How To Do The Perfect Muay Thai Knee Strike!
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Knee Strike·Kingdom Martial Arts Academy
Muay Thai Knee Technique Tutorial to develop more Power, Speed and Balance . Pro Tips and Drills that are easy to unders…
Knee Strike
Group膝蹴り(Hiza-geri)
TraditionalTranslation: knee strike
Overview
History & Origin
Knee strikes are among the oldest documented striking techniques in human combat, with depictions appearing in ancient Greek pankration pottery from the 6th century BCE and in Southeast Asian temple carvings dating to the Khmer Empire (9th-15th centuries). [1] In Thailand, knee techniques became the defining weapons of Muay Boran, the precursor to modern Muay Thai, where the knees were considered the most devastating close-range weapons alongside the elbows. [2] Kraitus and Rennehan document that knee strikes were central to battlefield Muay Boran, where soldiers trained specifically in clinch-and-knee fighting for close-quarters combat. [3] Japanese karate preserved knee strikes as hiza-geri, though they received less emphasis than in Thai systems. [4] The modern codification of knee techniques accelerated with the formalisation of Muay Thai stadium rules in the 1920s-1930s, which permitted full-power knee strikes in the clinch. [2]
Effectiveness
Lineage
Competition Record
Knee strikes are a significant source of finishes in MMA and Muay Thai. [1]
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Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — Driving the knee upward or diagonally into the target using hip flexion and body weight
Joints Involved — Hip (powerful flexion drive), knee (point of impact, flexed), core (posture and power transfer)
Force Vector — Upward (straight knee to body/head), diagonal (round knee from the side), or clinch-pull driven
Clinch Integration — Most effective when combined with clinch control — pulling the opponent's head down into the rising knee multiplies impact force
Position & Entry
From Muay Thai clinch — Secure the plum (double collar tie), pull the opponent's head down, drive the knee up into the body or head
From clinch (collar-and-bicep) — Control one side, pull the opponent into the rising knee
As counter (opponent shoots) — When the opponent level changes for a takedown, drive the knee up into their face or chest
Videos
Muay Thai KNEE STRIKE Tutorial - STEP BY STEP!
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Knee Strike·Ironboy Experience
Muay Thai KNEE STRIKE Tutorial - STEP BY STEP! JOIN Channel & Access SUPER FAN perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/U…
2 videos
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
7
Very High7/10
Knees generate massive force at close range; liver/head KO risk
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Intermediate
Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets
Illegal
WBC/Boxing — All knee strikes prohibited {src— WBC Rules of Boxing}
— WKF — Prohibited in sport karate
WKF Competition Rules 2024PDF— WT — Prohibited
WT Competition Rules 2024PDF— ITF — Prohibited
ITF Competition RulesPDF— WAKO — Prohibited in most formats
WAKO Competition RulesPDFRestricted
— Unified MMA — Knees to standing opponent legal, knees to ...
Unified Rules of MMA, August 2025PDFK-1/GLORY — One clinch knee allowed before referee break {src— K-1/GLORY Kickboxing Rules}
Legal
Kyokushin — Legal to body {src— IKO Kyokushin Tournament Rules}
— IFMA — Legal — knees are a core Muay Thai weapon, clinch ...
IFMA Muay Thai RulesPDFTraining Notes
✓Control the opponent's posture before kneeing — pull their head down or use a Thai plum to break their base
✓Drive the knee upward through the target, not into it; think of kneeing through the body, not to it
✓Rise onto the ball of the support foot as you knee to gain maximum hip extension and height
✓Use the arms to pull the opponent into the knee, creating a collision of forces that doubles the impact
✓Alternate knees in rhythm from the clinch — left-right-left — to prevent the opponent from adjusting
✓Condition the knee area by drilling on heavy bags and Thai pads to build comfort with the impact surface
✓In MMA, combine knees with dirty boxing: pummel for an underhook, knee the body, return to punches
Common Mistakes
!Kneeing with a flat foot on the support leg — limits hip drive and reduces power significantly
!Pulling the opponent down without actually driving the knee up, turning it into a weak bump
!Leaning back too far when kneeing, which takes your weight off the strike and compromises balance
!Clinching the neck without inside position on the biceps — opponent easily swims out
!Throwing single knees without follow-up, giving the opponent time to recover and escape the clinch
!Neglecting body positioning and letting the opponent get to your side while you knee straight
!Lifting the knee but not extending the hip — the knee must thrust forward, not just raise
Related Techniques
Counter Techniques
Setup Chain
1Clinch or Frame — establish control of the opponent's head or body
2Pull Opponent In — use the grip to close distance and compromise their posture
3Drive the Knee — thrust the knee upward into the target
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] Muay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Kraitus & Kraitus, 1988) [2] Dynamic Karate (Nakayama, 1966) [3] Muay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Kraitus & Kraitus, 1988)
2BookMuay Thai Unleashed (Delp, 2006)
History sources — [1] Combat Sports in the Ancient World (Poliakoff, 1987) [2] Muay Boran: The Ancient Art of Muay Thai (Rebac, 2008) [3] Muay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Kraitus & Rennehan, 2002) [4] Dynamic Karate (Nakayama, 1966)
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] Muay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Kraitus & Kraitus, 1988) [2] Dynamic Karate (Nakayama, 1966) [3] Muay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Kraitus & Kraitus, 1988)
6CitationMuay Thai Unleashed (Delp, 2006)
History sources — [1] Combat Sports in the Ancient World (Poliakoff, 1987) [2] Muay Boran: The Ancient Art of Muay Thai (Rebac, 2008) [3] Muay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Kraitus & Rennehan, 2002) [4] Dynamic Karate (Nakayama, 1966)
Community
Athletics
Requires
hip flexion power, clinch control ability, close-range comfort
Favours
long thigh for greater leverage, strong hip flexors
Key muscles
hip flexors, quadriceps, core, grip (for clinch)
Sub-techniques
Curved Knee
FamilyKnee strikes delivered along a diagonal or horizontal trajectory, attacking from angles that bypass the opponent's frontal guard.
2 subfamilies·4 techniquesExplore
Flying Knee
FamilyA knee strike delivered while jumping or leaping toward the opponent, using the entire body's airborne momentum to drive the knee into the target with devastating force.
1 subfamilies·2 techniquesExplore
Ground Knee
FamilyKnee strikes delivered to a grounded opponent or while in a ground position, commonly used in ground-and-pound situations from top control.
1 subfamilies·2 techniquesExplore
Straight Knee
FamilyA knee strike driven directly upward or forward in a linear path, typically targeting the midsection, solar plexus, or face.
2 subfamilies·4 techniquesExplore
Notes
Knee strikes are the close-range weapons of Muay Thai's 'art of eight limbs.' Flying knee appears in 215 passages across 20 books. The straight knee from the clinch (khao trong) is one of the most damaging close-range techniques. Jorge Masvidal's flying knee KO (5 seconds, UFC 239) is the fastest finish in UFC history. (20+ books; Kraitus, Muay Thai: The Art of Fighting; UFC records)
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I step out to the side before throwing a knee strike instead of stepping forward?
Kingdom Martial Arts Academy emphasizes that stepping out opens your hips, which is essential for generating power and proper distance. If you're too close, you're in a bad position for both kicks and knees, so stepping outside the line allows you to set up the strike correctly.
How do I generate power in a knee strike?
According to Ironboy Experience, hip extension is critical—you must drive your hips forward as you burst upward on the ball of your foot. Without hip involvement, the knee strike will lack power and look weak; the power comes from using your legs and hips together to extend through the target.
Should I return to my fighting stance after a knee strike or step forward?
Ironboy Experience recommends stepping back to your fighting stance to maintain balance and control of your body weight. Learning to return with balance allows you to dictate the fight rather than falling forward; once you master this, stepping forward with control becomes easier.
What should my balance and recovery look like after landing a knee strike?
Kingdom Martial Arts Academy stresses that you must finish how you start and maintain the ability to block, lean back, or throw a follow-up combination immediately after the knee lands. If you can't do these things from your recovery position, your technique needs adjustment.
How does the Knee Strike work?
Strikes delivered using the knee as the primary impact surface, leveraging close-range body mechanics and clinch control to generate devastating force.
Where does the Knee Strike come from?
Knee strikes are among the oldest documented striking techniques in human combat, with depictions appearing in ancient Greek pankration pottery from the 6th century BCE and in Southeast Asian temple carvings dating to the Khmer Empire (9th-15th centuries). In Thailand, knee techniques became the defining weapons of Muay Boran, the precursor to modern Muay Thai, where the knees were considered the most devastating close-range weapons alongside the elbows.
Is the Knee Strike legal in competition?
Unified MMA: restricted — Knees to standing opponent legal, knees to head of grounded opponent banned; WBC/Boxing: banned — All knee strikes prohibited; WKF: banned — Prohibited in sport karate; Kyokushin: legal — Legal to body; WT: banned — Prohibited; ITF: banned — Prohibited; WAKO: banned — Prohibited in most formats; K: restricted — 1/GLORY — One clinch knee allowed before referee break; IFMA: legal — Legal — knees are a core Muay Thai weapon, clinch knees highly scored
How dangerous is the Knee Strike?
Danger rating 7/10. Very High — knees generate massive force at close range; liver/head KO risk
How do I set up the Knee Strike?
The standard setup chain: Clinch or Frame → Pull Opponent In → Drive the Knee.
How do I defend against the Knee Strike?
Standard counters include: Hip Check — push the opponent's hips away to create distance and kill the knee angle / Clinch Control — control the opponent's head and posture to prevent knee generation / Step Back — create distance to escape the knee's effective range.
What are the variants of the Knee Strike?
Common variants: Straight knee (driving the knee straight upward into the body or head); Curved knee (round knee) (swinging the knee from the side in a circular path); Flying knee (leaping forward and driving the knee at the apex of the jump); Clinch knee (pulling the opponent into the knee from Muay Thai plum po…).
How effective is the Knee Strike in competition?
Knee strikes are a significant source of finishes in MMA and Muay Thai.
What are common mistakes when doing the Knee Strike?
Top errors to watch for: Kneeing with a flat foot on the support leg — limits hip drive and reduces power significantly / Pulling the opponent down without actually driving the knee up, turning it into a weak bump / Leaning back too far when kneeing, which takes your weight off the strike and compromises balance / Clinching the neck without inside position on the biceps — opponent easily swims out.
What are other names for the Knee Strike?
The Knee Strike is also known as Hiza-geri, Knee, Hiza Geri, Khao.