page_title: Roundhouse kick
section_title: Muay Thai method
hierarchical_section_title: Roundhouse kick / Muay Thai method
caption_attribution_description: English: Figure 5-6. Shin kick to common peroneal nerve. Figure 5-7. Shin kick to floating ribs.
context_page_description: A roundhouse kick is a kick in which the practitioner lifts their knee while turning the supporting foot and body in a semicircular motion, extending the leg striking with the lower part of the shin and/or the instep the ball of the foot can also be used to strike the target and is preferable when power breaking thick boards. This type of kick is utilized in many different martial arts and is popular in both non-contact and full-contact martial arts competitions. The kick has many variations based on stance, leg movement, striking surface, and the height of the kick.
context_section_description: As with many other muay Thai techniques, the roundhouse kick has gained wide popularity, being used extensively in K-1 kickboxing and mixed martial arts (MMA) competitions due to its effectiveness in inflicting damage to the opponent. A properly executed muay Thai roundhouse kick has been compared by many martial artists to being struck by a baseball bat.  Most Western muay Thai clubs and practitioners avoid the term roundhouse kick, instead using the term angle kick (or side-angle kick and occasionally rising kick).
  The muay Thai roundhouse (or angle) kick is generally used in varying levels (low, middle, high) to inflict damage to different parts of the opponent's body. Low (or lowpoint) kicks generally target the thigh just above the knee joint for the purpose of weakening the leg, limiting the opponent's mobility, reducing their ability to use it for forceful kicks, or potentially rendering them unable to stand on the leg altogether.
  Muay Thai practitioners are taught to repeatedly strike the same point on the thigh to increase the cumulative effect of low kicks as a match proceeds. Some Thai camps emphasize targeting the inner thigh to compress the femoral artery and to shock the opponent weakening his or her fighting ability.  Middle (midpoint or midsection) kicks target the area above the hip bone and can damage the opponent's ribs and liver. High (or highpoint) kicks target the opponent's head or neck; they are often responsible for knockouts in competition.  Some Thai camps emphasize targeting the side of the neck with the high angle kick cutting down from its highest point to compress the carotid artery and so shock the opponent, weakening his or her fighting ability or knocking him out.
  There are several traits which give the muay Thai roundhouse a very different feel and look. The main methodological difference is that the hips are rotated into the kick in order to convey more moment of inertia in the kick, and the abdominal muscles are strongly recruited in the act of rotation. Instead of a snapping kick, the combined action of the leg and hips creates a kick that is much more devoted to its momentum. The person delivering the kick will also raise up on the ball of his or her foot while he or she kicks, mainly to allow for greater pivoting/turning speed, and increased power. Muay Thai roundhouse kicks use the shin to make contact with the target instead of the ball or instep. This further adds to the structure of the kick, as the shin is more durable than the foot. Using the shin reduces the kick's reach, but allows it to be thrown within punching range.
  Virtually all muay Thai camps teach the roundhouse or angle kick with the striking leg remaining passive (mostly with the leg allowed to bend slightly but some camps teaching that the knee should be locked except to close range kicking) and not using the pivot of the lower striking leg around the knee found in most other martial arts.  The power is instead entirely created by the rotation of the supporting leg and hips; akin to swinging a baseball bat.
  The practical difference is the objective of the kick. A standard karate or taekwondo roundhouse kick has one snap the instep at the objective, but a Muay Thai roundhouse uses the combined momentum generated by the leg and hip for more power.
caption: Thai-style roundhouse kicks used to attack low and middle targets
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