Roundhouse Kick

Last updated: April 12, 2026

What is a roundhouse kick?

The roundhouse kick is a striking technique built on a simple idea: swing the leg sideways into the target using hip rotation and a pivot of the supporting foot. Unlike a front kick, which travels in a straight line, the roundhouse follows a semicircular path that approaches the opponent from the side.

It is the most commonly used kick in MMA and kickboxing. Viewers watching a UFC event will see roundhouse kicks thrown to the legs, body, and head dozens of times per card, often as the technique responsible for fight-ending knockouts.

A 2024 literature review published in the journal Sports Medicine examined 88 studies on kicking strikes across combat sports. The review found that roundhouse kicks produce foot velocities up to 18.3 m/s, the highest measured speed of any kick. That speed is what makes the kick so effective in competition: opponents cannot react to something arriving that fast.

The technique originated independently in multiple martial arts traditions. Karate calls it mawashi geri. Taekwondo calls it dollyo chagi. Muay Thai fighters sometimes call it the angle kick. Each version has different mechanics, but the underlying concept is the same: rotate the body, let the leg follow.

How the roundhouse kick works

The power of a roundhouse kick does not come from the leg. It comes from full-body rotation.

The fighter pivots on the ball of the supporting foot, which turns the hips. The hips pull the kicking leg through its arc. In Muay Thai, the kicking leg stays relatively relaxed and acts like a baseball bat being swung, with the shin as the striking surface. Karate and taekwondo versions use more of a snapping motion from the knee, striking with the ball of the foot or the instep.

A 2017 biomechanical study by Gavagan and Sayers at the University of the Sunshine Coast measured roundhouse kicks from elite Muay Thai, karate, and taekwondo practitioners. The study found that foot velocity at the moment of impact correlated moderately with force output (r = 0.66). More telling was the finding that effective kicks shared five common traits: rapid pelvic rotation, hip abduction velocity, hip flexion velocity, knee extension speed, and forward displacement of the body’s center of mass toward the target.

The striking surface matters. The shin (tibia) is a single large bone that absorbs impact well. The foot contains 26 small bones that fracture more easily under force. This is why MMA fighters and Muay Thai practitioners strike with the shin, while point-sparring disciplines favor the instep or ball of the foot.

Types of roundhouse kicks

Roundhouse kicks are categorized by where they land on the opponent’s body.

Type	Target area	Purpose
Low kick	Outer or inner thigh, calf	Weakens the opponent’s mobility and ability to generate power from the legs
Body kick	Ribs, liver, midsection	Damages the body and disrupts breathing; scores well in Muay Thai judging
Head kick	Temple, jaw, neck	Can end a fight instantly, but requires flexibility and precise timing

Beyond target height, there are mechanical variations. The switch kick reverses the fighter’s stance before throwing the roundhouse with the original lead leg, adding momentum. The question mark kick disguises itself as a front kick before redirecting upward into a roundhouse aimed at the head.

Roundhouse kick vs front kick

New MMA fans frequently confuse the roundhouse kick with the front kick (known in Muay Thai as the teep). They are different techniques with different purposes.

	Roundhouse kick	Front kick (teep)
Trajectory	Circular, from the side	Linear,straightforwardd
Striking surface	Shin or instep	Ball of the foot or sole
Primary purpose	Inflict damage	Manage distance or push the opponent back
Power source	Hip rotation	Hip extension and forward thrust

The roundhouse is a damage tool. The front kick is a range management tool. In an MMA fight, a fighter might use a teep to push an aggressive opponent away, then follow up with a roundhouse when the opponent steps back into kicking range.

Roundhouse kick in martial arts

Three disciplines use the roundhouse kick extensively, but their versions differ in mechanics, speed, and striking surface.

	Muay Thai	Karate	Taekwondo
Striking surface	Shin	Ball of the foot	Instep
Power source	Hip rotation (bat swing)	Knee snap (whip)	Knee snap (whip)
Execution time	1.02 seconds	1.29 seconds	1.54 seconds
Primary use	Damage in competition and self-defense	Point scoring and competition	Point scoring and competition

These execution times come from Gavagan and Sayers (2017), who measured elite practitioners from all three disciplines. Muay Thai was 51% faster than taekwondo. The reason is mechanical: the hip-driven rotation is still accelerating at the moment of contact, while karate and taekwondo kicks decelerate before impact because the knee snap peaks earlier in the arc.

Most MMA fighters today use the Muay Thai version or a hybrid adapted for the cage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a roundhouse kick the same as a round kick?

Yes. Roundhouse kick and round kick refer to the same technique. The name varies depending on the martial art and the region.

What part of the leg should make contact during a roundhouse kick?

It depends on the discipline. Muay Thai uses the lower shin. Karate traditionally uses the ball of the foot. Taekwondo uses the instep. In MMA, the shin is the most common contact point because it is more durable under heavy impact.

How much force can a roundhouse kick generate?

A 2017 study by Gavagan and Sayers measured an average impact force of 1,400 N from Muay Thai roundhouse kicks. Elite practitioners in the same study produced up to 6,400 N. A 2024 literature review across 88 studies recorded peak forces from roundhouse kicks ranging from 122.6 N (novice) to well above 6,000 N (elite).

Is the roundhouse kick used in MMA?

Yes. It is the most frequently used kick in MMA. Fighters throw it to the legs, body, and head. Low roundhouse kicks to the thigh and calf are particularly common because they weaken the opponent’s movement without requiring the kicker to sacrifice much balance.

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Sources

1. Gavagan, C.J. and Sayers, M.G.L. “A biomechanical analysis of the roundhouse kicking technique of expert practitioners: A comparison between the martial arts disciplines of Muay Thai, Karate, and Taekwondo.” PLoS ONE, 2017.
2. Corcoran, D., Climstein, M., Whitting, J., et al. “Impact Force and Velocities for Kicking Strikes in Combat Sports: A Literature Review.” Sports Medicine, 2024.
3. Wikipedia. “Roundhouse kick.” Accessed April 2026.
4. Sanabul. “Basic Striking: Kick Types Overview.” Accessed April 2026.
5. The Fight Site. “MMA Basics: Kicking.” Accessed April 2026.

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