Roundhouse Kick Tutorial by Master Paul Rana
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Heel Roundhouse Kick·Prana Master's Academy - Martial Arts & Yoga
Roundhouse Kick Tutorial by Master Paul Rana of Prana Martial Arts. -3 Styles of Foot Positioning -Low, Mid and High R…
Heel Roundhouse Kick
SubFamily踵回し蹴り(Kakato Mawashi Geri)
HybridTranslation: Kakato (踵) = heel, Mawashi (回し) = turning/round, Geri (蹴り) = kick — a roundhouse kick striking with the heel instead of the shin or instep
Overview
The Heel Roundhouse Kick is a roundhouse kick variant that strikes with the heel instead of the shin or instep, concentrating the kick's circular force onto a small, hard, bony surface for maximum penetrating impact. [1] In the standard roundhouse kick, the striking surface is either the instep (top of the foot, common in karate and taekwondo) or the shin (tibial bone, standard in Muay Thai) — both relatively broad surfaces that distribute impact over a wide area. [1] The Heel Roundhouse changes the striking surface to the calcaneus (heel bone), which is the largest, densest bone in the foot and presents a concentrated impact area of approximately 3-4 cm² — roughly half the surface area of the instep and one-quarter the surface area of the shin. [1] This concentration of force produces a penetrating, drilling impact that is particularly effective against the solar plexus and liver, where the narrow heel can dig deeper into the body cavity than the broader shin or instep. [1] The heel is presented by pulling the toes back (dorsiflexion) and driving the heel through the target in a circular trajectory — the mechanical execution is identical to a standard roundhouse in terms of hip rotation, chambering, and leg extension, but the ankle position at the moment of impact is dorsiflexed rather than plantarflexed. [1] De Bremaeker and Faige document the Heel Roundhouse as a specialised variant for targeting the solar plexus and liver, noting that the heel's concentrated surface area produces a qualitatively different impact sensation: recipients describe it as a 'stabbing' or 'drilling' feeling rather than the broad 'slapping' impact of a shin roundhouse. [1] The technique requires careful ankle positioning — the dorsiflexion must be aggressive enough to present the heel as the primary contact point, but not so extreme that the ankle buckles under the rotational force of the kick. [1]
Heel Mawashi GeriJPHeel Round KickHeel-First RoundhousePenetrating RoundhouseDriving Roundhouse
History & Origin
The heel (kakato) is one of the classical striking surfaces documented in traditional karate, listed alongside the ball of the foot (tshusoku/koshi), the instep (haisoku), and the sword foot (sokuto). [1],[2] Gichin Funakoshi documented the heel as a striking surface in Karate-Do Kyohan (1935), noting its use in both front kicks (kakato geri) and in certain roundhouse and side kick applications. [2] The specific application of the heel to the roundhouse kick trajectory represents a cross-pollination of the heel-strike concept (traditionally associated with front kicks and axe kicks) with the roundhouse kick's circular delivery. [1] De Bremaeker and Faige catalogued the Heel Roundhouse as Section 3.13 in their 2010 compilation, identifying it as a specialist variant for penetrating body targets. [1] The technique's practical value has been recognised in modern MMA, where fighters occasionally use the heel roundhouse to the body for its deeper penetrating quality against opponents who routinely absorb shin roundhouses without difficulty. [3]
Effectiveness
The Heel Roundhouse is a specialist technique whose value lies in its concentrated impact surface: against body targets (solar plexus, liver, floating ribs), the heel penetrates deeper into the body cavity than the broader shin or instep, producing a more intense physiological response at the same force level. [1] The technique is most effective against opponents who have conditioned their bodies to absorb standard shin roundhouses — the different contact surface produces a qualitatively different sensation that conditioning does not address. [1] The primary limitation is that the heel presents a smaller margin for error in targeting: a shin roundhouse that misses by 2 inches still impacts effectively, but a heel roundhouse that misses by 2 inches may contact with the ankle or sole instead, reducing effectiveness. [1]
Lineage
Competition Record
The Heel Roundhouse is used as a specialist body-targeting weapon in full-contact karate and kickboxing. In Kyokushin competition, the heel roundhouse to the solar plexus is an effective knockout technique. The technique's concentrated impact is particularly valued against body-conditioned opponents who absorb standard shin kicks without difficulty.
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Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — Standard roundhouse kick hip rotation and knee extension, with the ankle aggressively dorsiflexed to present the calcaneus (heel bone) as the striking surface
Joints Involved — Standard roundhouse joints (hip rotation, knee chamber-and-snap, standing leg pivot) PLUS: ankle (aggressive dorsiflexion — toes pulled back toward the shin to present the heel forward), subtalar joint (neutral — the heel must point directly at the target without lateral tilt)
Force Vector — Circular (standard roundhouse trajectory) but concentrated onto a surface area approximately 50% smaller than the instep and 75% smaller than the shin — producing correspondingly higher pressure at the contact point
Leverage Principle — P = F/A (pressure = force / area). By reducing the contact area from approximately 12 cm² (shin) or 6 cm² (instep) to approximately 3-4 cm² (heel), the same roundhouse kick force produces approximately 3-4x the pressure at the contact point. This increased pressure is what produces the penetrating 'drilling' sensation: the heel's concentrated impact pushes deeper into soft tissue than a broader surface at the same force level. The calcaneus bone is structurally the strongest bone in the foot (designed to bear the entire body weight during walking), making it an exceptionally hard and durable striking surface.
Position & Entry
From fighting stance targeting the solar plexus — Chamber and rotate the standard roundhouse, but at the moment of impact, aggressively dorsiflex the ankle to drive the heel into the solar plexus — the concentrated impact penetrates deeper than a shin or instep kick
From fighting stance targeting the liver — Rear-leg roundhouse to the right side of the opponent's body, presenting the heel to dig into the liver area between the ribs and the hip — the narrow heel accesses the liver through the intercostal gap more effectively than the broader shin
As a body kick through a guard — When the opponent blocks roundhouse kicks with their elbows and arms, the Heel Roundhouse's concentrated point can dig between the blocking arms rather than being deflected by them
As a counter-kick — After checking the opponent's roundhouse, counter with a Heel Roundhouse to the now-exposed body — the heel's penetrating quality makes the counter more damaging than a standard roundhouse counter
Variants
Heel roundhouse to solar plexus — the primary application, targeting the soft tissue at the centre of the midsection
Heel roundhouse to liver — targeting the right side (against orthodox opponent), where the heel's narrow profile accesses the liver through the intercostal gap
Heel roundhouse to head — elevating the kick to head level with heel contact (requires good flexibility; the heel's concentrated impact increases knockout probability)
Lead leg heel roundhouse — faster delivery from the front leg for close-range application
Heel roundhouse to the arm — targeting the opponent's blocking arm to cause deep bruising and weakening of the guard
Heel roundhouse to the thigh — using the concentrated heel against the outer thigh for a deep-penetrating leg kick
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
7
Very High7/10
The heel's concentrated impact surface produces deeper penetration into body targets than shin or instep roundhouses. When targeting the solar plexus, the heel can cause severe diaphragm spasm (winding). When targeting the liver, the concentrated impact at the intercostal gap produces a more intense liver-shot response. When targeting the floating ribs, the narrow heel can fracture individual ribs more effectively than the broader shin. The heel's bone density means the kicker's foot is less likely to be injured than with an instep kick. [1]
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
✓The ankle dorsiflexion must be practised in isolation: stand on one leg, extend the kicking leg, and repeatedly switch between plantarflexion (instep forward — standard roundhouse) and dorsiflexion (heel forward — Heel Roundhouse). The switch must become instantaneous (De Bremaeker & Faige, 2010). [1] Strengthen the tibialis anterior (shin muscle that controls dorsiflexion) — this muscle must hold the ankle in aggressive dorsiflexion against the impact force. Weak dorsiflexion allows the ankle to collapse back to plantarflexion on contact, converting the Heel Roundhouse into a standard instep kick. Resistance band dorsiflexion exercises are the primary conditioning tool. [1] On the heavy bag: compare the impact of the shin roundhouse, instep roundhouse, and Heel Roundhouse at the same power level. The Heel Roundhouse should produce a smaller, deeper impact mark on the bag (visible as a point indent rather than a flat impression). [1] Target the solar plexus and floating ribs exclusively — the heel's concentrated surface area is wasted on large muscle groups (outer thigh, upper back) where a broad shin kick is more effective. Use the heel where penetration matters. [1] The heel contact must be PRECISE: the calcaneus must contact the target, not the Achilles tendon (above the heel, which is a soft tissue injury risk) or the sole (below the heel, which dissipates force). Train proprioceptive awareness of exactly where the calcaneus is. [1] In sparring, use the Heel Roundhouse sparingly for body kicks — its concentrated impact is more painful than necessary for light sparring. Reserve it for competition and full-contact training. [1]
Common Mistakes
!Insufficient dorsiflexion — if the ankle is not aggressively dorsiflexed, the instep contacts the target instead of the heel, negating the concentrated impact effect
!Contact with the Achilles tendon — if the foot is dorsiflexed TOO much, the Achilles tendon (posterior to the heel) contacts the target first, which is a soft tissue area that provides no penetrating impact and risks tendon injury
!Ankle collapse on impact — weak dorsiflexor muscles (tibialis anterior) allow the ankle to buckle back to plantarflexion at the moment of contact, converting the kick into a standard instep roundhouse
!Using against hard targets — the heel is structurally strong but the ankle's dorsiflexed position under rotational force can strain the ankle joint; avoid targeting the skull, elbow, or shin with the Heel Roundhouse
!Same power as shin kick — the Heel Roundhouse sacrifices some total force (smaller contact area) for concentrated pressure; attempting to match the shin kick's raw power leads to over-commitment and balance issues
!Telegraphing by adjusting the foot early — the ankle should dorsiflex during the final phase of the kick, not during the chamber. Early dorsiflexion can be detected by an observant opponent.
Related Techniques
Counter Techniques
Elbow block — dropping the elbow to the ribs intercepts the heel (though the concentrated impact may still cause forearm bruising)Step back — retreating out of roundhouse rangeCheck with the shin — standard Muay Thai shin checkLow kick counter — attacking the standing leg during the roundhouseClinch — closing to clinch range prevents the roundhouse from developingLateral movement — stepping to the outside of the kick avoids the circular path
Setup Chain
1Establish standard shin or instep roundhouse kicks to condition the opponent's defensive response → Opponent develops a routine block or check calibrated to the standard impact → Switch to the Heel Roundhouse: same chamber, same rotation, but dorsiflex the ankle at extension → The heel contacts the target instead of the shin/instep → The concentrated impact penetrates deeper, causing greater pain and disruption → Follow up while the opponent is reacting to the unexpected impact quality
Sources & References
Primary Source
Essential Book of Martial Arts Kicks (De Bremaeker & Faige, 2010)
1Book[1] De Bremaeker, M. and Faige, R. (2010). Essential Book of Martial Arts Kicks. Tuttle Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4629-0558-4. Section 3.13 'The Heel Roundhouse Kick'. [2] Funakoshi, G. (1935/1973). Karate-Do Kyohan. Kodansha International. Striking surfaces section. [3] UFC fight records — heel-contact body kick usage.pp. De Bremaeker pp.130-131 (Section 3.13)
description: [1] De Bremaeker 2010 pp.130-131, [2] Funakoshi 1973
2OtherJapanese Martial Arts Hybrid Terminology
Mixed Japanese-Western terminology — combines traditional Japanese terms with katakana loanwords
3Citation[1] De Bremaeker, M. and Faige, R. (2010). Essential Book of Martial Arts Kicks. Tuttle Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4629-0558-4. Section 3.13 'The Heel Roundhouse Kick'. [2] Funakoshi, G. (1935/1973). Karate-Do Kyohan. Kodansha International. Striking surfaces section. [3] UFC fight records — heel-contact body kick usage.pp. De Bremaeker pp.130-131 (Section 3.13)
description: [1] De Bremaeker 2010 pp.130-131, [2] Funakoshi 1973
Community
Athletics
Requires strong tibialis anterior (dorsiflexor) muscles to maintain aggressive dorsiflexion under impact
Standard roundhouse kick hip flexibility and rotation
Proprioceptive awareness of heel positioning during the kick
Ankle stability to prevent collapse on contact
Accessible to all body types once the dorsiflexion control is mastered
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is pivoting on the ball of my foot so important for the roundhouse kick?
Pivoting protects your knee by distributing force away from your kneecap, stacks your hips for better power transfer, and allows you to strike through the target effectively. Master Paul Rana emphasizes that without pivoting, all the force goes directly into your kneecap, which can cause injury.
Should I use my shin or instep to strike with a roundhouse kick?
You should strike with your shin whenever possible. If you're barefooted, avoid hitting with the top of your foot since there are many small bones in the instep that can break easily; however, with pads or shoes on, you have more flexibility in your striking surface.
How do I generate more power in my roundhouse kick?
Keep your leg loose and relaxed like nunchucks until the moment of strike, then pop your hips and snap the shin through the target. Master Paul Rana explains that this looseness allows your leg to snap when it comes around, maximizing the whipping power of the kick.
What do I need to adjust when throwing a high roundhouse kick?
The higher you want to kick, the more you need to lean back and pivot strongly on the ball of your foot. This increased pivot and backward lean are essential to maintain proper form and balance at higher target heights.
How does the Heel Roundhouse Kick work?
The Heel Roundhouse Kick is a roundhouse kick variant that strikes with the heel instead of the shin or instep, concentrating the kick's circular force onto a small, hard, bony surface for maximum penetrating impact. In the standard roundhouse kick, the striking surface is either the instep (top of the foot, common in karate and taekwondo) or the shin (tibial bone, standard in Muay Thai) — both relatively broad surfaces that distribute impact over a wide area.
Where does the Heel Roundhouse Kick come from?
The heel (kakato) is one of the classical striking surfaces documented in traditional karate, listed alongside the ball of the foot (tshusoku/koshi), the instep (haisoku), and the sword foot (sokuto). Gichin Funakoshi documented the heel as a striking surface in Karate-Do Kyohan (1935), noting its use in both front kicks (kakato geri) and in certain roundhouse and side kick applications.
Is the Heel Roundhouse 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 Heel Roundhouse Kick?
Danger rating 7/10. The heel's concentrated impact surface produces deeper penetration into body targets than shin or instep roundhouses. When targeting the solar plexus, the heel can cause severe diaphragm spasm (winding). When targeting the liver, the concentrated impact at the intercostal gap produces a more intense liver-shot response. When targeting the floating ribs, the narrow heel can fracture individual ribs more effectively than the broader shin. The heel's bone density means the kicker's foot is less likely to be injured than with an instep kick.
How do I set up the Heel Roundhouse Kick?
The standard setup chain: Establish standard shin or instep roundhouse kicks to condition the opponent's defensive response → Opponent develops a routine block or check calibrated to the standard impact → Switch to the Heel Roundhouse: same chamber, same rotation, but dorsiflex the ankle at extension → The heel contacts the target instead of the shin/instep → The concentrated impact penetrates deeper, causing greater pain and disruption → Follow up while the opponent is reacting to the unexpected impact quality.
How do I defend against the Heel Roundhouse Kick?
Standard counters include: Elbow block — dropping the elbow to the ribs intercepts the heel (though the concentrated impact may still cause fore… / Step back — retreating out of roundhouse range / Check with the shin — standard Muay Thai shin check / Low kick counter — attacking the standing leg during the roundhouse.
What are the variants of the Heel Roundhouse Kick?
Common variants: Heel roundhouse to solar plexus (the primary application, targeting the soft tissue at the…); Heel roundhouse to liver (targeting the right side (against orthodox opponent), whe…); Heel roundhouse to head (elevating the kick to head level with heel contact (requi…); Lead leg heel roundhouse (faster delivery from the front leg for close-range applic…); Heel roundhouse to the arm (targeting the opponent's blocking arm to cause deep bruis…); Heel roundhouse to the thigh (using the concentrated heel against the outer thigh for a…).
How effective is the Heel Roundhouse Kick in competition?
The Heel Roundhouse is used as a specialist body-targeting weapon in full-contact karate and kickboxing. In Kyokushin competition, the heel roundhouse to the solar plexus is an effective knockout technique.
What are common mistakes when doing the Heel Roundhouse Kick?
Top errors to watch for: Insufficient dorsiflexion — if the ankle is not aggressively dorsiflexed, the instep contacts the target instead of t… / Contact with the Achilles tendon — if the foot is dorsiflexed TOO much, the Achilles tendon (posterior to the heel) c… / Ankle collapse on impact — weak dorsiflexor muscles (tibialis anterior) allow the ankle to buckle back to plantarflex… / Using against hard targets — the heel is structurally strong but the ankle's dorsiflexed position under rotational fo….
What are other names for the Heel Roundhouse Kick?
The Heel Roundhouse Kick is also known as Kakato Mawashi Geri, Heel Mawashi Geri, Heel Round Kick, Heel-First Roundhouse, Penetrating Roundhouse.