Your Switch Kick SUCKS!! (How To Switch Kick in Muay Thai)
0
Switch High Kick·Sean "Muay Thai Guy" Fagan·Added by Admin
Ready to unlock your full potential and get daily Muay Thai insights? 💥 Click the link below to join my EXCLUSIVE Nak M…
Switch High Kick
Genusスイッチハイキック(Suitchi Hai Kikku)
TransliterationTranslation: switch high kick
Overview
The Switch High Kick is a head-level roundhouse kick preceded by a rapid switch of the feet, converting the lead leg into the kicking leg with added rear-leg power and timing disruption. [1] The switch step creates an unexpected rhythm change that can catch the opponent off guard, and the momentary stance change loads the kicking hip for a more powerful strike than a standard lead-leg high kick. [1],[2] The switch high kick is particularly effective as a counter or interrupt technique, exploiting moments when the opponent is stepping forward. [2],[3]
History & Origin
Effectiveness
The switch high kick uses a stance switch to target the head from the lead side. [1]
Lineage
A Muay Thai technique. [1]
Competition Record
Used in Muay Thai and MMA. [1]
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
1 video
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
✓Quickly switch stance and immediately throw the rear-leg roundhouse to the head — the switch adds forward momentum and disguises the kick
✓The switch should be a small, fast foot replacement — lead foot goes back, rear foot comes forward
✓Throw the head kick before the opponent can process the stance change — the switch and kick are one motion
✓The switch high kick is effective against opponents in the same stance because the lead-leg kick reaches the open side of their head
✓Use it after establishing standard rear-leg kicks so the opponent does not expect the switch
✓The forward momentum from the switch helps bridge distance, making this kick effective from slightly further out
✓Saenchai and Superbon have demonstrated the switch high kick at elite Muay Thai level
Common Mistakes
!Switching too slowly or making it two separate actions — switch then kick instead of one fluid motion
!Not reaching head height because the former lead leg has less rotation than the trained rear-leg kick
!Dropping the guard during the switch — the switching motion tends to open the centre line momentarily
!Over-jumping on the switch and landing off-balance before the kick even fires
!Not pivoting the new support foot after the switch, limiting hip rotation at head height
!Using the switch high kick as the first technique of an exchange — it needs setup to be effective
!Failing to recover stance after a missed switch high kick — you are in the opposite stance and may be unfamiliar
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
Karate-Do Kyohan: The Master Text (Gichin Funakoshi, 1935)
1BookMuay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Kraitus, 2002)
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)
2BookKarate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Muay Thai Unleashed (Delp, 2006)
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] Muay Thai Unleashed (Delp, 2006) [3] Muay Thai: A Living Legacy (Vail, 2014)
5CitationKarate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Muay Thai Unleashed (Delp, 2006)
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 does my head move around when I switch for my kick?
Sean 'Muay Thai Guy' Fagan emphasizes that your eye level should not change at all during the switch—keep your head steady and perform a quick, controlled switch in your feet.
How should my rear foot position itself when I switch?
According to Sean 'Muay Thai Guy' Fagan, your rear foot should come out to an angle slightly to the outside rather than crossing to the opposite side, which gives your hip more room to move and drive through while generating more momentum and keeping your head off the center line.
What should I do with my shoulders and upper body during a switch kick?
Sean 'Muay Thai Guy' Fagan stresses the importance of rotating your shoulders and upper body through the kick—your whole body needs to go through the movement so that your shoulder comes through to generate maximum power.
Should I return to my original stance or switch stances after throwing a switch kick?
Sean 'Muay Thai Guy' Fagan recommends returning to the stance you feel most comfortable with, though if you train in both stances you can also come back down into the opposite stance to keep throwing combinations.
How does the Switch High Kick work?
The Switch High Kick is a head-level roundhouse kick preceded by a rapid switch of the feet, converting the lead leg into the kicking leg with added rear-leg power and timing disruption. The switch step creates an unexpected rhythm change that can catch the opponent off guard, and the momentary stance change loads the kicking hip for a more powerful strike than a standard lead-leg high kick.
Where does the Switch High Kick come from?
The switch high kick evolved alongside other switch kick variations in Muay Thai and kickboxing, where fighters developed the switch mechanism to increase lead-leg kicking power. The technique is a regular feature of modern kickboxing and MMA competition.
Is the Switch 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 Switch 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 Switch High Kick?
The standard setup chain: Stance and Range → Chamber the Leg → Execute the Kick → Recover.
How do I defend against the Switch 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 Switch 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 Switch High Kick in competition?
Used in Muay Thai and MMA.
What are common mistakes when doing the Switch High Kick?
Top errors to watch for: Switching too slowly or making it two separate actions — switch then kick instead of one fluid motion / Not reaching head height because the former lead leg has less rotation than the trained rear-leg kick / Dropping the guard during the switch — the switching motion tends to open the centre line momentarily / Over-jumping on the switch and landing off-balance before the kick even fires.
What are other names for the Switch High Kick?
The Switch High Kick is also known as Suitchi Hai Kikku, Switch Tee Sung, Switch Head Roundhouse, Lead-Leg High Kick.