Muay Thai - Diagonal Knee Setup
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Diagonal Knee·Elite Academy of Martial Arts, GA
I show how to setup the diagonal knee in Muay Thai. Website: http://eliteacademyofmartialarts.com/ Facebook: https://ww…
Diagonal Knee
SubFamily斜め膝蹴り(Naname Hiza-geri)
TraditionalTranslation: diagonal knee
Overview
History & Origin
The diagonal knee subfamily represents a category of angled knee strikes delivered on a 45-degree trajectory, a hallmark of Thai clinch fighting. [1] Delp documents the diagonal knee as a staple of Muay Thai clinch work, noting that the angled trajectory makes it effective at striking the ribcage even when an opponent is squared up in the clinch. [2] The technique has been a standard component of Muay Thai training since the formalisation of stadium rules at Rajadamnern (est. 1945) and Lumpinee (est. 1956). [1]
Effectiveness
The diagonal knee strikes at an upward angle to the body or head. [1]
Lineage
From Muay Thai's khao chiang. [1]
Competition Record
Used in Muay Thai and MMA. [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
1 video
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
7
Very High7/10
Muay Thai khao khong; diagonal knee to ribs/thigh
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
✓The diagonal knee strikes at a 45-degree angle, targeting the ribs or liver from a diagonal upward trajectory
✓Combine the upward drive of a straight knee with the lateral rotation of a curved knee
✓Drive off the support foot while rotating the hip at an angle — the knee should travel diagonally through the target
✓The diagonal knee targets the gap between the opponent's elbow and hip, which is difficult to guard
✓Use it from the clinch when the opponent blocks straight knees: the diagonal angle finds the opening
✓The Thai name khao chiang describes this diagonal trajectory specifically
✓Pull the opponent's head to the opposite side to open the diagonal path to the ribs
Common Mistakes
!Throwing the knee straight up and calling it diagonal — the hip must actually rotate to create the angle
!Not driving through the target — the diagonal knee must penetrate, not just touch
!Hitting the opponent's elbow with the kneecap — painful and potentially injurious to the kicker
!Losing clinch control while adjusting the angle
!Not pulling the opponent into the strike
!Rising too high on the support leg and losing base
!Using the diagonal knee from outside the clinch where the angle cannot be controlled
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] Muay Thai Unleashed (Delp, 2006) [3] WBC Muay Thai Rules (2014)
2BookMuay Thai Unleashed (Delp, 2006)
History sources — [1] Muay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Kraitus & Rennehan, 2002) [2] Muay Thai Unleashed (Delp, 2006)
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] Muay Thai Unleashed (Delp, 2006) [3] WBC Muay Thai Rules (2014)
6CitationMuay Thai Unleashed (Delp, 2006)
History sources — [1] Muay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Kraitus & Rennehan, 2002) [2] Muay Thai Unleashed (Delp, 2006)
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
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I prevent my leg from extending too far when throwing a diagonal knee?
Keep the knee clean by not extending the leg—instead, focus on the lift and pivot motion before firing the diagonal knee. Elite Academy of Martial Arts emphasizes this economy of movement to maintain control and power.
What should I do if my opponent refuses to throw punches and stays out of range?
Use strikes like jabs, hooks, kicks, or inside kicks to provoke a reaction from your opponent, then grab them to set up the clinch for the diagonal knee. Elite Academy of Martial Arts teaches that you need to initiate engagement if your opponent is staying back defensively.
How do I control my opponent's hands when clinching for a diagonal knee?
Grab the opponent's hand and pull that side down while climbing in, making sure to control the other hand so you don't get hit. Elite Academy of Martial Arts stresses controlling both hands while already closing distance as your opponent punches.
How does the Diagonal Knee work?
A knee strike driven upward at a diagonal angle, targeting the ribs, floating ribs, or side of the body from within the clinch or at close range.
Where does the Diagonal Knee come from?
The diagonal knee subfamily represents a category of angled knee strikes delivered on a 45-degree trajectory, a hallmark of Thai clinch fighting. Delp documents the diagonal knee as a staple of Muay Thai clinch work, noting that the angled trajectory makes it effective at striking the ribcage even when an opponent is squared up in the clinch.
Is the Diagonal Knee 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 Diagonal Knee?
Danger rating 7/10. Very High — Muay Thai khao khong; diagonal knee to ribs/thigh
How do I set up the Diagonal Knee?
The standard setup chain: Clinch or Frame → Pull Opponent In → Drive the Knee.
How do I defend against the Diagonal Knee?
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 Diagonal Knee?
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 Diagonal Knee in competition?
Used in Muay Thai and MMA.
What are common mistakes when doing the Diagonal Knee?
Top errors to watch for: Throwing the knee straight up and calling it diagonal — the hip must actually rotate to create the angle / Not driving through the target — the diagonal knee must penetrate, not just touch / Hitting the opponent's elbow with the kneecap — painful and potentially injurious to the kicker / Losing clinch control while adjusting the angle.
What are other names for the Diagonal Knee?
The Diagonal Knee is also known as Naname Hiza-geri, Khao Chiang, Oblique Knee, Angled Knee Strike.