Kicking blind
The kick fires before Tori looks, and the heel goes wide.
What Tori does instead: Look first, then kick.
Kick lesson 4 of 5 Blue belt Rear leg
Back kick
Tori turns its back on Uke on purpose, looks over its shoulder and drives its heel straight back like a mule. The turn winds the kick up, which makes it one of the strongest kicks, and one of the hardest to see coming.
For entertainment only. A robot demo that explains how the kick works. It isn’t training or advice, so don’t try it on anyone. Disclaimer
- Foot speed
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- Impact, est.
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Now demonstrating
Back kick Ushiro geri
Frame by frame
Tori stops for a moment on each step, and the step’s name shows on the 3D view. The line is the path of Tori’s kicking foot: solid where the foot has been, faint where it is about to go. Switch on Chips and sparks for the full robot show.
Keyboard, with the 3D view focused: Space pause and play, , and . step one frame back or forward, arrow keys turn the camera.
Robot demo for entertainment only. Please don't try it on people, pets or yourself.
At a glance
What the back kick is
Also called Ushiro geri Dwi chagi. Tori stands orthodox, with its left foot in front, and kicks with its rear (right) leg. A left-handed (southpaw) fighter mirrors everything on this page.
- Leg
- Rear leg here (Tori’s right), after a half turn
- Target
- The middle
- Range
- Medium to long
- Path
- A tight chamber, then straight back
- Chamber
- Knee tucked up, heel close to the body
- Power from
- The turn, then the hips and thigh driving back
- Lands with
- Heel
- Stands on
- The front foot, turned right round
Tori looks over its shoulder before it kicks. The heel goes where the eyes are, so the look always comes first.
Step by step
What Tori does, frame by frame
These are the same steps as the buttons under the 3D view. Freeze Tori on any of them, then turn the camera to look from every side.
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Guard. Fists up, facing Uke.
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Turn. Tori turns backwards on its front foot, putting its back to Uke, and looks over its shoulder to find the target.
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Chamber. The knee tucks up with the heel close to the body, aimed back at Uke.
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Thrust. The heel shoots straight back with the sole facing Uke, while Tori leans forward to balance it.
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Recoil. The leg folds back in.
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Return. Tori turns back round to face Uke and puts the foot down.
Watch it like a coach
- Camera Behind Tori at ½×: the look over the shoulder before the kick.
- Freeze on Chamber: the heel tucked close and aimed back.
- Camera Side, freeze on Thrust: the heel leads and the sole faces Uke.
Where the power comes from
From the floor to the foot
A kick isn’t thrown by the leg alone. Each link passes the movement on to the next, from the standing foot to the striking one.
Front foot
Turns on its ball through the half turn.
Hips
Turn just far enough to put the heel on the line to Uke.
Knee and thigh
Tuck, then drive the leg straight back.
Heel
Leads, with the toes pointing down at the mat.
Checkpoints
What to look for in the demo
Freeze Tori on Thrust and check each of these.
- Eyes on Uke Looking over the shoulder.
- Heel leads The sole faces the target, toes pointing down.
- Straight back The foot travels a line, not a circle.
- Leaning forward The upper body tilts forward to balance the leg.
- Knees close The kicking knee passes close to the standing one.
- Guard up The fists stay near the face.
Common mistakes
How the back kick goes wrong
Robots make these mistakes too, until someone updates their firmware.
Turning too far
The body keeps spinning and the kick swings round instead of going straight.
What Tori does instead: Stop turning when the heel lines up with the target.
Toes out
The foot turns sideways and slides off the target.
What Tori does instead: Toes point down at the mat, so the sole faces Uke.
Standing tall
No lean forward, so the kick is weak and flies high.
What Tori does instead: Lean forward as the leg drives back.
The foot
Which part of the foot lands
The back kick lands with the heel, sole facing the target. Watch it in the Close-up camera, frozen on Thrust.
The heel
- The heel leads, driven straight back.
- Toes point down at the mat, so the sole faces the target.
- Foot flexed, ankle firm.
- Driven through in a line, never swung.
In a fight (between robots)
How it’s used, and how it’s stopped
Kicks rarely come alone. They are mixed with punches and with other kicks, so each one sets up the next.
Combinations
- Round-back
After a roundhouse the hips are already turning; they keep going into a back kick.
- 1-2-back
- Counter
A back kick into Uke as it steps in.
- Back-spin
The same turn can end in a spinning hook kick instead.
How Uke could stop it
- Side step
The kick is a straight line, so stepping off it is enough.
- Jam
Step in during the turn, before the leg fires.
- Step back
Out of range.
- Block
The forearms cover the middle.
A robot demo, not a class
This page explains how the back kick works so the animation makes sense. It isn’t a martial arts course, and it isn’t self-defense, fitness, medical or safety advice. Tori’s version is simplified and exaggerated for the camera, and robot joints bend in ways yours shouldn’t. Don’t kick anyone. If you want to learn a martial art for real, learn in person from a qualified instructor and check with a doctor first.