Knee lesson
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Horizontal Knee·LANNAFIGHTING
#muaythai #muayboran #lannafighting
Horizontal Knee
SubFamily水平膝蹴り(Suihei Hiza-geri)
TraditionalTranslation: horizontal knee
Overview
History & Origin
The horizontal knee subfamily encompasses knee strikes delivered on a lateral, sweeping arc, targeting the opponent's midsection from the side. [1] In Muay Thai, horizontal knee techniques evolved as clinch-fighting tools designed to attack opponents who protect their centreline, using the lateral angle to bypass frontal defences. [2] Rebac notes that horizontal knee strikes were particularly valued in Muay Boran, where they were used to strike the kidneys and lower back of grappling opponents. [2]
Effectiveness
The horizontal knee strikes laterally across the body. [1]
Lineage
From Muay Thai. [1]
Competition Record
Used in 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
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 horizontal knee travels in a lateral arc across the opponent's body, striking with the inside of the knee
✓The trajectory is sideways rather than upward — the knee sweeps across the target like a scythe
✓It targets the ribs, thighs, or arms from a horizontal angle
✓Drive the hip laterally while swinging the knee across — the power comes from the hip's lateral thrust
✓The horizontal knee is used from the clinch when the opponent's guard is stacked vertically
✓It can be used to clear the opponent's arms or to attack the outside of the thigh from an unusual angle
✓The khao tat in Muay Thai refers to this horizontal sweeping knee trajectory
Common Mistakes
!Not driving the hip laterally — without the hip, the knee sweeps weakly with no penetrating force
!Swinging too wide and missing the target entirely — the arc must be controlled
!Losing balance because the lateral motion shifts the centre of gravity off the support foot
!Not using the clinch to control distance and angle for the horizontal path
!Hitting the opponent's knee-to-knee, which injures both fighters
!Over-rotating and spinning past the target
!Using the horizontal knee at long range where it cannot reach — it is a clinch technique
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 Boran: The Ancient Art of Muay Thai (Rebac, 2008)
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 Boran: The Ancient Art of Muay Thai (Rebac, 2008)
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 generate power for a horizontal knee strike?
Rotate your hips and use your upper body together—pull one arm while driving the knee up to maximize power transfer through your whole body.
What footwork should I use when throwing a horizontal knee?
Step with the opposite leg first to set up your base, then drive the knee up and out with proper hip rotation for balance and power.
How does the Horizontal Knee work?
A knee strike swung horizontally in a lateral arc, targeting the ribs, thighs, or midsection from the side using rotational hip force.
Where does the Horizontal Knee come from?
The horizontal knee subfamily encompasses knee strikes delivered on a lateral, sweeping arc, targeting the opponent's midsection from the side. In Muay Thai, horizontal knee techniques evolved as clinch-fighting tools designed to attack opponents who protect their centreline, using the lateral angle to bypass frontal defences.
Is the Horizontal 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 Horizontal Knee?
Danger rating 7/10. Very High — Muay Thai khao khong; diagonal knee to ribs/thigh
How do I set up the Horizontal Knee?
The standard setup chain: Clinch or Frame → Pull Opponent In → Drive the Knee.
How do I defend against the Horizontal 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 Horizontal 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 Horizontal Knee in competition?
Used in Muay Thai.
What are common mistakes when doing the Horizontal Knee?
Top errors to watch for: Not driving the hip laterally — without the hip, the knee sweeps weakly with no penetrating force / Swinging too wide and missing the target entirely — the arc must be controlled / Losing balance because the lateral motion shifts the centre of gravity off the support foot / Not using the clinch to control distance and angle for the horizontal path.
What are other names for the Horizontal Knee?
The Horizontal Knee is also known as Suihei Hiza-geri, Khao Tat, Side Knee, Lateral Knee Strike.