ROUNDHOUSE KICKS are an essential tool in the skill set

of any martial artist, kickboxer, or fitness junkie. Learning how to

execute a roundhouse with dexterity and precision will allow you to

enhance your fitness routines and maximize striking power. Not

only is it a great way to tone your core and lower body, a round-

house kick is a powerful self-defense move.

TECHNIQUE: Safety + Strength Essentials

Maintaining proper technique

prevents injury

can improve balance and muscle control

promotes optimal fitness

When utilized during a workout, roundhouses strengthen

the gluts, inner and outer quadriceps, and the entire core.

Make sure to pay attention to tips for good technique so

that you are safe!

BEFORE YOU BEGIN…

Find a practice space with no potential

obstacles or hazards

Padded flooring is good for beginners in

case of falls

Soft athletic shoes, socks, or even bare

feet work well for learning

Ensure your punching bag is in good

condition with no hard spots

STRETCH! Don’t pull a cold muscle!

Bag Proximity

Stand ~1.5 ft. from the bag. Boxers with longer or

shorter legs should adjust their distance so that

the kicking leg at full extension connects with the

bag at the middle of the top of the foot.

This ensures maximum torque and power.

~ 60° ~ 1.5 ft

Hands Up!

Keep the hands up in loose

fists by the jawline. This

protects the face from

“attack” and helps you

center your balance.

Flat Feet

The “base foot” (non-kicking) should be almost per-

pendicular to the base of the bag. The “active

foot” (kicking foot) should be about 60° from the

base foot. Feet should be flat—grounding your body,

allowing for strong contact and push-off from the

floor.

Eyes Up!

Maintain focus on a point

at eye level on the bag

throughout the entire

sequence. Watching your

feet during a roundhouse

will only end in a fall!

Extend from the Hip

Drive the active leg up and forward into a strong knee-strike by

leading with the knee and extending forward from the hip. The

height of the knee-strike depends on the height of the desired

impact. The higher you intend to connect with the bag, the

higher your intermediate knee-strike should be.

Only reach for heights that are comfortable for your body.

Rotation begins…

During the knee-strike, the base foot begins to pivot outward. At

this point, the inside of the base foot opens up to the bag,

approaching a parallel position. Rotation continues through the

strike and ends with impact on the bag.

Toes Pointed!

Toes must be pointed

down—perpendicular

to the floor.

Align the Torso, Open the Ribcage

Keep the torso as upright as possible. Do not

crunch the chest to the knee. Your ribcage should

stay up and open by keeping the shoulders back

and spine straight. This allows for easy breathing

and good eye-contact with the target.

Rotate Through the Knee-Strike

Drive the base foot firmly into the floor and

push up onto the toes so that your heel is

slightly raised off the floor. Simultaneously

extend the active leg and rotate the hips,

base foot, and entire body towards 90° from

the beginning stance. Imagine a line extend-

ing from your midsection; rotate your core as

if you are slicing through the bag with the

line. Full rotation is achieved at impact.

Base Foot is Now Parallel

Your base foot should be fully

rotated 90° from it’s starting posi-

tion just before impact. This should

put the foot approximately parallel

to the base of the bag.

Check Yourself !

Toes pointed on active foot?

Foot MUST be pointed to prevent jamming or fractures

upon bag impact!

Approaching full rotation?

Torso upright and chest open?

Core engaged?

At the Moment of Impact...

Base foot becomes parallel to the bag

Hips + body become perpendicular to bag

Leg reaches full extension

Top of the foot impacts bag at desired height

Eyes on the target

*The hand on your active side either stays in the defen-

sive position or drops down along the extended active

leg, as pictures in the progression on the next page.

On every strike, give a quick, small exhalation.

Encourages follow-through

Promotes endurance during workout

Induced abdominal contraction enhances

balance and stability

Abdominals, gluts, calves, and quadriceps

should contract with exhalation on impact.

Strengthens muscles

Engages entire body

Drives the power of the roundhouse

Rotate in Reverse, Replace Active Leg

Complete the roundhouse …

Reverse rotation

Retract the foot from bag back to bent position

Return to and pass through knee-strike position

Replace active leg in starting position

Toes MUST be pointed at all times! Failure to

point can result in serious foot injury.

One Continuous Motion…

All parts of the roundhouse sequence are crucial intermediates of a single motion. The form and

technique of each position should be mastered individually to perform the kick correctly and

powerfully. When the steps are pieced together into a fluid motion, each pose blends into the

next—roundhouses are a progression of positions. The figures below illustrate how the intermedi-

ates occur in reality.

(Note: The boxer does not move forward in each snapshot—the base foot never leaves the ground

or leaves the starting location).

FORWARD PROGRESSION

Retract

Reverse

Rotation

Replace

REVERSE PROGRESSION

Initial Stance Move through knee-strike, then extend

Full extension, toes

pointed at impact Rotate

Aim for heights similar to an opponent’s...

Get comfortable with trunk-height kicks to work on flexibility.

As you increase the elevation of your target, the height of your

knee-strike and position should also increase. Balance can

become difficult to maintain if you do not keep your eyes on the

desired target. To enhance your familiarity with the feel of the

kick, try moving through the progression slowly and feel how

each stage shifts your weight. Use your arms to counterbalance

these shifts.

Knee-height kicks can be a powerful kick for those who may not

be extremely flexible. Low roundhouses are great practice for

beginning boxers looking to build power. Focus on using the

knee-strike position as the basis of your active leg’s extension

into the bag instead of a means to gain height before connecting

with the bag. It is crucial that the core be very engaged to pro-

vide adequate torque, which ultimately leads to good round-

house power.

Combo Kicks…Putting it together!

Once you have mastered kicking at a few heights, you can

put multiple kicks together for a combo. Each kick is still a

complete full progression. However, in a combo, reduce your resting time after replacing the base

foot. Strike in succession. This is a great way to practice speed shots! Try putting together low,

medium, and high roundhouses different orders to work on speed and height at the same time.

A “head-shot” is a difficult roundhouse to perfect. Master a

lower height before increasing your target elevation. High kicks

should not be attempted without first warming up! Leaning the

torso further out from the bag helps to open the hips and reach

higher. Additionally, raising your base foot heel off of the

ground can give you extra inches. However, these tips are no

substitute for true flexibility. It will take time to the build inner

thigh and hip flexibility to achieve great heights.