Beginner's MMA Crash Course: Lesson 1 Basics
0
Standard Body Kick·fightTIPS
Are you interested in MMA, but don't know where to begin? Here is a beginner's crash course, starting from lesson 1 with…
Standard Body Kick
Genusスタンダードボディキック(Sutandādo Bodi Kikku)
TransliterationTranslation: standard body kick
Overview
The Standard Body Kick is the fundamental midsection roundhouse kick, executed by pivoting on the lead foot, rotating the hips fully, and driving the shin into the opponent's ribcage or abdomen with a full hip-through motion. [1] The kick strikes with the lower third of the tibia (shin), and the kicker rotates completely through the target, allowing the hip to turn over for maximum power transfer. [1],[2] This is the most frequently thrown kick in Muay Thai and kickboxing competition. [2],[3]
History & Origin
The standard body kick is the bread-and-butter technique of Muay Thai, and its execution methodology — emphasising full hip rotation and shin impact — was refined through generations of Thai ring fighting. [1] The technique is the single most-thrown kick in professional Muay Thai and kickboxing competition worldwide. [2],[3]
Effectiveness
The body kick (mid-level roundhouse) delivers heavy impact to the torso, targeting the floating ribs, liver (right side), and solar plexus with the shin, which distributes force over a larger area than a punch while generating substantially more force due to the longer lever arm. [1] Body kicks can cause rib fractures, liver trauma, and progressive damage that accumulates even when partially blocked. [1]
Lineage
The body kick is one of Muay Thai's fundamental weapons and has been central to the art for centuries, with Thai fighters traditionally conditioning their shins through progressive impact training to deliver and absorb these strikes. [1]
Competition Record
Mirko Cro Cop's left body kick was a devastating weapon during his PRIDE Fighting Championship career (2001-2006), contributing to numerous stoppage victories. [1] In Muay Thai, Samart Payakaroon is considered one of the greatest body kickers in the sport's history, using mid-level roundhouse kicks to win four Lumpinee Stadium titles in different weight classes during the 1980s. [2]
Images
No images yet for this technique.
Sign in to suggest an image.
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 (rear leg) — Pivot on the lead foot, swing the rear leg in a circular arc, strike with the shin, rotate the hips fully through the target
From fighting stance (lead leg) — Switch-step or throw directly, shorter arc but faster, used for speed and range management
As counter (after checking) — Check the opponent's kick, plant the foot and immediately return the roundhouse
Variants
Standard roundhouse (rear leg) — full hip rotation, shin strikes the target
Lead leg roundhouse (switch kick) — switch-step to generate power from the lead side
Low roundhouse (leg kick) — targeting the thigh to damage the opponent's base
Head kick — high roundhouse targeting the temple or jaw
Videos
Basic Taekwondo Blocks
0
Standard Body Kick·TaekwondoShawn
Day one on the Taekwondo mats... Here are the three blocks you would learn! High block, Middle block, and Down/Low block…
SIDE KICK Correction Part 1 Tutorial How To do a Side Kick correctly Martial Arts Technique
0
Standard Body Kick·MartialArtsKicking
Martial Arts SIDE KICK Correction Part 1 Tutorial How To do a Side Kick correctly Martial Arts Technique
1 / 2
3 videosWhat Instructors Say
The standard body kick, as taught across martial arts disciplines, targets the torso with a roundhouse motion that prioritizes hip rotation and proper chamber technique. fightTIPS emphasizes the fundamental mechanics: a cheat step at 45 degrees opens the hips, the knee aims past the target to ensure penetration, and the leg extends while the non-kicking arm swings across the body for balance and to obscure the opponent's vision. The instructor stresses practicing full 360-degree rotations during shadow boxing to build comfort with the motion. MartialArtsKicking addresses common technical errors in related circular kicks, noting that heel alignment is critical—the heel must travel in a straight line relative to the body, not wandering away from the centerline, which would dissipate power. That instructor also highlights the importance of proper chamber positioning (45 degrees rather than parallel to the ground) and the role of hip weight shift, explaining that the supporting leg sits slightly forward over the hip as weight transfers backward during extension. Both instructors agree that hip torque, not arm strength alone, generates power and speed. TaekwondoShawn's coverage of blocking techniques provides complementary insights on body mechanics: hip rotation amplifies power in any striking motion, twisting at the end of movements creates snap, and maintaining proper elbow positioning relative to the body centerline preserves structural integrity. While TaekwondoShawn focuses on defensive techniques, the blocking principles—particularly regarding body rotation and the dual-arm pulling motion for balance—parallel the offensive mechanics described by the kicking instructors.
Synthesized from 3 instructors
- fightTIPS — Beginner's MMA Crash Course: Lesson 1 Basics: Detailed roundhouse kick mechanics including cheat step at 45 degrees, knee aiming past target, arm positioning for balance and vision obstruction, and emphasis on full 360-degree shadow boxing practice.
- MartialArtsKicking — SIDE KICK Correction Part 1 Tutorial How To do a Side Kick correctly Martial Arts Technique: Technical analysis of chamber positioning, heel alignment in straight lines, hip weight shifting during extension, and common errors in linear kick trajectories.
- TaekwondoShank — Basic Taekwondo Blocks: General body mechanics principles applicable to all striking techniques: hip power generation, twisting for snap, maintaining proper elbow positioning relative to centerline, and dual-limb coordination for balance.
Learn This Technique
No instructional courses yet for this technique.
Sign in to suggest a course.
Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
6
High6/10
Most common KO kick; generates ~1,000N force to head (Falco et al. 2009)
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
✓From fighting stance, step the lead foot slightly forward and to the outside to create the kicking angle
✓Pivot the support foot as the rear leg swings in a horizontal arc, connecting with the mid-shin on the opponent's ribcage
✓The kicking leg should be nearly straight at the moment of impact — the roundhouse kick is not a chambered kick
✓The arms swing in opposition to the kick: the lead arm drops for counterbalance while the rear hand stays near the face
✓Hip turnover is the key to power — the kicking hip must rotate completely over until it faces the target
✓Return the kicking leg along the same path to recover stance, or step through past the opponent
✓Practise on the heavy bag at ribcage height, focusing on hearing a deep thud (shin contact) rather than a slap (foot contact)
Common Mistakes
!Not stepping forward before kicking, which leaves you too far away and forces you to lean back for reach
!Bending the kicking knee too much, turning the roundhouse into a knee or a chambered kick with less range
!Swinging the arms wildly instead of using controlled counter-rotation — excessive arm movement slows recovery
!Landing with the instep or toes, which risks fracture and delivers less force than the shin
!Not rotating the support foot, which blocks hip turnover and puts lateral stress on the standing knee
!Planting the foot after kicking instead of returning to stance — this delays follow-up and leaves you squared
!Kicking at the same tempo repeatedly — vary the speed and timing to prevent the opponent from checking
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] Muay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Kraitus & Kraitus, 1988) [2] Dynamic Karate (Nakayama, 1966) [3] Muay Thai Unleashed (Delp, 2006)
2BookKarate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Muay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Kraitus & Kraitus, 1988)
3OtherJapanese Combat Sports Katakana Convention
Standard katakana transliteration of Western martial arts terminology (外来語) — used in Japanese MMA, boxing, and BJJ communities
4CitationMuay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Kraitus, 2002)
Alias sources — [1] Muay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Kraitus & Kraitus, 1988) [2] Dynamic Karate (Nakayama, 1966) [3] Muay Thai Unleashed (Delp, 2006)
5CitationKarate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Muay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Kraitus & Kraitus, 1988)
Community
Athletics
Requires
hip flexibility, rotational hip power, balance on support leg
Favours
long legs for reach, flexible hips for high kicks
Key muscles
hip flexors, glutes, quadriceps, obliques, calves
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the key points for proper hand and wrist positioning in taekwondo blocks?
According to TaekwondoShawn, your wrist should always be straight (as if punching), positioned higher than your elbow, and kept close to your body throughout the movement. Common mistakes include bending the wrist or allowing the elbow to wander away from the body line, which causes loss of power.
How do I practice the high block correctly?
TaekwondoShawn recommends keeping your fist one fist length away from your forehead, with your wrist straight and higher than your elbow, positioned above your head. Think of it like an umbrella protecting you from punches to the face and attacks from above, including hooks.
What's the correct body position when performing a down block?
TaekwondoShawn emphasizes keeping your back straight and strong, starting the block on top of your shoulder and moving down the arm while staying close to your body line. If the block wanders away from your body line, you will lose power.
How does the Standard Body Kick work?
The Standard Body Kick is the fundamental midsection roundhouse kick, executed by pivoting on the lead foot, rotating the hips fully, and driving the shin into the opponent's ribcage or abdomen with a full hip-through motion. The kick strikes with the lower third of the tibia (shin), and the kicker rotates completely through the target, allowing the hip to turn over for maximum power transfer.
Where does the Standard Body Kick come from?
The standard body kick is the bread-and-butter technique of Muay Thai, and its execution methodology — emphasising full hip rotation and shin impact — was refined through generations of Thai ring fighting. The technique is the single most-thrown kick in professional Muay Thai and kickboxing competition worldwide.
Is the Standard Body 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 Body Kick?
Danger rating 6/10. High — most common KO kick; generates ~1,000N force to head (Falco et al. 2009)
How do I set up the Standard Body Kick?
The standard setup chain: Stance and Range → Chamber the Leg → Execute the Kick → Recover.
How do I defend against the Standard Body 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 Body Kick?
Common variants: Standard roundhouse (rear leg) (full hip rotation, shin strikes the target); Lead leg roundhouse (switch kick) (switch-step to generate power from the lead side); Low roundhouse (leg kick) (targeting the thigh to damage the opponent's base); Head kick (high roundhouse targeting the temple or jaw).
How effective is the Standard Body Kick in competition?
Mirko Cro Cop's left body kick was a devastating weapon during his PRIDE Fighting Championship career (2001-2006), contributing to numerous stoppage victories. In Muay Thai, Samart Payakaroon is considered one of the greatest body kickers in the sport's history, using mid-level roundhouse kicks to win four Lumpinee Stadium titles in different weight classes during the 1980s.
What are common mistakes when doing the Standard Body Kick?
Top errors to watch for: Not stepping forward before kicking, which leaves you too far away and forces you to lean back for reach / Bending the kicking knee too much, turning the roundhouse into a knee or a chambered kick with less range / Swinging the arms wildly instead of using controlled counter-rotation — excessive arm movement slows recovery / Landing with the instep or toes, which risks fracture and delivers less force than the shin.
What are other names for the Standard Body Kick?
The Standard Body Kick is also known as Sutandādo Bodi Kikku, Tee Lam Tua, Chudan Mawashi Geri, Standard Mid Kick.