How To | Outside Low Leg Kick with TJ Dillashaw
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Switch Outside Low·TjDillashaw
Low leg kicks are the most common kicks in MMA. With proper technique and blocking they are a safe option that can do a …
Switch Outside Low
Speciesスイッチ外ロー(Suitchi Soto Rō)
HybridTranslation: switch outside low
Overview
The Switch Outside Low Kick is an outside leg kick preceded by a rapid switch step, converting the lead leg into the kicking leg with enhanced power derived from the momentary rear-position loading. [1] The switch step creates a timing disruption that makes the kick harder to anticipate, and the stance change engages the full hip rotation and weight transfer normally associated with rear-leg kicks. [1],[2] The switch low kick is effective as a lead technique or counter, exploiting the opponent's forward movement with an unexpected leg attack. [2],[3]
History & Origin
Effectiveness
The switch outside low kick uses a stance switch to throw from the lead side. [1]
Lineage
A Muay Thai technique. [1]
Competition Record
Used in Muay Thai and MMA. [1]
Images
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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 variation — primary execution of the strike from the most common stance
Power variation — modified mechanics for maximum force generation
Speed variation — minimised telegraph for a faster, harder-to-read attack
Counter variation — timed to exploit the opponent's offensive commitment
Videos
Krav Maga - Switch Kicks (Reason and Training Tips)
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Switch Outside Low·Krav Maga Worldwide - Fort Lauderdale, Florida
This video covers the following: 1. Reasons why Switch Kicks are taught in Krav Maga. 2. How Switch Kicks compare to …
2 videos
What Instructors Say
The switch outside low kick combines footwork mechanics with hip rotation to deliver a powerful strike to an opponent's leg. TJ Dillashaw emphasizes the fundamental structure: beginning from a fighting stance with hands up and chin down, the practitioner steps out on the ball of the front foot to open the hips and move off the centerline, then rotates the rear leg kick downward in a chopping motion, landing on the middle of the shin with the knee, hip, and belly button aligned toward the target. Dillashaw stresses the importance of this lateral step and hip rotation to avoid telegraphing and to maintain defensive integrity against counters and takedowns. He recommends targeting above the knee in actual combat for maximum effect, while practicing on the middle thigh when training with partners. Krav Maga Worldwide – Fort Lauderdale frames the switch kick within a compound striking context: the initial kick should be fast and light, functioning as a setup rather than a power strike, while the second kick carries the force. The instructor advises keeping the jump relatively low to the ground to avoid vulnerability during airtime, comparing the technique's structure to a boxing jab-cross combination. Both instructors agree on the importance of controlled mechanics and proper sequencing, though Dillashaw focuses on single-kick execution while the Krav Maga source addresses multi-strike combinations.
Synthesized from 2 instructors
- TjDillashaw — How To | Outside Low Leg Kick with TJ Dillashaw: Detailed technical breakdown of stance, footwork, hip rotation, leg trajectory, target zones, and defensive hand positioning for the outside rear leg kick; emphasis on the stepping pattern and downward chopping motion.
- Krav Maga Worldwide - Fort Lauderdale, Florida — Krav Maga - Switch Kicks (Reason and Training Tips): Contextualizes switch kicks as compound striking sequences where the first kick is a light setup and the second kick delivers power; advises maintaining low ground positioning to avoid counter vulnerability.
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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
✓Switch stance quickly and immediately throw the now-rear-leg roundhouse to the opponent's outer thigh
✓The switch adds forward momentum and allows you to throw a power kick with the leg that is closer to the target
✓The switch low kick is faster to deploy than stepping into range for a standard rear-leg low kick
✓Use the switch when the opponent is at a distance where the lead teep or jab reaches but the rear low kick falls short
✓The switch should be minimal — a quick hop to exchange foot positions — not a visible stance change
✓Follow the switch low kick with punches, since you are now in a different stance and can attack from a new angle
✓Effective against opponents who have timed your rear-leg low kick rhythm — the switch disrupts their defensive timing
Common Mistakes
!Making the switch too large and landing off-balance before the kick even fires
!Not committing to the kick after switching — standing in the opposite stance without purpose
!Switching and kicking at a flat angle instead of chopping downward — the switch provides forward momentum that should angle the kick down
!Dropping the guard during the hop — the brief airborne moment is when you are most vulnerable
!Using the switch low kick as the only variation — if you never throw standard rear-leg low kicks, there is no baseline to deceive against
!Landing the kick with the instep because the switch closed too much distance
!Not recovering stance after the switch kick — drill the return to your original stance or commit to fighting from the new one
Related Techniques
Counter Techniques
Setup Chain
1Assume Fighting Stance — begin from a balanced position with guard up
2Generate Power — use hip rotation and weight transfer for maximum force
3Execute Strike — deliver the technique to the target with correct form
4Recover to Guard — return immediately to defensive position
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 Unleashed (Delp, 2006) [2] Muay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Kraitus & Kraitus, 1988) [3] Muay Thai: A Living Legacy (Vail, 2014)
2BookKarate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Muay Thai Unleashed (Delp, 2006)
3OtherJapanese Martial Arts Hybrid Terminology
Mixed Japanese-Western terminology — combines traditional Japanese terms with katakana loanwords
4CitationMuay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Kraitus, 2002)
Alias sources — [1] Muay Thai Unleashed (Delp, 2006) [2] Muay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Kraitus & Kraitus, 1988) [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
What's the correct technique for throwing an outside low leg kick?
According to TJ Dillashaw, you should load your hips by stepping out with your front leg, rotate your body to get your head and body out of the way, and keep your knee, hip, and belly button in line with your opponent. Land the kick with the middle of your shin, which generates the most speed and power.
How should I position my hands when throwing an outside low leg kick?
TJ Dillashaw emphasizes keeping your rear hand up for defense while your front hand blocks your opponent's face, creating a 'stiff arm' to prevent counters and blind your opponent from seeing the incoming kick.
Where exactly should I aim when throwing an outside low leg kick?
TJ Dillashaw recommends aiming just above the knee in a real fight for maximum damage, but when practicing in the gym with a partner, aim for the middle of the leg to be less damaging and take care of your training partner.
What's a good way to practice outside low leg kicks without a training partner?
TJ Dillashaw suggests practicing on a heavy bag in the gym or garage, which allows you to develop endurance, strength, power, and technique without having a partner stand and absorb repeated kicks.
How does the Switch Outside Low work?
The Switch Outside Low Kick is an outside leg kick preceded by a rapid switch step, converting the lead leg into the kicking leg with enhanced power derived from the momentary rear-position loading. The switch step creates a timing disruption that makes the kick harder to anticipate, and the stance change engages the full hip rotation and weight transfer normally associated with rear-leg kicks.
Where does the Switch Outside Low come from?
Switch low kicks evolved within Muay Thai as fighters developed the switch mechanism to add power and deception to lead-leg kicks. The technique has become a staple of modern Muay Thai, kickboxing, and MMA competition, used by fighters at all levels.
Is the Switch Outside Low 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 Outside Low?
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 Outside Low?
The standard setup chain: Assume Fighting Stance → Generate Power → Execute Strike → Recover to Guard.
How do I defend against the Switch Outside Low?
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 Outside Low?
Common variants: Standard variation (primary execution of the strike from the most common stance); Power variation (modified mechanics for maximum force generation); Speed variation (minimised telegraph for a faster, harder-to-read attack); Counter variation (timed to exploit the opponent's offensive commitment).
How effective is the Switch Outside Low in competition?
Used in Muay Thai and MMA.
What are common mistakes when doing the Switch Outside Low?
Top errors to watch for: Making the switch too large and landing off-balance before the kick even fires / Not committing to the kick after switching — standing in the opposite stance without purpose / Switching and kicking at a flat angle instead of chopping downward — the switch provides forward momentum that should… / Dropping the guard during the hop — the brief airborne moment is when you are most vulnerable.
What are other names for the Switch Outside Low?
The Switch Outside Low is also known as Suitchi Soto Rō, Switch Leg Kick, Switch Low Round Kick, Lead-Leg Low Kick.