High Kick

Last updated: May 25, 2026

What is a high kick?

The term covers any striking technique in which a fighter drives a foot or shin to a target above the opponent’s waistline. In modern MMA, the phrase almost always refers to a kick aimed at the head, jaw, temple, or side of the neck, although by strict definition any kick that lands above the belt qualifies.

The technique sits at the top end of a three-tier kicking framework that MMA inherited from Muay Thai and kickboxing: low kicks attack the legs, mid or body kicks attack the torso, and high kicks attack the head. According to Wikipedia, kicks aimed above the waist have been documented across martial arts for centuries, with the earliest records of head-height kicks coming from East Asian fighting systems (Wikipedia, n.d.).

High kicks carry outsized stopping power for two reasons. The leg is the longest, heaviest limb on the body, so a clean strike delivers more raw force than almost any punch. And the head is the most concussion-prone target on a standing opponent, which means even a partially blocked high kick can end a fight. That combination of power and target makes the high kick one of the most reliable knockout weapons in MMA, even though it lands far less often than a jab or cross.

How a high kick works

Most high kicks in MMA are thrown as a roundhouse. The kicker pivots on the ball of the support foot, rotates the hips, and swings the rear or lead leg in a horizontal arc toward the head. The shin or instep is the usual point of contact, depending on stylistic background.

Two execution styles dominate. The Muay Thai version drives the leg through the target like a baseball bat, with power coming from full-body rotation and a planted shin landing across the jaw or neck (Kostov, 2023). The karate version is snappier, with the knee chambered tight and the foot whipping out at the last moment, often landing with the instep. Karate stylists tend to use the lead leg, with speed as the main weapon. Thai-style kickers usually load up the rear leg and aim for raw power.

Not every high kick is a roundhouse. Front kicks, spinning back kicks, hook kicks, and axe kicks can all be thrown high. The target makes them high kicks, regardless of how the leg gets there.

High kick vs. head kick

In casual MMA commentary, the terms “high kick” and “head kick” are used interchangeably, but they describe slightly different things. The distinction matters in technique breakdowns and coaching contexts, even if it gets blurred during a live broadcast.

	High kick	Head kick
What it covers	Any kick aimed above the waist	A kick aimed specifically at the head
Possible targets	Head, neck, collarbone, shoulder, upper chest	Head only (temple, jaw, side, top)
Typical usage	Broader category term	Specific shot, usually the finisher
In commentary	Often used as a synonym for head kick	Almost always means a kick to the head

Every head kick is a high kick. Not every high kick is a head kick. A roundhouse that lands on the shoulder or upper chest still qualifies as a high kick by the strict definition, even though commentators rarely use the term that way.

Types of high kicks

High kicks come in several forms, distinguished by trajectory, the leg used, and the role they play in a fight. The roundhouse high kick is by far the most common, but spinning and snapping variants account for a meaningful share of highlight-reel finishes.

Type	Trajectory	Notes
Roundhouse high kick	Horizontal arc, pivot on support foot	The default high kick. Most knockout finishes come from this.
Front kick to the head	Straight line, leg snapped or pushed upward	Made famous in MMA by Anderson Silva and Lyoto Machida.
Question mark kick	Mimics a low kick, then whips up toward the head	A feinted technique that uses misdirection.
Spinning wheel kick	Full 360-degree spin with a straight kicking leg	Heavy and hard to recover from. Edson Barboza’s KO of Terry Etim is the textbook example.
Spinning back kick / spinning heel kick	Spin and drive the heel into the head	Less common but highly damaging.
Hook kick	Leg arcs past the target, then hooks back to land with the heel	Mostly seen from taekwondo stylists.
Axe (or crescent) kick	Leg rises and chops downward onto the target	Rare in MMA but legal.

The roundhouse remains the workhorse because it can be set up off low kicks and body kicks, takes the shortest path to the head, and works from both stances. Spinning variants are higher-risk and almost always require an opponent to be already hurt or unbalanced to land cleanly.

Why high kicks are risky in MMA

High kicks are the highest-reward strike in the sport, but they carry a unique cost in MMA that does not apply in pure striking arts. A missed or caught kick can end with the kicker on the canvas, fighting off a takedown or an aggressive ground attack.

The Fight Site notes that a kick caught in Muay Thai usually results in a sweep or a counter, but the same caught kick in MMA can put a fighter on his back for the rest of a round (Connor Ruebusch, The Fight Site, 2019). That difference shapes how often and how high kicks get thrown inside the cage.

Two other factors keep the high kick rate down. The strike covers a longer distance than any punch, which makes it easier to see coming and easier to time with a counter. And it forces the kicker to stand on one leg for a fraction of a second, sacrificing balance.

To work around those risks, MMA fighters set high kicks up. A common approach is hammering low kicks until the opponent drops his hands toward his thighs, then snapping a kick straight up to the unprotected head. Punches at chest height also drag the guard inward and open the jawline. A high kick thrown cold rarely lands because trained fighters spot the long windup and react in time. The same kick, set up off three rounds of low kicks and body shots, lands often enough to finish fights.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are high kicks legal in MMA?

Yes. Kicks to the head are legal on a standing opponent under the unified rules of MMA. Kicks to the back of the head are illegal, and kicks to the head of a grounded opponent are also banned in most jurisdictions.

What’s the difference between a high kick and a head kick?

A high kick is any kick aimed above the waist. A head kick is a high kick aimed specifically at the head. In commentary, the two terms are usually treated as synonyms.

Why do high kicks knock people out so often?

The leg is heavier than the arm and travels with more momentum. When that mass connects with the jaw, temple, or side of the neck, the brain absorbs a rapid rotational force that can shut down consciousness even through a partial block.

Can a high kick be thrown from any stance?

Yes. Orthodox and southpaw fighters can both throw rear-leg and lead-leg high kicks, while switch-stance fighters use a step or skip to load the kick. Stance affects the angle, not whether the technique is available.

How do fighters defend against a high kick?

The main defenses are blocking with the arm or shoulder, parrying the leg, leaning back out of range, or catching the kick with the hands. Catching the kick is the most aggressive option because it opens the door to a takedown.

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Sources

1. Wikipedia. “Kick.” Accessed May 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kick
2. Kostov, Plamen. “Most Effective MMA Kicks (See Them In Action).” Sweet Science of Fighting, 22 June 2023.
3. Kostov, Plamen. “How To Throw A Head Kick: Step By Step Guide.” Sweet Science of Fighting, 7 November 2023.
4. Ruebusch, Connor. “MMA Basics: Kicking.” The Fight Site, 3 December 2019.
5. ONE Championship. “7 Effective Kicks For MMA.” 25 May 2022.
6. Fantaousakis, Kostas. “Essential MMA techniques: High Kicks, part 1.” Bloody Elbow, 4 September 2019.
7. Sherdog Staff. “Top 5: Head Kick Knockouts in UFC History.” Sherdog.

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