Become Fighter
The spinning back kick: Kickboxing guide
A powerful kick that turns your back to the opponent. Learn the safe version first.
The spinning back kick is a thrusting kick to the body. You turn all the way around, look over the shoulder to find the target, and drive the heel into the opponent's stomach or liver. Landed well it ends fights. Missed, it turns your back to the opponent.
That is why you learn it with a coach and pads, not at full speed on a partner. Turning your back also carries a real rules risk: some events penalise a fighter for showing their back for too long.
Key points
- Look first. Your head turns over the lead shoulder before your hips follow.
- Spin on the ball of the lead foot with the knee slightly bent.
- Chamber the kicking knee tight, then thrust the heel straight into the target, toes pointed down.
- Hit with the heel, hips driving forward, not the toes.
- Use it from a position where the opponent steps in, not as a wild attack from range.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Spinning blind. Find the opponent with your eyes before the hips move. A blind spin is a gift.
- Kicking with a flat foot. Drive the heel with the toes pointed down, not the sole.
- Throwing it when the opponent is moving away. Use it when they step in. A kick at a retreating target just turns you around.
Combinations that use it
- kb-jab-spin-back: Jab, Spinning back kick
Related techniques
The rest is in the app
The step-by-step breakdown, the timed drill with the coach calling the shots and the quiz are part of Become Fighter Pro, where this lesson sits in the Advanced kicks module of Kickboxing foundations.
Get it on Google Play. Coming soon to the App Store.
More from Advanced kicks
- The lead round kick: Kickboxing guide
- The question-mark kick: Kickboxing guide
- Hook, axe and flying kicks: what to leave out: Kickboxing guide
Combat sports training is hard on the body. Warm up, stay within your limits and check with a doctor first if you have a health condition. Practise in a clear space and stop if you feel pain or dizziness. Learn partner work only under a qualified coach.