Front kick

From a standing position, the leg is swung upward into the target, or lifted and thrust forward into the target. Depending on the method used, the striking surface may be the instep, the point of the toe, the heel, or the ball of the foot. In taekwondo, the front kick is regarded a push kick, a very powerful kick that pushes the opponent away or onto the ground, as well as a rapid strike on the opponent's groin or chin. In karate, it is either delivered with a thrusting motion (mae geri kekome) striking with the heel, or as a snapping or whipping motion (mae geri keage) that strikes with the ball. Some older, Okinawan variants also may strike with the tips of the toes in a penetrating attack aimed for various pressure points.

 

Muay thai uses front kicks (Called "teep" kicks) in a pushing motion to maintain distance. Many proponents of the art teach it as a push only, but others teach it as an actual, damaging attack. It is most like the karate mae geri kekome in its targets and weapon used on the foot, but uses either a pushing or whipping motion to propel itself home. A teep kick to the face is considered particularly insulting in muay thai, and in fact, in older muay boran, a frontwards kick was taught that was designed to flatten a hated opponent as an interception kick to the face.

 

Front kicks can be executed extremely quickly by anyone with respectable strength and dynamic flexibility. Front kicks are most often used to disarm opponents and strike the groin and stomach, but they can be delivered to higher targets such as the chin or face. They are perfect for developing balance in students before they learn more advanced kicks, such as the ones that follow.

 

Katunori Kikuno def. Takuhiro Kamikozono by Majority Decision

Done