leap adds forward momentum that is transferred into the kick, and the kicker must aim to contact the target at the highest point of the jump for maximum effect. [1],[2] This technique is used in taekwondo breaking demonstrations, forms competition, and occasionally in full-contact fighting. [2],[3]
History & Origin
The standard flying front kick is a fundamental aerial technique in taekwondo and karate, practised in board-breaking demonstrations and forms (poomsae/kata) across these arts. [1] It became an iconic MMA technique after Lyoto Machida knocked out Randy Couture with a jumping front kick at UFC 129 in 2011. [2],[3]
Effectiveness
The flying front kick adds airborne momentum and height to a front kick, allowing the striker to reach the head of even taller opponents and delivering significant impact through the combination of forward leap and thrust. [1]
Lineage
Flying kicks are found across karate, taekwondo, and various kung fu styles, representing advanced aerial techniques developed for both combat and demonstration purposes. [1]
Competition Record
Anderson Silva's flying front kick knockout of Vitor Belfort at UFC 126 (2011) is one of the most celebrated finishes in MMA history and revived interest in front kick techniques. [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 (lead leg) — Chamber the knee, extend the foot forward pushing with the ball of the foot or heel, snap back
As push kick (teep) — Drive the foot into the opponent's body to maintain distance and disrupt their advance
From rear leg (power) — Step through with the rear leg, driving the hip forward for maximum pushing force
Variants
Push kick (teep) — pushing the opponent away with the ball of the foot
Snap front kick — snapping the foot to the target and quickly retracting
Side teep — angled teep pushing the opponent laterally
Body teep — driving into the solar plexus or chest for maximum push-back
Videos
1 video
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
7
Very High7/10
Airborne kicks maximize momentum; high injury risk to both fighters
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
✓From stance, step forward with the lead foot, then drive off it while swinging the rear knee upward for height
✓At the peak of the jump, extend the kicking foot straight into the target — chin, solar plexus, or sternum
✓The ball of the foot or heel contacts the target while the body is at maximum forward momentum
✓The arms stay up for balance and guard — the non-kicking-side arm can extend forward for range measurement
✓Land on the non-kicking foot first and immediately reset to fighting stance
✓The entire sequence should be explosive: step-drive-kick-land in approximately one second
✓Practise on a hanging heavy bag, aiming to hit the top section while airborne
Common Mistakes
!Taking too many preparatory steps, which telegraphs the flying kick
!Not driving the non-kicking knee high enough to generate the leap
!Extending the kick too early (still rising) and losing the forward trajectory
!Landing flat on both feet after the kick, jarring the knees and preventing quick recovery
!Attempting the flying front kick moving backward — it only works with forward momentum
!Not aiming precisely — flying kicks scatter when you do not pick a specific target before leaping
!Using the flying front kick without any ground-level front kicks established first — the opponent has no pattern to be surprised by
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
Muay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Yod Ruerngsa, Khun Kao Charuad & James Cartmell, 2002)
1BookMuay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Kraitus, 2002)
Alias sources — [1] Dynamic Karate (Nakayama, 1966) [2] Kukkiwon Taekwondo Textbook (Kukkiwon, 2006) [3] Best Karate Vol. 5 (Nakayama, 1979)
2BookKarate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Karate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935)
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] Kukkiwon Taekwondo Textbook (Kukkiwon, 2006) [3] Best Karate Vol. 5 (Nakayama, 1979)
6CitationKarate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Karate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935)
Community
Athletics
Requires
hip flexion power, knee extension speed, balance
Favours
long legs for range, hip flexibility
Key muscles
hip flexors, quadriceps, tibialis anterior, core
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I need to know before attempting a flying front kick?
You must first be able to perform a standard front snap kick, as this is the prerequisite for learning the jump version. Black Belt Samery emphasizes starting from a proper fighting stance before progressing to the airborne technique.
What's the correct technique for the takeoff in a flying front kick?
Start in your fighting stance with hands up, bring your opposite (non-kicking) knee up first, then jump and bring the second knee up before extending the kick. Black Belt Samery stresses bringing your knees up first before extending them out to avoid a 'cheerleading style' jump.
Should I practice the flying front kick on both sides?
Yes, Black Belt Samery recommends practicing on both legs so you can execute the technique every way.
How does the Standard Flying Front Kick work?
The Standard Flying Front Kick is executed by leaping off the rear foot, driving the lead knee upward for height, and then extending the kicking leg in a linear front kick thrust at the apex of the jump, targeting the opponent's chin, chest, or solar plexus with the ball of the foot or heel. The leap adds forward momentum that is transferred into the kick, and the kicker must aim to contact the target at the highest point of the jump for maximum effect.
Where does the Standard Flying Front Kick come from?
The standard flying front kick is a fundamental aerial technique in taekwondo and karate, practised in board-breaking demonstrations and forms (poomsae/kata) across these arts. It became an iconic MMA technique after Lyoto Machida knocked out Randy Couture with a jumping front kick at UFC 129 in 2011.
Is the Standard Flying Front 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 Flying Front Kick?
Danger rating 7/10. Very High — airborne kicks maximize momentum; high injury risk to both fighters
How do I set up the Standard Flying Front Kick?
The standard setup chain: Stance and Range → Chamber the Leg → Execute the Kick → Recover.
How do I defend against the Standard Flying Front 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 Flying Front Kick?
Common variants: Push kick (teep) (pushing the opponent away with the ball of the foot); Snap front kick (snapping the foot to the target and quickly retracting); Side teep (angled teep pushing the opponent laterally); Body teep (driving into the solar plexus or chest for maximum push-back).
How effective is the Standard Flying Front Kick in competition?
Anderson Silva's flying front kick knockout of Vitor Belfort at UFC 126 (2011) is one of the most celebrated finishes in MMA history and revived interest in front kick techniques.
What are common mistakes when doing the Standard Flying Front Kick?
Top errors to watch for: Taking too many preparatory steps, which telegraphs the flying kick / Not driving the non-kicking knee high enough to generate the leap / Extending the kick too early (still rising) and losing the forward trajectory / Landing flat on both feet after the kick, jarring the knees and preventing quick recovery.
What are other names for the Standard Flying Front Kick?
The Standard Flying Front Kick is also known as Tobi Mae-geri (Kihon-gata), Standard Tobi Mae Geri, Standard Twi-eo Ap Chagi, Jumping Snap Kick.