Become Fighter
Check and return: Kickboxing guide
Check the kick, then put your own leg down as a strike.
A check that stops the kick is good. A check that turns into your own kick is better. The leg you lifted to defend is already loaded: put it down as a strike, and the opponent meets your kick as they recover.
The sequence is check, set the foot and return. It takes about as long as the opponent needs to recover, so the timing must be sharp. Done cleanly, it makes them think twice about every low kick.
Key points
- Check with the shin, then drop the leg forward to land a kick of your own on the way down.
- The return kick is usually the same leg, thrown as a lead round kick or teep.
- Do not wait. Return immediately while the opponent is still on one leg.
- A check and a cross is a safe alternative. Pick whichever is natural in the moment.
- Hands stay up the whole time.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Putting the leg down behind you. Set it down in front so your return has weight behind it.
- Returning late. The window is brief. Return before the opponent resets, or leave it alone.
- Dropping the hands to kick. Keep both hands in guard through the whole sequence.
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 Counter-kicking and catching kicks module of Kickboxing foundations.
Get it on Google Play. Coming soon to the App Store.
More from Counter-kicking and catching kicks
- Catch and sweep: Kickboxing guide
- Kicking into the advance: Kickboxing guide
- Winning the kick exchange: 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.