How To Get HIGHER Kicks
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Standard High Kick·Gabriel Varga·Added by Admin
How can you get your kicks higher? In this high kick tutorial I show you the best ways to get your legs kicking up to he…
Standard High Kick
Genusスタンダードハイキック(Sutandādo Hai Kikku)
TransliterationTranslation: standard high kick
Overview
The Standard High Kick is the fundamental roundhouse kick delivered to head height, where the kicker rotates the hips and drives the shin or instep into the opponent's temple, jaw, or neck. [1] The technique uses the same mechanical principles as the body kick but requires the kicker to elevate the leg higher through increased hip rotation and flexibility. [1],[2] The standard high kick is the most commonly attempted head kick in Muay Thai, kickboxing, and MMA competition. [2],[3]
History & Origin
Effectiveness
The head kick is one of the most powerful strikes in all of combat sports, with biomechanical studies measuring shin-to-head impacts generating forces capable of exceeding concussion thresholds by a wide margin. [1] A clean head kick to the temple or jaw produces rapid rotational acceleration of the head, frequently resulting in an immediate knockout. [1]
Lineage
Competition Record
Mirko Cro Cop's left head kick became the most feared finishing technique in PRIDE Fighting Championship, with his famous catchphrase 'right leg hospital, left leg cemetery.' [1] Anderson Silva's front kick and high kick knockouts in the UFC made him one of the greatest strikers in MMA history, including his head kick knockout of Vitor Belfort at UFC 126 (2011). [2] In Glory Kickboxing, head kick knockouts are the most celebrated finishes. [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 (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
1 video
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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
✓Throw the roundhouse kick to head height with the shin as the impact surface, targeting the jaw or temple
✓Pivot the support foot fully — toes pointing away from the opponent — to allow maximum hip rotation at head height
✓The lead arm drops slightly for counterbalance while the rear hand guards the chin
✓Drive through the target: imagine kicking through the opponent's head to the wall behind them
✓The standard high kick is the most common KO kick in Muay Thai, kickboxing, and MMA
✓Warm up thoroughly before throwing high kicks in training — cold hip flexors are a common cause of muscle strains
✓Drill at lower height first and progressively raise the target on pads to build the range of motion under fatigue
Common Mistakes
!Chambering the kick like a front kick before redirecting to the head — this slows the kick and telegraphs it
!Not rotating the support foot, which limits height and strains the standing knee
!Leaning so far back that the kick becomes a push instead of a strike — keep the torso as upright as flexibility allows
!Kicking with the toes or instep to the head — the shin is the only safe and powerful impact surface at this height
!Throwing head kicks when exhausted and losing the height — a tired high kick that lands at body level is easily caught
!Neglecting to set up the high kick with low attacks — naked high kicks are the easiest to defend
!Landing flat-footed after the kick instead of returning to stance on the ball of the foot
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] Muay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Kraitus & Kraitus, 1988) [3] Muay Thai Unleashed (Delp, 2006)
2BookKarate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Biomechanics of Striking Arts, in Martial Arts Medicine (Kordi et al., 2009)
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] Dynamic Karate (Nakayama, 1966) [2] Muay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Kraitus & Kraitus, 1988) [3] Muay Thai Unleashed (Delp, 2006)
5CitationKarate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Biomechanics of Striking Arts, in Martial Arts Medicine (Kordi et al., 2009)
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
Why can't I kick higher than chest level, and is it fixable?
According to Gabriel Varga, most people who struggle with height are making technique errors rather than lacking natural ability. He emphasizes that "all of you are capable of kicking up to head level it's just a matter of understanding the technique getting it down and doing the drilling at home to make sure you're strengthening and opening up your hips."
What's the most common mistake people make with high kicks?
Gabriel Varga identifies a major technical error: keeping the shoulder back while throwing the leg forward and dragging the shoulder back instead of rotating the hips properly. This positioning prevents you from achieving full height even if you pivot correctly.
What's the key to opening up my hips for higher kicks?
Gabriel Varga stresses that proper foot pivot position is essential—"if it's not you're not going to be able to open those hips up." He also recommends the windshield wiper stretch from hands and knees with a 90-degree angle at the knee, pushing hips back and swiveling side to side while extending the other leg.
How long does it take to improve my high kick height?
Gabriel Varga suggests that following a focused daily routine can show results within 30 days. He notes that even students who have trained for years and struggled with head-level kicks can sort out their issues in just 10-15 minutes of corrective work.
How does the Standard High Kick work?
The Standard High Kick is the fundamental roundhouse kick delivered to head height, where the kicker rotates the hips and drives the shin or instep into the opponent's temple, jaw, or neck. The technique uses the same mechanical principles as the body kick but requires the kicker to elevate the leg higher through increased hip rotation and flexibility.
Where does the Standard High Kick come from?
The standard high kick has been part of Muay Thai and karate for centuries, representing the highest-value offensive technique in Thai ring scoring. In modern MMA, the high kick is one of the most common knockout techniques, responsible for numerous title-fight finishes.
Is the Standard High 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 High 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 High Kick?
The standard setup chain: Stance and Range → Chamber the Leg → Execute the Kick → Recover.
How do I defend against the Standard High 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 High 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 High Kick in competition?
Mirko Cro Cop's left head kick became the most feared finishing technique in PRIDE Fighting Championship, with his famous catchphrase 'right leg hospital, left leg cemetery. ' Anderson Silva's front kick and high kick knockouts in the UFC made him one of the greatest strikers in MMA history, including his head kick knockout of Vitor Belfort at UFC 126 (2011).
What are common mistakes when doing the Standard High Kick?
Top errors to watch for: Chambering the kick like a front kick before redirecting to the head — this slows the kick and telegraphs it / Not rotating the support foot, which limits height and strains the standing knee / Leaning so far back that the kick becomes a push instead of a strike — keep the torso as upright as flexibility allows / Kicking with the toes or instep to the head — the shin is the only safe and powerful impact surface at this height.
What are other names for the Standard High Kick?
The Standard High Kick is also known as Sutandādo Hai Kikku, Jodan Mawashi Geri, Tee Khang, High Roundhouse Kick.