Kicking is one of the fundamental skills in Muay Thai, aka Thai Boxing. Together with other striking techniques, such as punching and elbowing, you’ll be able to create a dynamic and effective fighting style.
Muay Thai fighters are known for their aggressiveness and kicking ability. Therefore, when you begin learning it, you want to familiarize yourself with such techniques. They are, indeed, one of the cornerstone skills in Thai Boxing.
This is why I decided to write this article, so you’ll be able to dip yourself into the massive world of kicking. I know it can be scary and intimidating when you begin learning something new. However, once you start, you’ll never want to go back.
So without further introduction, let’s dive into the most effective and essential kicks in Muay Thai, aka the art of 8-limbs.
#6 – Axe Kick (Tae Khao)
The first kick we’ll review is the axe kick. It’s one of the most effective kicks in Muay Thai because you’ll be raising your leg before you make contact with your opponent. Thus, one of the best targets you can choose is your opponent’s collarbone, which you can easily break if you know to use this kick.
The axe kick is a downward strike that targets the opponent’s head or collarbone area. The leg is raised high and brought down forcefully, similar to the motion of an axe chopping wood.
This kick is one of my favorites because it allows you to attack your opponent from another angle. However, you’ll also find situations where it’s suitable to use kind of rare. Therefore, you, of course, want to familiarize yourself with all the kicks in this list.
Anyways, you want to set up the axe kick. One of the best ways you can do that is by throwing a jab, which will confuse your opponent. Then, you can either raise your leg in a straight line and drop it on your opponent or fake a low kick (which we’ll review later on in the article) and swing your leg in a circular motion.
The axe kick is one of the best kicks in Muay Thai and other kicking-based martial arts. However, it’ll be best if you don’t start practicing it first, as I would say it’s the most complicated one. And still, it’s essential to (1) know and (2) learn to use it perfectly.
Let’s move on to the next one!
#5 – Teep (Push Kick)
The next kick we’ll review is called the push kick, aka Teep. It’s one of the most popular strikes in Muay Thai, MMA, and even Kickboxing, Takedowndo, Karate, and Kung fu. If you’re looking for a solid kick to study first, this can definitely be it!
The Teep is a front kick that involves thrusting the foot straight forward, aiming to push the opponent away or disrupt their balance. It can be performed with either the lead or rear leg. The target you want to aim for is the opponent’s body.
It’s most suitable for pushing your opponent and disrupting their pace and balance. It’s also a fantastic way of commencing a combination, especially in the beginning. It can also link between combinations and serve as an offensive technique that intimidates your opponent and allows you to continue attacking.
Another key point here is to follow through with the Teep. Remember, your goal is to push the opponent, which will create distance and disrupt his pace. Meaning, making contact is one thing; however, once you make contact with your opponent’s body, you want to follow through with your leg and continue pushing your opponent. You’ll be able to create much more pressure and straight force if you make sure to follow through.
#4 – Diagonal Kick (Tae Chiang Kao)
Next up on our list is the diagonal kick, aka the side kick. This is also a part of the essential kicks you must learn to call yourself a Muay Thai fighter. You’ll be surprised at how much force you can create with it. The fact that you’ll be throwing a diagonal strike (throwing your leg at an angle) allows you to generate more force since your hips will also play a part in the equation.
This kick involves a diagonal strike where the leg is raised at an angle and aimed at the opponent’s body or head. It can be thrown from various angles, such as from the rear or lead side.
One of the best setups for the diagonal kick is to wait for the opponent to move forward, which you’ll be able to evade by parrying. Then, the opponent’s body will be exposed, which you’ll utilize by throwing a diagonal kick. The video above showcases this offensive combination perfectly.
You can get creative with this kick. So let’s say your opponent punches you, you can evade the punch by using any defensive move you know about and attack with a diagonal kick. You’ll be able to generate a lot of force and hit the opponent’s body or head, depending on which part he exposes.
If you want to learn about defensive moves in Muay Thai, you can follow this link.
Learn how to perform the Side Kick (Diagonal Kick) perfectly by following this link!
#3 – Switch Kick
The next one we’ll review is the switch kick. This one is definitely one of my favorites, but it requires more practice than the other ones. Before you throw any lead kick (with your left leg if you’re right-handed), you want to switch your stance around.
It’s much more difficult to generate a substantial amount of force with your lead leg if it’s currently forward. Therefore, you want to switch your feet around quickly before you throw the kick. This will confuse your opponent and allow your success rate using strikes to skyrocket.
The switch kick is performed by switching the stance during the execution of a kick. It adds power and unpredictability to the strike, as the leg that was initially positioned in the back becomes the lead leg for the kick.
#2 – Low Kick (Tae Chiang)
One of the more popular and commonly-used kicks in Muay Thai is the low kick. It’s so effective because of two reasons; the first is that it’s simple to learn so many Muay Thai fighters choose to learn it first, and second of all, it’s highly effective.
Therefore, you’ll be able to start using it quickly once you learn it. In fact, it was the first kick I’ve ever learned, making it dear to my heart. I enjoyed learning it so much that I continued my Thai Boxing journey much after starting.
This kick targets the opponent’s thigh or lower leg with a horizontal strike. It aims to weaken the opponent’s leg and limit their mobility. It’s an excruciating kick if performed correctly, as you’ll hit the sensitive parts of your opponent’s leg. And again, this will limit their mobility and allow you to advantage in the fight.
It’s extremely simple. Here are some things to keep in mind when you execute it:
- Start with a proper stance
- Target your opponent’s inner thigh or lower leg
- Strike with the shin or the foot
- Use your hips to generate more force
- Keep your guard up and recover your leg right after making contact
- Learn to combine other striking techniques with the low kick
Learn more about the Low Kick by following this link!
#1 – Roundhouse Kick (Tae Tad)
The last one we’ll review is the roundhouse kick. This is definitely one of the most painful and effective kicks in the world of Thai Boxing, as it allows you to generate exceptional amounts of power with your legs. I’m confident that you’ll be able to start using it soon after learning to perform it.
The roundhouse kick is a powerful strike where the leg is swung horizontally in a circular motion. It typically targets the opponent’s midsection, legs, or head, depending on the desired technique variation.
You want to generate most of the power from your hips, and not your legs. If you only swing your leg in the air without using your lower body at all, the amount of force you’ll be able to generate is minor.
However, if you “charge up” your kick by stepping forward with your other leg, placing it at a 45-degree angle, and using your hips to rotate and generate more force, you’ll easily be able to generate tons of force and cause so much more damage.
I encourage you to play around and experiment with this kick. You’ll be surprised at how much force you’re able to generate when you perform it correctly. You can also follow the article below to learn more about the Roundhouse Kick in Muay Thai and how to perform it perfectly.
Good luck!
And now, let’s dive into the second part of this article, which is going to be entirely about kicking combinations in the art of 8-limbs!
Best Kicking Combinations in Muay Thai
Now that you know how to execute each kick at a good enough level, we can continue our kicking journey by learning about combinations. Learning to use combinations is a skill you must learn and understand to become a solid Muay Thai fighter.
You won’t be able to cause significant enough damage to your opponent if you don’t combine techniques. So you must learn to alchemize offensive techniques together that at the end of the day will benefit both your defense and offense.
So here are the best combinations in Muay Thai that only involve kicking techniques.
- Lead Roundhouse Kick-Rear Roundhouse Kick: Begin by throwing a lead roundhouse kick targeting the opponent’s midsection or legs. Immediately follow up with a rear roundhouse kick, utilizing the other leg, to strike the same or a different target area.
- Teep-Rear Kick: Start with a lead teep (push kick) to create distance and disrupt the opponent’s balance. After retracting the teep, swiftly transition into a powerful rear kick, such as a roundhouse kick or a straight kick, targeting the body or legs.
- Switch Kick-Lead Roundhouse Kick: Initiate the combination by performing a switch kick. Switch your stance, and with the new lead leg, throw a roundhouse kick targeting the opponent’s midsection or legs.
- Rear Body Kick-Rear Head Kick: Begin by throwing a rear body kick targeting the opponent’s midsection. As they lower their guard or react to the body kick, quickly transition into a powerful rear head kick, aiming for the opponent’s head.
- Lead Low Kick-Rear Roundhouse Kick: Start by throwing a lead low kick to the opponent’s thigh or lower leg to weaken their base. Follow it up with a powerful rear roundhouse kick targeting the body or legs.
- Lead Head Kick-Rear Low Kick: Begin with a lead head kick targeting the opponent’s head or neck area. After retracting the kick, immediately throw a rear low kick to strike the opponent’s leg or thigh.
Final Words
Kicking is an essential skill to know and practice in Muay Thai, aka the art of 8-limbs. You’ll be able to cause extreme amounts of damage if you learn them correctly. For instance, if you throw two consecutive low kicks on your opponent and hit them both, he’s not as likely to walk properly after.
That’s why you want to learn the kicking techniques we’ve discussed in this article. By all means, begin by learning the low kick and continue with the more complicated kicks, such as the roundhouse and axe kicks.
Your next step is to get in the gym and train. Reading is definitely not enough to see real results. Therefore, it’ll be best if you begin training as soon as possible and not just read about how to kick.
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