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Promotion from one geup to the next can proceed rapidly in some schools, since schools often allow geup promotions every two, three, or four months. Students of geup rank learn the most basic techniques first, and then move on to more advanced techniques as they approach first dan. Many of the older and more traditional schools often take longer to allow students to test for higher ranks than newer, more contemporary schools, as they may not have the required testing intervals. View Taekwondo belt levels »
Roundhouse Kick
돌려차기 dollyeo-chagi
A kick (차기 chagi) is a physical strike using the foot, leg, or knee. The striker relaxes to the extent possible during the strike, tensing the muscles of much of the body only at the time of impact, then relaxing again to recoil the striking part. Relaxation enables the strike to achieve the greatest possible velocity during travel, while rigidity at impact allows the maximum transfer of force.
Difficulty Level: Beginner Technique: Kick ( 차기 chagi )
In taekwondo, the Roundhouse Kick ( 돌려차기 dollyeo-chagi ) is a beginner to intermediate level technique which is the most practiced taekwondo kick ( 차기 chagi ) in the dojang ( 도장 ), and is the most familiar kick ( 차기 chagi ) used in World Taekwondo (WT) sparring ( 겨루기 gyeorugi ) tournaments. The kick ( 차기 chagi ) is also practiced in all areas of training including patterns ( 품새 poomse ), self-defense ( 호신술 hosinsool ), breaking ( 격파 gyeokpa ), promotion test, and demonstration events.
The kick ( 차기 chagi ) requires the taekwondo practitioner to raise their rear leg knee ( 무릎 mureup ) chambering, turn the hips, pivot on the non-kicking foot (standing foot), and then snap the kick ( 차기 chagi ) horizontally into the target at a 30 to 80-degree angle. The idea would be to rotate the hip as well as the leg during the kick ( 차기 chagi ) in order to take advantage of the hip's additional mass in terms of providing explosive power to the kick ( 차기 chagi ). As in all taekwondo kicks, one will also try to get ones 'hip into the kick', resulting perhaps in a slight shift of weight forward for more power and distance.
With the instep of the foot ( 발등 baldeung ) as the striking surface, the kick ( 차기 chagi ) can be called specifically the Instep Turn Kick ( 발등 돌려차기 baldeung-dollyeo-chagi ) while with the ball of the foot ( 앞축 apchuk ) the kick is called Turn Kick with Ball of Foot ( 앞축 돌려차기 apchuk-dollyeo-chagi ). Kicking with the ball of the foot ( 앞축 apchuk ) is considered more dangerous when bare foot, compared with wearing shoes where your toes are covered.
In World Taekwondo (WT) tournament sparring ( 겨루기 gyeorugi ), the instep of the foot ( 발등 baldeung ) is the striking surface. Practitioners perform the kick ( 차기 chagi ) with the flat upperside or namely the instep of the foot ( 발등 baldeung ) to strike the chest protector ( 호구 hogu ) worn by the opponent. The instep is the arched part of the top of the foot between the toes and the ankle ( 발목 balmog ).
Unique to World Taekwondo (WT) style, the practitioner should initially draw the knee ( 무릎 mureup ) straight up in a chambered position because the advantage is that the opponent cannot guess which kick ( 차기 chagi ) will be thrown. It is similar to the chamber of many other taekwondo kicks ( 차기 chagi ) such as the Front Kick ( 앞차기 ap-chagi ) and the Side Kick ( 옆차기 yeop-chagi ). Other advantages include giving the practitioner more power and velocity in delivering the kick ( 차기 chagi ).
Taekwondo practitioners may include a shout or yell ( 기합 kihap ), to help tense the muscles at impact and distract or frighten the opponent. Practitioners generally exhale as the kick ( 차기 chagi ) nears the target. Breath control is also important to relax the body when not attacking; novice practitioners often waste significant energy because they are tense at inappropriate times.
Roundhouse Kick ( 돌려차기 dollyeo-chagi ) is one of the trademark kicks in taekwondo displaying speed, power, control, and balance. This is a kick ( 차기 chagi ) that a practitioner should practice often and master. Practice is the act of rehearsing a behavior over and over, or engaging in an activity again and again, for the purpose of improving or mastering it, as in the phrase 'practice makes perfect'.
Variations of Roundhouse Kick ( 돌려차기 dollyeo-chagi )
- Instep Turn Kick ( 발등 돌려차기 baldeung-dollyeo-chagi )
- Turn Kick with Ball of Foot ( 앞축 돌려차기 apchuk-dollyeo-chagi )
- Front Foot Roundhouse ( 앞발 돌려차기 apbal-dollyeo-chagi )
- Skipping Roundhouse Kick ( 발붙여 돌려차기 balbucheo-dollyeo-chagi )
- Jumping Turn Kick ( 뛰어 돌려차기 ttwieo-dollyeo-chagi )
- Repeating Turn Kick ( 거듭 돌려차기 geodeup-dollyeo-chagi )
- 360º Whirl Kick ( 360º도 돌개차기 360º dolgae-chagi )
Training Methods
How well one improves with training depends on several factors, such as the frequency it is engaged in, and the type of feedback that is available for improvement. If a student does not train often enough, reinforcement fades, and he or she is likely to forget what was learned.
During training, taekwondo practitioners may use various equipment and gear for practicing the kick ( 차기 chagi ). Taekwondo extensively uses the heavy bag for developing power and endurance. Powerful strikes to the heavy bag aren't recommended for inexperienced, or younger athletes, as risk of sprain, strain, or bone plate damage may adversely affect bone structures. It is highly recommended to carefully focus strikes to reduce chance of injury.
The kick ( 차기 chagi ) is best learned initially striking at the air as though there is an opponent but focusing on the form, speed, control, and technique; then moving on to soft surfaces striking punch mitts and target pads. Large heavy bags are used more for strength and endurance, while smaller targets such as punch mitts and target pads focus on faster kicking speed, timing and coordination. Target pads are useful for training mobility and accuracy on a moving target.
Also a chest protector ( 호구 hogu ) worn by a partner can be used as a stationary or moving target which is useful for getting the feel of impacting the opponent. The chest protector ( 호구 hogu ) is the armor worn by practitioners of taekwondo during sparring ( 겨루기 gyeorugi ).
In preparation for full contact sparring, students may be required to wait a few months, for safety reasons, because they must first build the skills they would ideally employ in their sparring practice. Some schools restrict the amount of force that may be used to hit an opponent, by allowing 'light contact' during sparring. Light contact allows a student to hit an opponent getting the feel of impacting the opponent but with controlled force and not full power. Light contact sparring is a good method to practice the technique.
Difficulty of Technique
Taekwondo students of geup ranking learn the most basic techniques first, and then move on to more advanced and difficult techniques as they approach 1st Dan Black Belt. The more difficult the technique, the more practice may be needed for the purpose of improving or mastering it, as in the phrase 'practice makes perfect'. Every technique must display the requisite speed, balance, power and firmness to be realistically used as an attack or defense move.
* Please see a certified Master Instructor ( 사범님 sabeomnim ) for training. Proper guidance and instructions are needed to ensure safe training.
Promotion Tests
Students often undergo periodic testing and grading by their own Master Instructor ( 사범님 sabeomnim ) in order to advance to a higher level of recognized achievement such as a different belt color. They need to demonstrate their proficiency in the various aspects of the art such as the execution of patterns ( 품새 poomse ), which combine various techniques in specific sequences.
Roundhouse Kick ( 돌려차기 dollyeo-chagi ) is a requirement for the below belt levels (Techniques vary between schools). Promotion from one belt level to the next can proceed rapidly in some schools, since schools often allow geup promotions every two, three, or four months. Students of geup rank learn the most basic techniques first, and then move on to more advanced techniques as they approach first dan black belt. View Promotion Tests »
Training Highlights Summary
The Kick ( 차기 chagi ) contains many key point highlights. There are some that are simple and straightforward but then some are complex and detailed that require repeated training to learn and master.
- perform a kick with the flat upperside, namely the Instep of the Foot ( 발등 baldeung )
- requires the practitioner to raise their knee ( 무릎 mureup ) chambering, turn the hips, pivot on the non-kicking foot, and then snap the kick horizontally into the target at a 30 to 80-degree angle
- the idea would be to rotate the hip as well as the leg during the kick in order to take advantage of the hip's additional mass in terms of providing power and speed to the kick
- during a strike one should exhale, with the exhalation concluding at the moment of impact
- speed is considered one of the most important component of developing power in taekwondo and remember to concentrate the area of impact into as small an area as possible
- another variation is the downward roundhouse kick, nicknamed the Brazilian Kick from K-1 Fighting use: A more pronounced twist of the hips allows for a downward end of the trajectory of the kick that is very deceiving
- due to its power and efficiency, the Roundhouse Kick ( 돌려차기 dollyeo-chagi ) may also be performed at low-section targets for self-defense ( 호신술 hosinsool ), such as the knees ( 무릎 mureup ), calf, or even the thigh ( 허벅지 heobeokji ), since attacking leg muscles will often cripple an opponent's mobility
Strength Requirement of the Technique
Most strikes should generally be thrown with some measure of shifting body weight supporting the blow. The striker in combat should attempt to strike through the target area, not just contact the surface. Some strikes do not need as much strength as they target vulnerable areas such as the eyes ( 눈 nun ), neck ( 목 mok ) or sternum ( 흉골 hyung-gol ). The below is an approximate measurement of how much strength the strike requires from the practitioner to be effective.
Precision of Kicking ( 차기 chagi ) Technique
With proper execution opponents may be stopped with a single striking blow, which lessens the number of further strikes. Some kicks ( 차기 chagi ) can strike with more precision which will often cripple or knockout the opponent. The below is an approximate measurement of how precise the kick ( 차기 chagi ) requires from the practitioner to be effective.
Experienced practitioners learn through repetition and muscle memory when (not just how) to launch particular kicks ( 차기 chagi ), based on the circumstances they are facing.
* Please see a certified Master Instructor ( 사범님 sabeomnim ) for training. Proper guidance and instructions are needed to ensure safe training.
Risk of injury can be reduced by completing an effective warm up consisting of a heart raiser to get your pulse up, followed by sport specific dynamic stretches (stretches whilst moving). Please follow the guidance of a certified Master Instructor or trainer when doing sports related activities. Depending on the intensity of the exercise, cooling down can involve a slow jog or walk, or with lower intensities, stretching can be used. Cooling down allows the heart rate to return to its resting rate. View more information on Warming Up and Cooling Down ».
This article uses material from the Wikipedia articles "Warming Up" and "Cooling Down", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.
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This article uses material from the Wikipedia articles "Roundhouse Kick" and "Kick" which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.
