Guide to Muay Thai Kicks: Learn the Basics and Improve Your Technique

This ancient martial art combines strikes and kicks to deliver effective self-defense techniques. Muay Thai kicks are an essential part of the art, allowing practitioners to perform powerful strikes from various distances.

This guide will discuss the different types of Muay Thai kicks and how to execute each one correctly. Whether getting started or brushing up on your skills, this guide will help you hone your technique and become accomplished in Muay Thai.

Muay Thai Kicks Are Powerful

Muay Thai is a martial art that is known for its powerful kicks. The two main kicks used in Muay Thai are the push kick and the side kick. These types of kicks are usually used to defend against an opponent moving forward, to create disorder in their breathing, or to prepare for other attacking moves.

If you have experience in other martial arts, it will be easier to learn Muay Thai because the same principles apply. However, Muay Thai has a unique type of kick called the round kick, or Thai kick is different from other martial arts. This kick is meant to do more damage to the opponent by using the shinbone to push hard into the target rather than just hitting your target with the foot.

This Martial Art Can Be Difficult To Learn

It can be tough to learn how to do Muay Thai kicks. You must learn to rotate your hips to create force and thrust your leg at your opponent. Practice bringing your leg back into the correct position quickly after attacking. It can be a painful and difficult process for beginners.

If you kick without using your hips to generate power, you will not be able to do much damage. If you leave your leg extended, your opponent can easily catch your leg or attempt a countermove while you are off balance.

Use The Correct Technique

When doing Thai kicks, it is vital to use the correct technique. Different instructors will teach differently, such as throwing your right hand down to your side when making a Thai kick or throwing it straight out. Neither method is better than the other; it is simply a matter of preference.

When doing a round kick, throwing your hand down will give you more power and speed. Throwing your hand straight out will better protect your face and midsection from an opponent’s countermove. If you choose to throw your hand down, make sure to keep your shoulders up to defend your chin.

Different instructors will tell you different techniques for what to do when you miss your target. Some will instruct you to spin all the way around, while others will teach you to turn only a quarter of the way around. The technique you choose will depend a lot on the power of your kick.

Some kicks have too much momentum to stop. When you spin around, your back will briefly face your opponent. If your opponent is a skilled fighter, he will try to take advantage of this brief opening in your technique.

Bad Shin Training

Learning to do Thai kicks correctly can take time and can be painful. If you practice kicking for a while, you will probably get a bump on your shin from hitting an opponent’s shin.

Some say rolling Coke bottles or metal rods up and down your shins will make your shins stronger and heal any injuries. However, this practice can do more harm than good and may lead to arthritis in the long run.

Traditionally, fighters would kick banana trees to practice their kicks. This was done out of necessity, as there were no other options. Nowadays, most gyms use heavy bags instead, as they are more affordable and easier to get.

Good Shin Training

The best way to build stronger shins is to practice your kicks on a heavy bag, spar with a partner, and compete in fights. If you get a lump on your shin, you should treat it with boxing liniment and take care of it.

Kicking is a significant part of martial arts, especially Muay Thai. To execute the best kick possible, make sure to spin on the ball of your foot when doing round kicks, throw your kick through your target, stay balanced and relaxed, spin your hips in a circular direction, keep your body upright, and step back into your stance after kicking.

The Rear Leg Thai Kick To Lead Leg

The low Thai kick can be very effective if used correctly. The goal is to hit your opponent in the nerve running down the outside of his thigh. If a fighter is good at low-kicking, they will keep targeting this spot until their opponent can barely stand.

The low Thai kick is a common technique among good punchers, as it allows them to switch back and forth between low and high attacks, confusing their opponent. It works well in the kicking range to counter an opponent coming straight in, and it fits in with punching combinations in the punching range.

When in the punching range, you may have to take a step to the side to land the kick properly, especially if your opponent is a southpaw.

How To Do A Rear Leg Thai Kick To Lead Leg

FighterX begins with a Muay Thai stance, trying to find an opening on FighterZ. He then throws a right low Thai kick to the nerve running down the outside of FighterZ’s lead thigh.

To generate power, FighterX pushes off the ball of his right foot and snaps his hips in a counterclockwise direction while throwing his left shoulder back to help rotate his hips.

His left hand is protecting his face, and his right hand is out to keep FighterZ from closing the gap. His right shoulder is held high to protect his chin. He is balanced on the ball of his left foot as his hips rotate and his leg whips around into the target.

The Front Leg Thai Kick To Inside Leg

This kick can cause damage, but not as much as a low rear leg kick to the outside of your opponent’s leg. If your opponent has more weight on their lead leg, you can use this kick to off-balance them and set yourself up for a more powerful attack.

It is fast and easy to land when executed from the punching range. Many fighters will use this technique in the first round to get a feel for the distance and their opponent’s reactions.

When throwing it from the kicking range, you usually have to step forward for it to land, but this is risky because if your opponent sees it coming, they can step back and make you miss, then countermove. In later rounds, it is often used as part of a combination, usually as a setup for a right cross.

How To Do A Front Leg Thai Kick To Inside Leg

FighterX begins with a Muay Thai stance, looking for an opening on FighterZ. He then snaps his hips in a clockwise direction, pulling his right shoulder back to help the rotation.

The momentum of his rotating hips causes his left leg to whip toward the inner thigh of FighterZ’s lead leg. To check the distance, he throws his left arm straight out. His left shoulder protects his chin, and his right hand is up to guard his face.

After his shin hits the soft tissue just above FighterZ’s knee, FighterX quickly brings his leg back and returns to his stance.

The Front Leg Thai Kick To Back Leg

This kick is hard to execute directly from your stance, as you usually have to cover some distance to land it. The most common way to get the space is to slide to the side, as shown in the picture.

Although it is a powerful kick, it doesn’t have as much power as a kick from your power side, and it rarely ends a fight. However, it is excellent for setting up other techniques because it changes the angle at which you’re facing your opponent.

It can also be deceptive if done correctly. The first step can make your opponent think you’re about to throw a Thai kick with your rear leg, causing them to either bring up their front leg to block or shift their weight back to prepare for impact.

If they do either, you can land the kick. If you finish the move, you’ll catch your opponent off guard and hit their rear leg. Do the steps quickly and without hesitation.

How To Do The Front Leg Thai Kick-To-Back Leg

FighterX begins with a Muay Thai stance, looking for an opening on FighterZ. He slides to his left by pushing off the ball of his right foot. His right foot follows quickly afterward so he doesn’t get too spread out.

FighterZ is looking down, expecting a kick from FighterX’s rear leg. FighterX then steps forward with his right foot. As soon as it touches the ground, he quickly snaps his hips in a clockwise direction, throwing his right shoulder back and pushing off his left foot to help the rotation.

As he spins on the ball of his right foot, he stays protected by keeping his right hand up by his face and tucking his chin behind his left shoulder. He throws his left arm out for balance and checking, then crashes his shin into the nerve running down the outside of FighterZ’s rear thigh.

The Rear Leg Thai Kick To Midsection From Two Ranges

When throwing Thai kicks to the midsection, the ribs and stomach are the main targets. There are two different ranges from which you can throw these kicks. The first is from the standard kicking range.

From here, your kick will usually be aimed at your opponent’s ribs, and your leg should be fully extended when your shin makes contact. The second is from the punching range. From here, your leg should be bent, and your target will usually be your opponent’s stomach.

Both are effective kicks, and which one to use depends on the distance between you and your opponent. A skilled fighter can throw a long-range Thai kick to their opponent’s ribs, then quickly switch to a short-range Thai kick to the stomach if their opponent moves forward.

This is a useful skill to have due to the unpredictable distances and movements of a fight.

How To Do A Rear Leg Thai Kick To Midsection From Kicking Range

FighterZ begins with a Muay Thai stance, looking for an opening on FighterX. In this version, he throws his right arm down to his side instead of straight out. This gives the kick more power, but it makes him more vulnerable to a countermove.

He pushes off his right foot and throws his left shoulder back to help rotate his hips in a counterclockwise direction. As with the low kick, the rotation of his hips causes his right leg to come off the ground.

He then rotates on the ball of his left foot and casts his straightened leg into the unprotected organs just below FighterX’s ribs.

How To Do A Rear Leg Thai Kick To The Midsection From Punching Range

FighterX begins with a Muay Thai stance, looking for an opening on FighterZ. When FighterZ tries to close the distance, FighterX quickly switches his stance to set up a powerful midsection Thai kick.

He pushes off the ball of his right foot, throws his left shoulder back to help rotate his hips, and guards his face with his left hand. He also extends his right hand out to keep the proper distance.

Instead of straightening the kick, he keeps it bent and drives his shin into FighterZ’s liver and stomach. After the kick lands, FighterX pushes off FighterZ’s body with his kicking leg to create distance and return to his original stance.

The Front Leg Thai Kick To Midsection With Three Variations

There are several ways to throw a rib kick with your lead leg. If you’re already close to your opponent, you can just fire the kick from your normal stance. This usually won’t cause much damage, but it can be used to set up other attacks or surprise your opponent.

If you want the kick to be powerful, you should switch your feet first. If you have enough space, you can just step forward with your back leg, putting your front leg in the power position. If you don’t have much room to move, you can do a switch step and then quickly fire off the kick.

No matter which technique you use, it’s important to bring your leg back to its normal position after the kick. However, a lot of times the momentum of the recovery will cause you to step back, putting you in a southpaw stance. In that case, you’ll have to take a step to get back to your original stance.

The Front Leg Thai Kick To Midsection From Stance

To throw a rib kick with your lead leg, you’ll need to switch your feet so your front leg is in the power position. You can do this by stepping forward with your back leg or doing a switch step if you don’t have much room to move.

Then, quickly fire off the kick. After the kick, make sure to bring your leg back to its normal position. You may find yourself in a south-paw stance after the recovery, so you may need to take an extra step to get back to your original stance.

The Front Leg Thai Kick To Midsection From Stance

This technique is a way of throwing a Thai kick with your lead leg, which is usually not as powerful as one executed with the rear leg. To do this, you will need to switch your feet so your front leg is in the power position.

You can do this by stepping forward with your back leg or doing a switch step if you don’t have much space. Then, you whip your hips in a clockwise direction and quickly fire off the kick with your bent leg. The kick should make contact with your opponent’s liver and stomach with your shin, not your foot.

If there is too much distance between you and your opponent, you can close the gap by stepping forward with your back foot and then quickly throwing the kick. This makes sure the kick is executed as one fluid movement.

The Lead Leg Thai Kick To Midsection off Switch Step

Switch-stepping is a quick way to change your stance in a fight. You quickly move one foot forward and the other back without lifting them off the ground.

This can give you more power when performing a lead Thai kick, or surprising your opponent by changing your stance suddenly. It is best used when you are close to your opponent, or when they are attacking you.

The Lead Leg Thai Kick To Midsection Off Step

FighterX is in a proper Muay Thai stance, searching for an opening on FighterZ.

With too great a distance between FighterX and FighterZ to land a lead Thai kick to the ribs, FighterX slides his right foot forward, which puts his left leg in the power position.

FighterX pushes off with his left foot and throws his right shoulder back to help spin his hips in a clockwise direction. His right hand is guarding his face, and his left shoulder is protecting his chin.

He keeps his kicking leg bent due to the short distance between him and FighterZ. Upon impact, his shin digs into FighterZ’s stomach and liver.

How To Do A Lead Leg Thai Kick To Midsection Off Of A Switch Step

FighterX begins with a good Muay Thai stance, searching for an opening on FighterZ.

FighterX switches his stance by quickly reversing the position of his feet, putting him into a southpaw stance. As he does this, he makes sure not to jump and that his feet land a shoulder’s width apart.

FighterX pushes off the ball of his left foot and throws his right shoulder back to help spin his hips in a clockwise direction. While spinning on the ball of his left foot, his right-hand guards his face, and his left shoulder protect his chin.

FighterX’s kicking leg is bent due to the short distance between him and FighterZ. Upon impact, his shin digs into FighterZ’s stomach and liver.

The Head Kick

Kicking someone in the head is a move in martial arts or fighting. It is considered very effective and impressive, but it’s also risky. You need an opening in the other person’s defense to land the kick successfully.

If you don’t have an opening, you are leaving yourself open to being counter-attacked. It is best used after some other successful attacks like rib kicks, because then the opponent may lower their guard, thus giving an opening. It is also important to have good flexibility so you don’t lose your balance while attempting the kick.

Doing A Rear Leg Thai Kick To The Head

FighterZ is in a proper Muay Thai stance, searching for an opening on FighterX.

FighterZ pushes off the ball of his right foot and throws his left shoulder back to help whip his hips in a counterclockwise direction. His left hand is protecting his face, and his right shoulder guards his chin.

Spinning on the ball of his left foot, he keeps his kicking leg straight. Because he is targeting FighterX’s neck, he has to bring his right leg up over FighterX’s shoulder and then down to his target, connecting with the inside of his shin.

The Jumping/Flying Kick

Flying kicks are flashy and effective moves that can be used in a fight if done correctly. The best time to use one is when your opponent is backing up, either in the center of the ring or into the ropes.

This is because as the ropes spring your opponent back toward the center of the ring, you can crash into them with the kick and double the impact. You have to be careful though, as if you miss, your opponent may be able to hit you back or you might even fly out of the ring.

To do a flying kick, you need to crouch down and then use the ball of your back foot to explode forward and upward, aiming for either the ribs or the head. You still need to generate power for the kick by whipping your hips around, and you should keep your guard up.

The Lead Leg Push Kick

The lead leg push kick is a strong move in Muay Thai. It is similar to the boxer’s jab and is used to create distance, set up other techniques, or stop an opponent from advancing.

The push kick can even knock an opponent out when thrown with enough power and in the right spot. To deliver a successful push kick, you need to ensure that you lift your knee to your chest and retract your kick in the air before dropping your foot back in your stance.

This will help you avoid getting hit twice as hard if your opponent throws an attack while your foot is extended. Proper technique is essential to executing a successful push kick.

Keeping your knee close to your chest, bring up your foot on the same plane as your knee and target. Thrust out your kicking leg with your hips, ensuring that your grounded foot is in a stable position. You can use the ball of your foot, heel, or whole foot to make contact with your target.

Using the ball of your foot will increase the range of your attack and cause the most pain due to the small surface area of your weapon. The lead leg push kick is used in Muay Thai to push your opponent back and cause pain.

When you are in close physical contact with someone, like when you are punching each other, it can be more effective to kick with the heel or whole foot instead of the ball. This doesn’t hurt as much, but it will be more powerful, and you are less likely to miss the target.

When fighting, a fighter may try to kick their opponent in various places, such as their hip, thigh, stomach, or neck. However, professional fighters usually focus on three main targets: the head, midsection, and knee. Kicking the knee is an effective way to stop someone from being able to punch effectively. It can also help to throw off the balance of the opponent.

When your opponent is still off balance, you can take advantage of this by striking high with your next attack. Aiming your kick at the knee rather than straight on will make your opponent’s head dip, leaving them open for your follow-up attack.

To do this, lift your knee as if you were about to attack the midsection, but then focus your kick downwards at the knee. A push kick to the midsection is an effective way to push your opponent back and create some distance or stop them from attacking. The best target is the sternum. Applying power and speed behind it, you can knock the wind out of them.

This technique involves lifting your knee to your chest and then quickly pushing your hips forward and extending your leg in a kick. You should then bring your leg back to its starting position.

You should be careful not to fall into your kick because if you miss your target, you could be vulnerable to an attack from your opponent.

Kicking someone in the face with the bottom of your foot in a Thai boxing match can be hard to land due to the distance your foot must travel. Nevertheless, it’s still done often, causing many fights to become savagely aggressive.

If your opponent moves forward with a wide-open guard, it is simply too good an opportunity to pass up. However, this kick is considered highly disrespectful & offensive in Thai culture and the person you do it to will not be happy.

Even though it can be hard to land a kick to the face with the bottom of your foot in a Thai boxing match, it is still done because of its power. When your opponent moves towards you with an open guard, it is too good of an opportunity to pass up, which can often result in the fight becoming more aggressive.

How To Do A Lead Leg Push Kick

The push kick is an essential Muay Thai technique used to create distance and disrupt the balance. It involves quickly extending your leg out in front of you to the target and making contact with the ball of your foot.

FighterZ uses a push kick to search for openings on FighterX, aiming at the knee, thigh, midsection, or face. He uses his hips to thrust his kicking leg out and make contact with the ball of the foot to generate power and knock the wind from FighterX.

The Rear Leg Push Kick

Executing a push kick with your rear leg creates more power, but it takes more time to land due to the distance it has to travel, meaning it’s easier for your opponent to spot. There are two versions of this kick. The first is to thrust your leg straight out in front of you to your target and then bring it straight back into your stance.

The second is to keep your kicking leg slightly bent and angled, pushing your opponent back while in the punching range with your entire foot, making it harder to miss.

Muay Thai is a form of martial arts that uses an array of punches, kicks, and knee and elbow strikes. The proper stance for Muay Thai involves keeping the feet shoulder-width apart, with one foot slightly forward.

This stance allows a fighter to move quickly and defend against an attack while providing enough stability to launch a powerful strike. In this scenario, FighterZ uses the proper Muay Thai stance to search for an opening on FighterX.

He lifts his knee toward his chest to generate power and then thrusts his kick forward using his hips to drive his foot into FighterX’s left hip. This forces FighterX out of punching range and gives FighterZ the advantage.

The Side Kick

The sidekick is a powerful technique, but it is hard to land on a moving target due to the difficulty of timing and accuracy. The sidekick requires the fighter to accurately and precisely time the attack and target the exact area in motion.

Additionally, it requires an aggressive and powerful stance which is not easy to maintain when an opponent is already in motion. As a result, it is not used as frequently as other techniques in professional Thai boxing matches.

How To Do A Side Kick

FighterX should keep his arms up to defend himself from any countermove. He should also keep his stance and balance throughout the kick, as a sidekick is only effective when the whole body is behind it.

Once he has kicked, FighterX should immediately retract his leg to its original position because this helps him regain balance and be ready to attack again.

Final Thoughts On Thai Kick Training

This is the end of the guide on Thai Kicks. Once you have grasped the basic techniques of Muay Thai kicking, it is time to practice your timing and accuracy. Focus on the fundamentals of a sidekick, like the Muay Thai stance, balance, and power.

Practicing against a partner or heavy bag is a great way to perfect your technique and become more comfortable with the kick. With practice and dedication, you can become proficient in the Muay Thai kick and be ready to use it in any situation.

Muay Thai kicks are an essential part of the art, allowing practitioners to deliver powerful strikes from various distances. It may take some time to learn the techniques, but with proper practice and guidance, you can become proficient in no time. You can achieve great success on the Muay Thai mat with good training and dedication. Get out there and start kicking!