How To Throw A Spinning Back Kick | Stephen Wonderboy Thompson
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Spinning Back Kick·Stephen Wonderboy Thompson·Added by Admin
Today i'm giving you a quick, simple tutorial on how to throw a spinning back kick! I give you some tips and tricks that…
Spinning Back Kick
Genus後ろ回し蹴り(Ushiro Mawashi-geri)
TraditionalTranslation: spinning back kick
Overview
The Spinning Back Kick is a powerful spinning technique where the fighter rotates 180 degrees and delivers a linear back kick with the heel, combining the rotational momentum of the spin with the thrusting power of the back kick. [1] The spinning back kick generates enormous force due to the full-body rotation preceding the linear thrust, and it targets the midsection, solar plexus, or face with the hardest part of the foot. [1],[2] This technique requires precise distance management and timing, as the rotation creates a brief blind spot before the kicker acquires the target visually. [2],[3]
History & Origin
The spinning back kick is a foundational technique in taekwondo (dwi dollyo chagi) and has been a competition staple since taekwondo's competitive era began in the 1960s. [1] The technique crossed into MMA and kickboxing with devastating effect, demonstrated by fighters like Cung Le and Uriah Hall. [2],[3]
Effectiveness
The spinning back kick rotates and thrusts the heel backward, one of the most powerful kicks in martial arts. [1]
Lineage
From TKD and karate. [1]
Competition Record
Used in TKD and MMA; capable of generating enormous stopping power. [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 back kick — spinning and thrusting the heel backward into the target
Spinning back kick — full 360° rotation for maximum power
Mule kick — short backward thrust without a full spin
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
✓Pivot on the lead foot and spin 180 degrees, driving the rear heel straight back into the opponent's midsection
✓The spinning back kick is a linear, thrusting kick delivered during a spin — not a hooking or roundhouse trajectory
✓Spot the target by looking over the lead shoulder as you initiate the spin
✓Drive the heel straight back using a piston-like hip extension, as if donkey-kicking through the target
✓The spinning back kick generates enormous force because it combines rotational momentum with a linear thrust
✓In Taekwondo, this is called dwi chagi and is one of the most powerful kicks in the art
✓Aim for the solar plexus or sternum — the concentrating force of the heel on a small area is devastating to the body
Common Mistakes
!Turning the kick into a spinning roundhouse by swinging the leg in an arc instead of thrusting straight back
!Not looking over the shoulder to spot the target — the kick is blind without the head check
!Leaning forward during the spin, which takes weight off the kick and exposes the head to strikes
!Spinning without purpose or setup — the spinning back kick needs a preceding attack to draw the opponent forward
!Not driving the heel through the target — the kick must be a thrust, fully extending the hip at impact
!Over-rotating past the target and completing a 270-degree spin, ending in a worse position
!Throwing the spinning back kick at head height, where it is less effective and less accurate than at body level
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] Kukkiwon Taekwondo Textbook (Kukkiwon, 2006) [2] Dynamic Karate (Nakayama, 1966) [3] Taekwondo: The State of the Art (Park, 1989)
2BookKarate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Comprehensive Asian Fighting Arts (Draeger & Smith, 1969)
Official karate technique names (和語/漢語)
4OtherJapanese Martial Arts Standard Terminology (武道用語)
Established Japanese martial arts naming convention — native Japanese term (和語/漢語)
5CitationMuay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Kraitus, 2002)
Alias sources — [1] Kukkiwon Taekwondo Textbook (Kukkiwon, 2006) [2] Dynamic Karate (Nakayama, 1966) [3] Taekwondo: The State of the Art (Park, 1989)
6CitationKarate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi, 1935)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Comprehensive Asian Fighting Arts (Draeger & Smith, 1969)
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
How do I break down the spinning back kick into basic steps?
Stephen Thompson breaks it down into two steps: first, the spin where you look over your back shoulder and rotate your feet in place while turning your heel to allow your head to come around fully; second, executing the kick by driving through with your glute and delivering the kick in a straight line from the ground to the target.
What's the correct way to chamber and deliver the kick to avoid telegraphing?
Stephen Thompson emphasizes taking your foot in a straight line next to your standing leg as you execute the kick, rather than swinging it around, because swinging gives your opponent time to jam the kick. He also recommends lining your front foot up with your target before executing the spin to ensure accuracy.
What muscles power the spinning back kick?
Stephen Thompson identifies the glute as one of the major muscles in the spinning back kick, which is what makes it so powerful.
Should I practice both sides of the spinning back kick?
Stephen Thompson recommends working both sides and practicing in front of a heavy bag to develop the technique proficiently on either side.
How does the Spinning Back Kick work?
The Spinning Back Kick is a powerful spinning technique where the fighter rotates 180 degrees and delivers a linear back kick with the heel, combining the rotational momentum of the spin with the thrusting power of the back kick. The spinning back kick generates enormous force due to the full-body rotation preceding the linear thrust, and it targets the midsection, solar plexus, or face with the hardest part of the foot.
Where does the Spinning Back Kick come from?
The spinning back kick is a foundational technique in taekwondo (dwi dollyo chagi) and has been a competition staple since taekwondo's competitive era began in the 1960s. The technique crossed into MMA and kickboxing with devastating effect, demonstrated by fighters like Cung Le and Uriah Hall.
Is the Spinning Back 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 Spinning Back 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 Spinning Back Kick?
The standard setup chain: Stance and Range → Chamber the Leg → Execute the Kick → Recover.
How do I defend against the Spinning Back 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 Spinning Back Kick?
Common variants: Standard back kick (spinning and thrusting the heel backward into the target); Spinning back kick (full 360° rotation for maximum power); Mule kick (short backward thrust without a full spin).
How effective is the Spinning Back Kick in competition?
Used in TKD and MMA; capable of generating enormous stopping power.
What are common mistakes when doing the Spinning Back Kick?
Top errors to watch for: Turning the kick into a spinning roundhouse by swinging the leg in an arc instead of thrusting straight back / Not looking over the shoulder to spot the target — the kick is blind without the head check / Leaning forward during the spin, which takes weight off the kick and exposes the head to strikes / Spinning without purpose or setup — the spinning back kick needs a preceding attack to draw the opponent forward.
What are other names for the Spinning Back Kick?
The Spinning Back Kick is also known as Ushiro Mawashi-geri, Dwi Dollyo Chagi, Ushiro Geri, Reverse Turning Kick.