No pivot
The standing foot keeps pointing forward, the hips can’t turn, and the knee takes all the strain.
What Tori does instead: The standing foot turns first, then the hips follow.
Kick lesson 2 of 5 Yellow belt Rear leg
Roundhouse kick
A kick that swings in from the side. The standing foot turns on the mat, the rear knee comes up and round, and the hips turn over so the lower leg whips across the target. Tori lands the top of its foot on Uke’s head guard.
For entertainment only. A robot demo that explains how the kick works. It isn’t training or advice, so don’t try it on anyone. Disclaimer
- Foot speed
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- Impact, est.
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Now demonstrating
Roundhouse kick Mawashi geri
Frame by frame
Tori stops for a moment on each step, and the step’s name shows on the 3D view. The line is the path of Tori’s kicking foot: solid where the foot has been, faint where it is about to go. Switch on Chips and sparks for the full robot show.
Keyboard, with the 3D view focused: Space pause and play, , and . step one frame back or forward, arrow keys turn the camera.
Robot demo for entertainment only. Please don't try it on people, pets or yourself.
At a glance
What the roundhouse kick is
Also called Mawashi geri Dollyo chagi. Tori stands orthodox, with its left foot in front, and kicks with its rear (right) leg. A left-handed (southpaw) fighter mirrors everything on this page.
- Leg
- Rear leg here (Tori’s right)
- Target
- The side of the head guard
- Range
- Medium
- Path
- A curve in from the side
- Chamber
- Knee up and round to the side, foot folded behind it
- Power from
- The standing foot turning and the hips turning over
- Lands with
- Top of the foot (the instep)
- Stands on
- The front foot, turned on its ball
The standing foot is the hinge. It turns until its heel points at the target, and only then can the hips turn over. Without the pivot the kick stops halfway round.
Step by step
What Tori does, frame by frame
These are the same steps as the buttons under the 3D view. Freeze Tori on any of them, then turn the camera to look from every side.
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Guard. Fists up, facing Uke.
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Pivot and chamber. The front foot turns on its ball so the heel swings towards Uke, while the rear knee comes up and round to the side with the foot folded behind it.
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Whip. The hips turn over and the knee points at the target, then the lower leg whips across and the top of the foot lands on the side of the head guard.
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Recoil. The lower leg folds back in along the same curve.
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Return. The hips turn back, the foot goes down behind, and Tori faces Uke again.
Watch it like a coach
- Camera Top at ½×: the curve of the foot, and how far the standing foot turns.
- Freeze on Pivot and chamber: the knee is up and round before the leg straightens.
- Camera Behind Tori, freeze on Whip: the hips turned over at impact.
Where the power comes from
From the floor to the foot
A kick isn’t thrown by the leg alone. Each link passes the movement on to the next, from the standing foot to the striking one.
Standing foot
Turns on its ball until the heel points at the target.
Hips
Turn over, the kicking hip rolling on top.
Knee
Points at the target just before the leg straightens.
Foot
Top of the foot, ankle straight, toes pointed.
Checkpoints
What to look for in the demo
Freeze Tori on Whip and check each of these.
- Standing heel towards Uke The pivot is complete.
- Hips turned over The kicking hip sits above the standing hip.
- Knee on target The lower leg extends from where the knee points.
- Instep lands The top of the foot, toes pointed.
- Arm swings back One arm swings back to balance the turn; the other hand stays up.
- Leg folds back After contact the lower leg folds before it comes down.
Common mistakes
How the roundhouse kick goes wrong
Robots make these mistakes too, until someone updates their firmware.
The baseball bat
A straight leg swings round in a wide circle: slow and easy to see.
What Tori does instead: Knee up and round, then the lower leg whips out.
Chamber too low
The knee stays low, so the kick comes up from below and lands weakly.
What Tori does instead: The knee rises to the target’s height before the whip.
Kicking with the toes
The toes jam on the target.
What Tori does instead: Toes pointed, so the top of the foot lands.
The foot
Which part of the foot lands
The roundhouse lands with the instep, the top of the foot. Watch it in the Close-up camera, frozen on Whip.
The top of the foot
- Toes pointed, so the foot and the shin make one straight line.
- Ankle stretched and firm, so the foot doesn’t fold on contact.
- The instep lands. Many styles use the lower shin as well.
- Hit and fold back, rather than pushing through.
In a fight (between robots)
How it’s used, and how it’s stopped
Kicks rarely come alone. They are mixed with punches and with other kicks, so each one sets up the next.
Combinations
- 1-2-round
A jab and a cross bring Uke’s hands to the middle, then the kick goes to the side of the head.
- Low-high
A roundhouse to the body, then one to the head.
- Front-round
A straight front kick, then a curved one.
- Round-back
After the roundhouse, the hips keep turning into a back kick.
How Uke could stop it
- Cover
The arm comes up tight against the side of the head, elbow in.
- Duck
Drop under a head kick. Uke does this when it dodges one.
- Lean back
The foot passes in front of the face.
- Step in
Close the distance, so the foot swings past behind.
A robot demo, not a class
This page explains how the roundhouse kick works so the animation makes sense. It isn’t a martial arts course, and it isn’t self-defense, fitness, medical or safety advice. Tori’s version is simplified and exaggerated for the camera, and robot joints bend in ways yours shouldn’t. Don’t kick anyone. If you want to learn a martial art for real, learn in person from a qualified instructor and check with a doctor first.