Shotokan Karate Kicks: Types, Techniques, and Training Tips
This article provides a comprehensive guide to Shotokan Karate kicks, including their Japanese names, practical applications, and the key principles of proper execution.
Kicks are especially easy to get subtly wrong, balance, chamber height, retraction speed — the kind of detail that's much easier to fix with a real instructor watching than from a written guide alone.
Kicks (geri) form one of the three foundational pillars of Shotokan kihon, alongside punches (zuki/tsuki) and blocks (uke).
Every kick relies on the same core principles, a strong supporting stance, a sharply raised knee before extension, correct hip rotation, and a fast, controlled retraction (hikite ashi) back to guard, retraction is just as important as the kick itself, since a slow return leaves you exposed to a counter.
Below is a list of Shotokan karate kicks, building on the foundational techniques. The first five are the basic kicks every student learns from white belt onward; the remainder are more advanced variations introduced at higher grades.
Mae Geri (Mah-eh Geh-ree) – Front Kick
- Description: The most fundamental kick in Shotokan, delivered straight ahead by driving the knee up and extending the leg forward.
- Execution: Raise the knee sharply in front of the body, then extend the leg and strike with the ball of the foot (koshi), toes pulled back. Retract immediately along the same path.
- Purpose: A fast, direct kick to the midsection, and the first kick taught to every new student.
Yoko Geri Keage (Yoh-koh Geh-ree Kay-ah-geh) – Side Snap Kick
- Description: A rising side kick that snaps upward in a chambered, whip-like motion.
- Execution: Raise the knee across the body, then snap the leg out sideways and upward, striking with the outer edge of the foot (sokuto), before snapping the leg back to the chambered position.
- Purpose: Builds hip flexibility and speed; often used as a rising strike to the head or ribs in kata such as Bassai Dai.
Yoko Geri Kekomi (Yoh-koh Geh-ree Keh-koh-mee) – Side Thrust Kick
- Description: A powerful, linear side kick delivered by thrusting the leg out to the side rather than snapping it.
- Execution: Chamber the knee across the body as with keage, then thrust the leg directly out to the side, striking with the heel or the outer edge of the foot, hips fully rotated.
- Purpose: Side thrust kick is a strong, penetrating kick used for power over speed — common in stances like kiba dachi.
Mawashi Geri (Mah-wah-shee Geh-ree) – Roundhouse Kick
- Description: A circular kick that strikes the target from the side, travelling in an arc rather than a straight line.
- Execution: Raise the knee to the side, pivot on the supporting foot, and snap the lower leg around in an arc, striking with the ball of the foot or instep.
- Purpose: Mawashi geri is one of the most versatile and widely used kicks in both traditional kata and modern kumite.
Ushiro Geri (Oo-shee-roh Geh-ree) – Back Kick
- Description: A powerful rear kick delivered by turning and striking with a thrusting kick using the heel. Rotating through 260 degrees.
- Execution: Keep the body as still as possible as you chamber the kicking knee by bringing the kicking foot tightly behind the knee of the supporting leg, then rotate the body and thrust the leg straight back, striking with the heel and making sure the completion of the kick is at the same time as the body and hips finish their rotation.
- Purpose: A very strong finishing kick. Can also be used without the spin to an opponent approaching from behind, ushiro geri requires good balance and spatial awareness.
Mae Ashi Mawashi Geri (Mah-eh Ah-shee Mah-wah-shee Geh-ree) – Front Leg Roundhouse Kick
- Description: A roundhouse kick executed with the front leg rather than the rear leg, for speed over power.
- Execution: Without stepping back or chambering deeply, snap the front knee up and around in a shortened roundhouse motion, striking quickly before retracting.
- Purpose: A fast, surprise kick, harder to see coming since it doesn’t require a full chamber.
Fumikomi (Foo-mee-koh-mee) – Stamping Kick
- Description: A short, driving downward kick, used to stamp onto a target at close range.
- Execution: Raise the knee, then drive the foot downward and forward in a stamping motion, striking with the heel, edge of the foot or the full sole.
- Purpose: Used at very close range, often against the knee or instep of an opponent, seen in kata such as Bassai Dai.
Kakato Geri (Kah-kah-toh Geh-ree) – Heel/Axe Kick
- Description: A kick delivered in a downward, chopping motion using the heel.
- Execution: Raise the leg high (either straight or to the side), then bring it down sharply, striking with the heel of the foot.
- Purpose: A powerful downward strike, typically aimed at the collarbone or head from a raised position. Or coming down on an opponent if you have taken them down first.
Mikazuki Geri (Mee-kah-zoo-kee Geh-ree) – Crescent Kick
- Description: An inward circular kick that sweeps from outside across the body in an arc shaped like a crescent moon, striking with the sole or inside edge of the foot.
- Execution: Raise the leg and swing it inward across the body in a wide circular arc, striking with the sole of the foot, then bring it back down along the same path. Often practised by kicking into the palm of an outstretched hand to check height and accuracy.
- Purpose: Used to sweep aside a blocking arm before a follow-up strike, or to strike the head from an angle a straight kick can’t reach. Famously paired with a hand-clap against the sole of the foot in Kanku Dai.
Ura Mikazuki Geri (Oo-rah Mee-kah-zoo-kee Geh-ree) – Reverse Crescent Kick
- Description: The mirror image of mikazuki geri, sweeping inward across the body then outward.
- Execution: Raise the leg and swing it inward accross the body, then outward in a wide circular arc, striking with the outer edge or heel of the foot, before returning along the same path.
- Purpose: Used to clear an obstruction or strike from an unexpected outside angle — less common than mikazuki geri, but a useful complementary technique for training rotational control in both directions.
Ushiro Mawashi Geri (Oo-shee-roh Mah-wah-shee Geh-ree) – Spinning Hook Kick
- Description: A hook kick that strikes with the heel (or bottom of the foot for control) after a partial turn of the body, distinct from the forward-facing mawashi geri.
- Execution: Turn the body away from the target, chamber the kicking leg tightly, then whip the leg around in a hooking arc, striking with the heel (or bottom of the foot).
- Purpose: A fast surprise technique, since the opponent briefly loses sight of the kicking leg during the move. Requires good balance and spatial awareness, similar to ushiro geri.
Spinning Ushiro Mawashi Geri – Full Spin Hook Kick
- Description: The full 360-degree version of ushiro mawashi geri, adding a complete spin before the kick lands.
- Execution: Begin the turn as with ushiro mawashi geri, but continue the rotation a full circle before whipping the leg around to strike with the heel, finishing back in (or close to) the original facing direction.
- Purpose: A more advanced, dramatic variation most often seen in advanced or competition-style training, demands sharp balance, timing, and spatial awareness, since the extra rotation increases both power and risk if mistimed.
Shotokan Karate Kicks FAQ
(frequently asked questions)
The core kicks every Shotokan student learns first are mae geri (front kick), yoko geri keage (side snap kick), yoko geri kekomi (side thrust kick), and mawashi geri (roundhouse kick).
Spinning Ushiro Geri (back kick) is considered the most powerful due to full-body rotation and the timing of the kick.
Keage is a fast, snapping rising kick, used more for speed and flexibility. Kekomi is a slower, more powerful thrusting kick, driven through the target rather than snapped.
Yes, when trained properly, the emphasis on balance, retraction, and hip rotation builds genuinely functional power and control, not just flexibility for its own sake. In real situations, low kicks are more effective.
Consistent stretching, holding chambered positions to build strength through range, and slow, controlled practice of the kick before adding speed all help, height should never come at the cost of correct form and as we age, height becomes less important.
Practise kicks slowly on the spot before adding movement, focus on keeping the supporting leg's knee slightly bent rather than locked, and hold the retracted position for a second before setting the foot down.
Shotokan karate online is ultimately about the journey, not the destination, and what an incredible journey it is.
Mae Geri Front Kick From Heisoku Dachi.
Yoko Geri Kekomi Side Thrust Kick.
Mawashi Geri Round Kick From Fighting Stance
Ready to start? Check out our Digital Dojo Pass and Master Dojo Pass → train at your own pace, or step it up with live weekly classes and included belt testing.
