サイドティープ(Saido Tīpu)
TransliterationTranslation: side teep
The Side Teep is a push kick variation delivered from a sideways stance, using the lead or rear leg to push the opponent away at an angle rather than straight ahead. [1] The side teep combines elements of the traditional teep with lateral body positioning, allowing the kicker to maintain distance while presenting a narrower profile to the opponent. [1],[2] This technique is used to manage distance against aggressive opponents approaching from an angle or to push an opponent off the centreline. [2],[3]
The side teep pushes the opponent from a lateral angle. [1]
A Muay Thai variant of the teep. [1]
Used in Muay Thai competition. [1]
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In this tutorial, learn how to master Tawanchai’s powerful side teep technique. WBC Youth Champion Tito Johnson breaks d…
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Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
Teep/push kick; primarily distance management, liver shot potential
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets
Karate-Do Kyohan: The Master Text (Gichin Funakoshi, 1935)
Alias sources — [1] Muay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Kraitus & Kraitus, 1988) [2] Muay Thai Unleashed (Delp, 2006) [3] Muay Thai: A Living Legacy (Vail, 2014)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Muay Thai Unleashed (Delp, 2006)
Standard katakana transliteration of Western martial arts terminology (外来語) — used in Japanese MMA, boxing, and BJJ communities
Alias sources — [1] Muay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Kraitus & Kraitus, 1988) [2] Muay Thai Unleashed (Delp, 2006) [3] Muay Thai: A Living Legacy (Vail, 2014)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Muay Thai Unleashed (Delp, 2006)
hip flexion power, knee extension speed, balance
long legs for range, hip flexibility
hip flexors, quadriceps, tibialis anterior, core
Turn your foot outward rather than keeping it straight, and bring it under you as you lift the leg up. According to WBC Youth Champion Tito Johnson, this foot angle is essential to the technique's mechanics.
Use only a little bit of lean—not all the way forward. Tito Johnson emphasizes that you should lean just enough to transfer power through your foot strike without overcommitting your balance.
Loading up telegraphs the kick and gives an aggressive opponent time to grab you. Instead, keep it sharp and direct—a quick bang straight from your stance—to maintain control and distance.
Use controlled power rather than maximum force. If you push too hard, your opponent can simply move out of the way, so Tito Johnson recommends finding a balanced level of power that's effective without being reckless.
The Side Teep is a push kick variation delivered from a sideways stance, using the lead or rear leg to push the opponent away at an angle rather than straight ahead. The side teep combines elements of the traditional teep with lateral body positioning, allowing the kicker to maintain distance while presenting a narrower profile to the opponent.
The side teep is a variation that evolved within Muay Thai as fighters adapted the standard push kick to different tactical situations and stances. It is less commonly drilled than the standard teep but appears regularly in high-level Thai boxing 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
Danger rating 5/10. High — teep/push kick; primarily distance management, liver shot potential
The standard setup chain: Assume Fighting Stance → Generate Power → Execute Strike → Recover to Guard.
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.
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).
Used in Muay Thai competition.
Top errors to watch for: Turning the back too far toward the opponent and losing sight of them during the kick / Not chambering the knee first, which eliminates the thrust power / Pushing with the flat of the foot instead of driving through the heel for maximum force / Over-rotating and ending up with the back to the opponent if the kick misses.
The Side Teep is also known as Saido Tīpu, Teep Kang, Lateral Push Kick, Angled Teep.
