Is a Roundhouse Kick Effective?

The roundhouse kick when preformed properly is one of the most powerful strikes that exist.

Some people believe that this type of technique is too fancy, elaborate, and not practical. This misconception may be due to movies where people do a very high or spinning roundhouse kick.

While these are not bad, they are difficult for most people to do effectively with speed and or strength.

The fastest, easiest and most powerful roundhouse kick is the one that is below that waist of the person kicking. If the roundhouse kick is higher then the waist of the person performing the strike, it looses power and take more time and flexibility.

It can be used very effectively by targeting the lower targets of the inner or outer thighs or more importantly to target the nerves that supply these large muscles. It can also be used to target the knees and cause serious damage.

You can use it as a very effective distracting strike from your front leg or as a very effective power strike from your rear most leg.

A low roundhouse kick is also good because many people while fighting or sparing are too concentrated on their upper bodies and a low attack may be unexpected and harder to block.

The reason the roundhouse kick is one of the more powerful strikes is because it is a whole body motion. The roundhouse kick using the back or front leg starts with bringing the leg up, turning the non-kicking foot so that is parallel with the object that is being struck, and extending the kicking leg while rotating the upper body through. This, if done correctly, can generate a powerful force able to stun or knock down most opponents.

An important note to remember while performing the roundhouse kick or any strike is to aim at least six inches past the target. This will ensure that this technique strikes through the opponent, not just hit the outside of the target without the maximum force that could have been applied had the aiming been correct.

Aside from points of aim, the roundhouse kick offers several options for the person kicking. The target can be struck with the top of the foot, shin, or the ball of the foot when the foot is pointed instead of flat. All of these options offer distinct advantages. Striking with the top of the foot offers a greater reach if the opponent is further away, while striking with the shin creates a stronger force since the shin is a stronger and harder then the top of the foot. Striking with the shin also provides a larger area to strike and therefore there is a greater chance of making contact with the target.

Another option is to strike with the ball of the foot. This option allows the kicker to penetrate into deep tissue or access nerves more effectively. While this technique can look fancy it is very practical, simple, and powerful while offering many different options to the kicker on what part of the foot or leg to use.

For these reasons, the roundhouse kick is one of the best options to use whether sparring or if involved in a real fight.