Kickboxing
Roundhouse Kick
The roundhouse kick swings your rear leg across a target using a pivot and hip rotation. It trains leg power, balance, and coordination between your hips and trunk.
Higher injury risk. Read the safety notes before adding weight.
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Higher injury risk
- Rest 45 sec
How to do it
- Stand facing an imagined target in a staggered stance, with your kicking leg behind you.
- Shift your weight onto your front leg.
- Lift your rear knee with the leg bent.
- Pivot on the ball of your standing foot so its toes turn away from the target.
- Extend your kicking leg in a sideways arc toward an imagined waist-high target, rotating through your hip.
- Recoil your kicking leg along the same path with your knee bent.
- Place your kicking foot back in its original position.
Form cues
- Keep your standing knee soft.
- Keep your hands near your face.
- Look at your target throughout.
- Point your kicking toes away from you.
Common mistakes
- Twisting over a planted footLet your supporting heel turn freely with your hips instead of forcing rotation through your knee.
- Snapping only from the kneeLead the kick with your hip rotation rather than flicking your lower leg alone.
- Falling backwardUse a lower target so you can stay balanced over your supporting leg.
Safety
Fast rotation over a stuck supporting foot can strain the knee or ankle. Overextending an air kick can stress the kicking knee, while uncontrolled momentum can cause a fall.
- Clear enough space for your entire kicking arc and recovery on a level surface that allows pivoting without slipping.
- Start at low speed before gradually increasing effort.
- Stop the leg short of a forceful knee lockout when kicking the air.
- Practice without contact; do not strike an unprotected person.
If you have knee, hip, or ankle pain, or difficulty balancing on one leg, get advice from a physiotherapist before practicing full kicks.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
No equipment needed.
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 2–3
- Target
- 6–10 reps per side
- Rest
- 45 sec
Switch your stance to practice the opposite leg as the rear leg.