Karate & Taekwondo techniques
Point fighting, full contact and the Olympic mat: the kickers and strikers of the traditional arts. 20 techniques below.
Defence
2A parry is a short, sharp tap with the open glove that knocks an incoming straight punch off line, most often the jab. Unlike a block, it doesn't…
The high guard brings both gloves up to your forehead and your forearms together in front of your face, so punches land on gloves and arms instead…
Footwork
5The boxing stance is the ready position every punch, defence and step starts from and returns to. Orthodox boxers lead with the left foot and hand,…
c. 1993–2024
2002–nowStep and slide is boxing's basic way of moving: the foot nearest the direction you want to go steps first, pushed by the other foot, and the other…
An angle step moves you off your opponent's centre line so you can hit them while their punches point at empty space. It is a short step out to the…
Switching stances means changing from orthodox to southpaw, or back, on purpose during a fight. It changes your angles, puts a different hand in…
A pivot turns your whole body around your lead foot, like a door on its hinge. The ball of the lead foot stays planted while the rear foot swings…
1984–2001Kicks
7
The front kick lifts the knee, then snaps the leg straight out to strike with the ball of the foot or the heel. Where the teep pushes, the front…
The side kick thrusts the leg out sideways and strikes with the heel or outer edge of the foot. With the hips turned side-on it has long reach and…
The spinning back kick turns your back to the opponent and drives the heel straight back into their body. The rotation and body weight go behind a…
1977–2000
The hook kick extends the leg just past the side of the opponent's head, then snaps the heel back into it from an angle the guard does not cover.…
The axe kick lifts a nearly straight leg high above the opponent's guard, then drives the heel straight down onto the face, collarbone or chest.…
The roundhouse kick swings the leg in an arc into the opponent's side, powered by turning the standing foot and the hips over. Muay Thai lands it…
The head kick is a roundhouse kick aimed at the neck or jaw, usually with the rear leg. It needs hip flexibility and a setup, because it travels…
Punches
4
The jab is a fast, straight punch with your lead hand. It starts closest to the target and needs the least commitment, so it is the most-used punch…
The cross is the straight punch with your rear hand: the right for an orthodox fighter, the left for a southpaw. The rear foot, hips and shoulders…
The hook is a bent-arm punch that travels on a short horizontal arc into the side of the jaw or the body. Its power comes from turning the foot,…
A combination is a planned chain of punches in which each one sets up the next: the jab blinds and measures, the cross turns the hips, and that…
Tactics
2Counterpunching means letting the opponent attack first, making the attack miss or land on your guard, and hitting back into the opening it leaves…
A feint is a threatened punch that you never throw: a twitch of the lead shoulder, a half-jab, a shift of the eyes or a dip of the knees. When the…
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2002–2016
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