Technique - The Back Kick

The back kick is one of the most powerful kicks in Taekwondo, and for this reason is one of the original traditional Taekondo techniques that has made its way into the modern day full contact kickboxing ring. Like many spinning kicks it can be risky if done incorrectly. Technically the kick is done when you have your back to your opponent, however, many times in practice the kick seems more like a spinning side kick. To practice the kick from a basic left foot forward boxing stance, first turn your head to the right side to look behind, then transfer your weight to the left leg and chamber the right knee up. You then extend your foot outwards in a straight line striking with heel. This of course is done in one fast flowing motion.

Uses of the Back Kick

This kick can be used as both an offensive and a defensive move. On the offense, you might want to take a step forward and then throw the kick. In semi contact sparring you can use the back kick as a counterattack against a roundhouse kick, or as a counter to stop an aggressive blitzing hand combination. Skilled students would read an opponents attack and begin the counter back kick just as the first movements of the attack starts. This kick is often practiced on kick shields, with the kicker practicing moving forwards and backwards while throwing the technique. Of course, being a powerful kick, the senior taekwondo student can expect to be asked to break boards with this technique in gradings!