ing, as it is successful kicks that will give a competitor the most points and
help to achieve a knockout.
Taekwondo kicks can be divided into six major types of kicks. The
first type, usually the first learned by beginners, is the front kick. As the
name suggests, this kick is delivered when the front of the body is facing an
opponent. The striking areas on the foot are the ball of the foot or the in-
step, depending on the target. The leg and foot are positioned vertically, so
the kick itself will travel vertically.
The second type of kick is the side kick. A practitioner kicks to the
side, lifting the leg horizontally and thrusting the leg out. The entire bot-
tom surface of the foot is used as a striking instrument, although sometimes
in competition only the ball of the foot will be used. This kick can also be
directed to the front. This is accomplished when a practitioner turns his
body ninety degrees to the front while delivering the kick, thus adding the
impetus of the rotation of the hips to the kick.
The third, most commonly used type of kick in taekwondo is the
roundhouse kick, comprising approximately 70 percent of the kicks
thrown in taekwondo competition. The striking area of the foot most com-
monly used is the instep of the foot, although the ball of the foot can also
be used if greater striking power is desired. The practitioner will throw a
roundhouse kick in the same manner as a side kick. However, instead of
throwing the foot straight out, the kick is thrown by swinging forward the
lower portion of the foot. The kick therefore travels horizontally.
The fourth major type of kick is the ax kick, sometimes known as the
falling kick. The ax kick is thrown when the practitioner is facing his op-
ponent. The leg is lifted straight up, almost vertical, with no bend at the
knee. When the kick reaches its maximum height, it is brought down with
tremendous force. The striking power of the entire bottom of the foot is
used, although for extra power the heel alone can be employed.
The fifth and sixth major kicks used in taekwondo, the back kick and
wheel kick, are the kicks for which taekwondo has become famous world-
wide. Both of these kicks employ the spinning of the body, only unlike the
type of spinning for roundhouse and side kicks described earlier, these
kicks spin backward. This torquing effect produces an extremely powerful
force that, when added to the momentum of the kick itself, produces a
tremendous striking force. For a back kick, the body is turned 180 degrees,
and the striking leg is lifted up and then driven straight back. The entire
bottom of the foot is employed as the striking surface, with the stomach
and solar plexus as the main targets. For a wheel kick, the body spins in
the same manner as for a back kick, only in this case the leg is snapped out
and held straight and the spin is completed for a full 360 degrees. The en-
tire bottom of the foot is used as a striking surface, although for extra
Taekwondo 613