are an essential tool in the skill set of any martial artist, kickboxer, or fitness junkie. Learning how to execute a roundhouse with dexterity and precision will allow you to enhance your fitness routines and maximize striking power. Not only is it a great way to tone your core and lower body, a roundhouse kick is a powerful self-defense move.
Maintaining proper technique
 prevents injury
 can improve balance and muscle control
 promotes optimal fitness
When utilized during a workout, roundhouses strengthen the gluts, inner and outer quadriceps, and the entire core.
Make sure to pay attention to tips for good technique so that you are safe!
 Find a practice space with no potential obstacles or hazards
 Padded flooring is good for beginners in case of falls
 Soft athletic shoes, socks, or even bare feet work well for learning
 Ensure your punching bag is in good condition with no hard spots
 STRETCH! Don’t pull a cold muscle !
~ 60°
~ 1.5 ft
Bag Proximity
Stand ~1.5 ft. from the bag. Boxers with longer or shorter legs should adjust their distance so that the kicking leg at full extension connects with the bag at the middle of the top of the foot.
This ensures maximum torque and power.
Hands Up! Eyes Up!
Keep the hands up in loose fists by the jawline. This protects the face from
“attack” and helps you center your balance.
Maintain focus on a point at eye level on the bag throughout the entire sequence. Watching your feet during a roundhouse will only end in a fall!
Flat Feet
The “base foot” (non-kicking) should be almost perpendicular to the base of the bag. The “active foot” (kicking foot) should be about 60
°
from the base foot. Feet should be flat—grounding your body, allowing for strong contact and push-off from the floor.

Extend from the Hip
Drive the active leg up and forward into a strong knee-strike by leading with the knee and extending forward from the hip. The height of the knee-strike depends on the height of the desired impact. The higher you intend to connect with the bag, the higher your intermediate knee-strike should be.
Only reach for heights that are comfortable for your body.
Align the Torso, Open the Ribcage
Toes Pointed!
Toes must be pointed down— perpendicular to the floor.
Rotation begins…
During the knee-strike, the base foot begins to pivot outward. At this point, the inside of the base foot opens up to the bag, approaching a parallel position. Rotation continues through the strike and ends with impact on the bag.
Keep the torso as upright as possible. Do not crunch the chest to the knee. Your ribcage should stay up and open by keeping the shoulders back and spine straight. This allows for easy breathing and good eye-contact with the target.
Rotate Through the Knee-Strike
Drive the base foot firmly into the floor and push up onto the toes so that your heel is slightly raised off the floor. Simultaneously extend the active leg and rotate the hips, base foot, and entire body towards 90 ° from the beginning stance . Imagine a line extending from your midsection; rotate your core as if you are slicing through the bag with the line. Full rotation is achieved at impact.
Check Yourself!
Foot MUST be pointed to prevent jamming or fractures upon bag impact!
Base Foot is Now Parallel
Your base foot should be fully rotated 90 ° from it’s starting position just before impact . This should put the foot approximately parallel to the base of the bag.

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Base foot becomes parallel to the bag
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Hips + body become perpendicular to bag
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Leg reaches full extension
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Top of the foot impacts bag at desired height
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Eyes on the target
*The hand on your active side either stays in the defensive position or drops down along the extended active leg, as pictures in the progression on the next page.
On every strike, give a quick, small exhalation.
 Encourages follow-through
 Promotes endurance during workout

Induced abdominal contraction enhances balance and stability
Abdominals, gluts, calves, and quadriceps should contract with exhalation on impact.
 Strengthens muscles
 Engages entire body
 Drives the power of the roundhouse
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Toes MUST be pointed at all times! Failure to point can result in serious foot injury.
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All parts of the roundhouse sequence are crucial intermediates of a single motion . The form and technique of each position should be mastered individually to perform the kick correctly and powerfully. When the steps are pieced together into a fluid motion, each pose blends into the next—roundhouses are a progression of positions. The figures below illustrate how the intermediates occur in reality.
(Note: The boxer does not move forward in each snapshot—the base foot never leaves the ground or leaves the starting location).
FORWARD PROGRESSION
Initial Stance
Move through knee-strike, then extend
Rotate
Full extension, toes pointed at impact
REVERSE PROGRESSION
Retract
Reverse
Rotation
Replace

Knee-height kicks can be a powerful kick for those who may not be extremely flexible. Low roundhouses are great practice for beginning boxers looking to build power. Focus on using the knee-strike position as the basis of your active leg’s extension into the bag instead of a means to gain height before connecting with the bag. It is crucial that the core be very engaged to provide adequate torque, which ultimately leads to good roundhouse power.
Get comfortable with trunk-height kicks to work on flexibility.
As you increase the elevation of your target, the height of your knee-strike and position should also increase. Balance can become difficult to maintain if you do not keep your eyes on the desired target. To enhance your familiarity with the feel of the kick, try moving through the progression slowly and feel how each stage shifts your weight. Use your arms to counterbalance these shifts.
A “head-shot” is a difficult roundhouse to perfect. Master a lower height before increasing your target elevation. High kicks should not be attempted without first warming up! Leaning the torso further out from the bag helps to open the hips and reach higher. Additionally, raising your base foot heel off of the ground can give you extra inches. However, these tips are no substitute for true flexibility. It will take time to the build inner thigh and hip flexibility to achieve great heights.
Combo Kicks…Putting it together!
Once you have mastered kicking at a few heights, you can put multiple kicks together for a combo. Each kick is still a complete full progression. However, in a combo, reduce your resting time after replacing the base foot. Strike in succession. This is a great way to practice speed shots! Try putting together low, medium, and high roundhouses different orders to work on speed and height at the same time.