Kickboxing
Head Roundhouse Kick
The head roundhouse kick is a high, arcing kick that trains hip rotation, leg control, and single-leg balance. It requires more mobility and coordination than a body-height roundhouse.
Higher injury risk. Read the safety notes before adding weight.
- Advanced
- Compound
- Higher injury risk
- Rest 45 sec
How to do it
- Stand in a staggered fighting stance with your hands near your cheeks.
- Shift your weight onto your front leg.
- Lift your rear knee toward the imagined target.
- Turn your hips over by pivoting on the ball of your standing foot, bringing its heel toward the target.
- Sweep your kicking leg across an imagined head-height target, leading with your shin or instep.
- Bend your kicking knee to draw the leg back.
- Place your kicking foot behind you in your starting stance.
Form cues
- Keep your standing knee soft.
- Eyes on the target.
- Exhale through the kick.
- Keep your ankle firm, toes pointed.
Common mistakes
- Forcing extra heightAim lower if reaching head height requires a large backward lean or an arched lower back.
- Throwing the arms outwardKeep your opposite hand at your cheek rather than using both arms to regain balance.
- Snapping the knee straightLeave a slight bend at the end of an air kick rather than locking the knee.
- Spinning past the targetReduce speed until you can stop the kick's arc without turning your back to the target.
Safety
Fast, high kicks can strain the groin or hamstrings and cause a fall if control is lost. A planted support foot can expose the standing knee to twisting forces.
- Warm up with gentle hip movements and progressively higher, slower kicks.
- Use a clear practice area with a stable surface that allows your support foot to pivot.
- End the set when fatigue makes your landings unsteady.
- Practice without contact; never direct head-height kicks at an unprotected partner.
Use a lower roundhouse if your hip mobility is limited; seek advice from a physiotherapist first if you have hip, knee, or lower-back pain.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
No equipment needed.
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 2–3
- Target
- 4–6 reps per side
- Rest
- 45 sec
Treat these as controlled technique repetitions rather than maximum-speed conditioning.