Tobi Geri

Last updated: May 25, 2026

What is tobi geri?

The word “tobi geri” (飛び蹴り) breaks into two parts. “Tobi” means jump or fly, and “geri” is the form “keri” takes inside compound words, meaning kick. On its own, tobi geri is a category that covers any kick thrown while both feet are off the ground.

The flying front kick most people picture when they hear the term is technically the mae tobi geri (前飛び蹴り). “Mae” means front, so the full name reads as “front jumping kick.” It is one of several jumping variants in the karate kicking syllabus, alongside the flying side kick (yoko tobi geri) and the jumping back kick (ushiro tobi geri).

The technique originates in traditional Japanese karate and appears in advanced kata such as Kanku Dai. Korean martial arts have an equivalent called twimyo ap chagi. Jumping kicks of this kind became part of the karate curriculum during the broader development of airborne techniques across Asian martial arts between the 1930s and 1950s.

How tobi geri works

A mae tobi geri begins from a standard fighting stance. The practitioner pushes off the lead leg and drives the rear knee upward to generate vertical lift. The kicking leg then extends forward into the target. Striking surface varies by school: usually the ball of the foot, sometimes the instep.

Two forces combine to give the kick its power. Vertical lift carries the practitioner up to a higher target than a grounded front kick can reach, and forward horizontal momentum from the takeoff adds body weight behind the strike. The whole sequence happens in a fraction of a second.

Recognising one in motion comes down to two things: both feet leave the floor before contact, and the kicking leg travels in a straight line toward the target rather than arcing around. That straight-line trajectory separates it visually from a flying roundhouse or a flying side kick.

Tobi geri vs. mae geri

The mae geri and the mae tobi geri share the same kicking motion but differ in everything else around it. Confusion between the two is common, especially for newer fans who hear commentators use the names interchangeably.

Feature	Mae geri (front kick)	Mae tobi geri (flying front kick)
Feet on ground at impact	One supporting foot	Neither
Typical target	Midsection, thigh, groin	Head, chin, chest
Reach	Limited to leg length	Extended by jump distance
Commitment	Low, can re-chamber instantly	High, body is airborne
Frequency in combat sports	Common	Rare
Primary use	Live sparring, competition, MMA	Kata, demonstrations, occasional finish

A basic mae geri can target an opponent’s groin, while the mae tobi geri can target the chin. The reach difference is the entire point of the airborne version: it trades safety and recovery speed for height and surprise.

Common variations of tobi geri

Tobi geri is a family of techniques, not a single kick. The variants share the airborne element but differ in the kicking motion.

Variant	Japanese term	Description
Flying front kick	Mae tobi geri	Forward straight kick delivered while airborne
Flying side kick	Yoko tobi geri	Sideways thrust kick with the edge of the foot
Jumping back kick	Ushiro tobi geri	Rearward thrust kick after a turning jump
Jumping roundhouse	Mawashi tobi geri	Circular kick with the shin or instep, mid-air
Jumping double kick	Nidan tobi geri	Two kicks with alternating legs in one jump

The flying side kick is the most famous of the group, partly because of its appearances in martial arts cinema. The mae tobi geri is the most directly applicable in striking contexts because the trajectory is linear rather than rotational.

Tobi geri in MMA

True flying front kicks are uncommon inside the cage. The commitment required to leave the ground works against the kicker in a sport that punishes predictable airborne attacks with takedowns and counters. A fighter mid-jump cannot adjust direction or defend a level change, and any retreat has to wait until both feet are back on the canvas.

Related jumping or hopping front kick variants have produced two of the most memorable knockouts in UFC history. At UFC 126 in February 2011, Anderson Silva landed a front kick on Vitor Belfort’s jaw to defend his middleweight title. The strike was the first-ever front-kick knockout in UFC history. Three months later, at UFC 129, Lyoto Machida finished Randy Couture with a similar technique, hopping off his lead leg before delivering a right-leg front kick to the chin. Machida identified the technique as coming from the Shotokan kata Kanku Dai.

Neither knockout was a textbook mae tobi geri. Both fighters used a switch or hop rather than a full committed leap. The lesson for the technique inside MMA is that abbreviated, hidden variants tend to land where the full karate version cannot.

Common misconceptions

The terms “flying” and “jumping” front kick get used as synonyms in English. Some sources, including Wikipedia, draw a distinction where a flying kick involves a running start for forward momentum, while a jump kick covers any kick delivered mid-air with no foot on the ground. In practice, the labels are interchangeable in most karate schools and most fight commentary.

The “crane kick” from the 1984 film The Karate Kid is often treated as its own technique, but the move is a fictionalised version of the mae tobi geri created by Darryl Vidal for the film. Commentators occasionally call Machida’s UFC 129 finish a crane kick for the cinematic resonance, but the mechanics were a more conventional hopping front kick.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does tobi geri mean in English?

Tobi geri translates as “jumping kick” or “flying kick.” It refers to any kick delivered while the practitioner is airborne, not one specific technique.

Is mae tobi geri the same as a flying front kick?

Yes. Mae tobi geri is the Japanese karate name for the flying or jumping front kick. The English phrases describe the same technique.

What’s the difference between tobi geri and mae tobi geri?

Tobi geri is the general category of airborne kicks. Mae tobi geri specifies the front variation. Yoko tobi geri is the side variation, and ushiro tobi geri is the rear variation.

Has anyone used a flying front kick in the UFC?

Lyoto Machida and Anderson Silva each finished fights in 2011 with jumping or hopping front kick variants, both targeting the chin. A full committed flying tobi geri remains rare.

Is the crane kick a real karate technique?

The crane kick from The Karate Kid is a fictionalised version of the mae tobi geri, created for the film. The underlying jumping front kick is a real karate technique.

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Sources

1. Wikipedia. “Flying kick.” Accessed May 2026.
2. Wikipedia. “Front kick.” Accessed May 2026.
3. Wikipedia. “Crane kick.” Accessed May 2026.
4. Glossaria.net. “Mae Tobi Geri (Karate).” Accessed May 2026.
5. MMA Mania. “UFC 129 results: ‘The Karate Kid’ Lyoto Machida explains front kick that knocked out Randy Couture.” May 2011.
6. Bloody Elbow. “Anderson Silva scored famous front kick KO on stacked UFC 126 card.” December 2024.

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