Become Fighter
How to throw a teep
A pushing front kick that keeps your opponent at the end of your leg.
The teep is a straight, pushing kick. You lift the knee, then drive the ball of the foot into the opponent's body, usually the stomach or the hip. It is not a snap. It is a shove with the leg.
It is the safest and most useful kick to learn first. It stops opponents walking onto you, sets the distance and gives you time to reset. It is also the best way to practise balancing on one leg.
Key points
- Warm up your hips and ankles first. Do a minute of leg swings before kicking.
- Lift the knee high first, as if stepping over a bar.
- Push the hips forward and lean back slightly as the leg extends.
- Hit with the ball of the foot, toes pulled back.
- Keep both hands up the whole time.
- Retract the leg the way it went out and land back in stance.
- Aim at the stomach or the hip, not the face.
Step by step
- Start in stance. Weight centred, hands high. The lead leg is ready to lift.
- Chamber the knee. Lift your knee toward your chest with the foot hanging under it. Stay tall on the standing leg.
- Push. Extend the leg and drive your hips forward. The ball of the foot reaches the target while your torso leans back a little.
- Retract. Bring the leg back along the line it went out. Do not let the foot drop forward.
- Land balanced. Place the foot down in your stance, hands up, ready to move or throw the next strike.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Kicking without lifting the knee first. Chamber the knee every time. A low, flat swing of the leg is slow and easy to see.
- Dropping the hands to balance. Keep both hands at your cheeks. If you wobble, kick lower and slower.
- Hitting with the toes. Pull the toes back and strike with the ball of the foot to protect your toes.
- Not retracting the leg. Bring the leg straight back to a stance. A leg left hanging can be caught.
Drill: Teep rounds
3 rounds of 60 seconds, with 45 seconds of rest. Safe to practise alone.
- Slow teeps in the air or on a bag. Pause with the knee up and check your balance.
- Alternate lead and rear leg. Push the hips through every time.
- Jab then teep on the caller. Reset your stance in between.
Combinations that use it
- kb-jab-teep: Jab, Teep
- mt-teep-jab: Teep, Jab
- mt-teep-in: Teep, Step in
- mt-long-teep: Long guard, Teep
- kb-teep-cross: Teep, Cross
- kb-teep-1-2: Teep, Jab, Cross
Related techniques
Train it in the app
In Become Fighter this lesson comes with a short video, a timed drill with the coach calling the shots, and a quick quiz to check you've got it.
Coming soon to the App Store and Google Play.
More from Kickboxing base
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.