Kicking Techniques
Chagi Kisul
차기 기술

There are 10 Basic Kick Skills (Kibon Bal Chagi Kisul / 기본 발 차기 기술) in Kukkiwon Taekwondo, each of which can have one or more Special Kick Skills (Teuksu Bal Chagi Kisul / 특수 발 차기 기술) applied to them to adapt the techniques for different variables that arise in a match such as distance and timing.

Other dojangs will have different classifications and categorizations. I have tried to be as in line with how modern Kukkiwon classifies techniques.

Please defer to your instructor’s preferred classifications, as always.

Special Kick Skills
특수 발 차기 기술

Basic Kicks can have one or more modifiers applied to adapt to a variety of situations to become what is classified as a Special Kick. The kick name changes to reflect the modifier(s) applied. For example: Turn Kick + Front Foot Kick = Front Foot Turn Kick.

This is by no means a comprehensive list.

    • Front Foot Kick
      Ap Bal Chagi / 앞 발 차기

    • Fast Kick
      Ppaleun Bal Chagi / 빠른 발 차기

    • Change Kick
      Bakkum Bal Chagi / 바꿈 발 차기

    • Switch Kick
      Narae Chagi / 나래 차기

    • Counter Kick
      Bada Chagi / 받아 차기

    • Tornado Kick
      Dolgae Chagi / 돌개 차기

    • Cut Kick
      Keoteu Chagi (Kkeureo Chagi) / 커트 차기 (끌어 차기)

    • Fast Switch Kick
      Ppaleun Narae Chagi / 빠른 나래 차기

    • Repeating Kick
      Geodeup Chagi / 거듭 차기

    • Mixed Kick
      Seokkeo Chagi / 섞어 차기

    • Pushing Kick
      Mireo Chagi / 밀어 차기

    • Grabbing Kick
      Japgo Chagi / 잡고 차기

    • Flying Kick
      Ttwieo Chagi / 뛰어 차기

    • Jumping Kick
      I Dan Chagi / 이 단 차기

    • Plyometric Kick
      Gulleo Chagi / 굴러 차기

    • Target Kick
      Pyojeok Chagi / 표적 차기

    • Scissor Kick
      Gawi Chagi / 가위 차기

    • Back Turning Kick
      Dwi Dora Chagi / 뒤 돌아 차기

    • 360° Kick
      360° Chagi / 360° 차기

    • 540° Kick
      540° Chagi / 540° 차기

    • 720° Kick
      720° Chagi / 720° 차기

    • 900° Kick
      900° Chagi / 900° 차기

    • Power Kick
      Taeryeok Chagi / 태력 차기

    • Plyometric Kick
      Gulleo Chagi / 돌려 차기

    • Stomp
      Jitjjihgi / 짓찧기

Front Foot Kick
Ap Bal Chagi
앞 발 차기
“Ahp Bahl Chah-Gee”

Also called a Lead Kick or a Front Leg Kick (though that would be Ap Dali Chagi, which isn’t ever used in any Kukkiwon literature).

Performed by chambering, kicking and re-chambering the front leg while the anchor foot stays in position, only providing a pivot if necessary.

Can be paired with a Front Cross Stance / Ap Kkoa Seogi / 앞 꼬아 서기 prior to kicking to make a hybrid between Front Foot Kick & Change Kick.

Examples:

  • Front Foot Front Kick
    Ap Bal Ap Chagi
    앞 발 앞 차기

  • Front Foot Turn Kick
    Ap Bal Dollyeo Chagi
    앞 발 돌려 차기

  • Front Foot Side Kick
    Ap Bal Yeop Chagi
    앞 발 옆 차기

Fast Kick
Ppaleun Bal Chagi
빠른 발 차기
“Pah-Loon Bahl Chah-Gee”

Performed by driving the rear foot forward while chambering the front leg to deliver the kicking technique with the front foot while landing the supporting foot. An aerial pivot or a turning (grounded) pivot may be applied depending on the kick.

Also called Bal Butyeo Chagi / 발 붙여 차기 (“Bahl Boot-Yuh Chah-Gee”), and variously translated as “Skipping Kick”, “Sliding Kick”, “Quick Kick”, or sometimes “Running Kick”.

Travel → Chamber → Kick

Examples:

  • Fast Front Kick
    Ppaleun Bal Ap Chagi
    빠른 발 앞 차기

  • Fast Turn Kick
    Ppaleun Bal Dollyeo Chagi
    빠른 발 돌려 차기

  • Fast Double Turn Kick
    Ppaleun Bal Narae Chagi
    빠른 발 나래 차기

Cut Kick
Keoteu Chagi
커트 차기
“Kuh-T’h Chah-Gee”

Kukkiwon calls this a Kkeureo Chagi / 끌어 차기 / Dragging Kick (“Koor-Uh Chah-Gee”), but everyone pretty much calls it a Cut Kick.

Performed by lifting the kicking leg up and forward while driving the anchor leg towards the opponent. A side kick by default. Used to damage, reposition or check the opponent. An absolutely critical technique for modern Olympic Taekwondo Kyorugi.

“Keoteu” is a loan word — the word “cut” loaned from English to Korean and sounded out phonetically in Hangul.

Side Kick is the technique this modifier is most commonly applied to, so when naming the technique one never says “Cut Side Kick”, you only make the distinction when using a different move, such as Cut Turn Kick or Cut Axe Kick for example.

Chamber → Travel → Kick

Examples:

  • Cut Kick
    Keoteu Chagi
    커트 차기

  • Cut Turn Kick
    Keoteu Dollyeo Chagi
    커트 돌려 차기

  • Cut Axe Kick
    Keoteu Naeryeo Chagi
    커트 내려 차기

Switch Kick
Narae Chagi
나래 차기
“Nah-Leyh Chah-Gee”

Most commonly used as a Double Turn Kick; performed by kicking two or more times with alternating legs, using the landing force of one kick to explode into the next via a switch of the feet rather than a jump.

One foot is lifted up for the purpose of feinting, gaining momentum or changing tempo before switching your attack by using the opposite foot.

By default the first technique is done with the rear leg but other modifiers like Fast Kick (Fast Switch Kick) or Front Foot (Front Foot Switch Kick) can also be applied to the Switch action.

If listed as just “Narae Chagi” it refers to a Double Turn Kick. To indicate a Triple Turn Kick you could say Sebeon Narae Chagi.

Examples:

  • Switch Turn Kick
    Narae Dollyeo Chagi
    나래 돌려 차기

  • Fast Double Turn Kick
    Ppaleun Bal Narae Chagi
    빠른 발 나래 차기

  • Switch Back Kick
    Narae Dwi Chagi
    나래 뒤 차기

Change Kick
Bakkum Bal Chagi
바꿈 발 차기
“Bah-Koom Bahl Chah-Gee”

Performed by changing your stance (left stance to right stance / right stance to left stance) prior to attacking.

Can also be called Change Foot Kick or Change Stance Kick.

The stance change can be full (left stance to right stance or right stance to left stance) or half (into more of a Front Cross or Back Cross), depending on the situation.

Examples:

  • Change Back Kick
    Bakkum Bal Dwi Chagi
    바꿈 발 뒤 차기

  • Change Turn Kick
    Bakkum Bal Dollyeo Chagi
    바꿈 발 돌려 차기

  • Change Axe Kick
    Bakkum Bal Naeryeo Chagi
    바꿈 발 내려 차기

Counter Kick
Bada Chagi
받아 차기
“Bahd-Ah Chah-Gee”

Performed by moving the anchor foot backwards (either a little or a lot, based on positioning technique type) while kicking, with the force direction of the counter attack being complimentary of that of the attacker's.

Can also be used in a non-counter manner as a method of scoring from close range. The anchor foot’s amount of reposition will depend on the distance from the target.

Lifting the anchor foot before repositioning it can provide a Switch Kick feel to the technique.

Can be done with the Front Foot (Ap Bal Bada Chagi) or the Back Foot (Dwit Bal Bada Chagi).

Examples:

  • Counter Turn Kick
    Bada Dollyeo Chagi
    받아 돌려 차기

  • Counter Back Kick
    Bada Dwi Chagi
    받아 뒤 차기

  • Counter Back Hook Kick
    Bada Dwi Huryeo Chagi
    받아 뒤 후려 차기

Tornado Kick
Dolgae Chagi
돌개 차기
“Dohl-Geyh Chah-Gee”

Performed by executing a 360° dorsal turn via simultaneous foot pivot (“double pivot”) to increase the force of the kicking technique. By default a Turn Kick, other versions include Tornado Axe Kick, Tornado Front Kick, Tornado Side Kick, etc. It can best be thought of as a back turn into a chamber feint followed by a Narae Chagi / Switch Kick.

Demonstration, Breaking, and Freestyle Poomsae versions are different than the Kyorugi version.

Examples:

  • Tornado Kick
    Dolgae Chagi
    돌개 차기

  • Tornado Axe Kick
    Dolgae Naeryeo Chagi
    돌개 내려 차기

  • Pop Tornado Kick
    Pab Dolgae Chagi
    팝 돌개 차기

Fast Switch Kick
Ppaleun Narae Chagi
빠른 나래 차기
“Pah-Loon Nah-Leyh Chah-Gee”

Performed by feinting a Ppaleun Bal Chagi / Fast Kick with the front leg before switching into the actual attack with the rear leg. The type of Fast Kick feinted will be dependent on the actual attack.

You can also do multiple chamber switches per action before finishing with an attack.

Sometimes called a Skipping Kick.

Examples:

  • Fast Switch Turn Kick
    Ppaleun Narae Dollyeo Chagi
    빠른 나래 돌려 차기

  • Fast Switch Back Kick
    Ppaleun Narae Dwi Chagi
    빠른 나래 뒤 차기

  • Fast Switch Inward Kick
    Ppaleun Narae An Chagi
    빠른 나래 안 차기

Repeating Kick
Geodeup Chagi
거듭 차기
“Guh-Doop Chah-Gee”

Performed by executing two or more of the same type of kick immediately after one another while not allowing the foot to touch the floor in between. Keeping the chambered knee high throughout each kick is vital.

Commonly used to strike a different body part per kick, such as delivering a Side Kick to the opponent’s knee then re-chambering and delivering a second Side Kick to their face as in Poomsae Koryo.

As of 2025 the maximum number of kicks allowed before setting your foot down in an Olympic Kyorugi match is 3.

Examples:

  • Repeating Front Kick
    Geodeup Ap Chagi
    거듭 앞 차기

  • Repeating Turn Kick
    Geodeup Dollyeo Chagi
    거듭 돌려 차기

  • Repeating Side Kick
    Geodeup Yeop Chagi
    거듭 옆 차기

Mixed Kick
Seokkeo Chagi
섞어 차기
“Suhk-Uh Chah-Gee”

Repeating Kick / Geodeup Chagi technically repeats the same kicking technique while Mixed Kick / Seokkeo Chagi refers to doing two or more different types of kick with the same leg before setting the foot down.

Commonly used to strike a different body part per kick, Cut Kick → Mix High Turn Kick, for example, (usually abbreviated as “Cut → Mix High Turn”) would be executing a Cut Kick for the opponent’s body and then re-chambering and doing a Turn Kick to their face before setting the attacking foot back down.

As of 2025 the maximum number of kicks allowed before setting your foot down in an Olympic Kyorugi match is 3.

Examples:

  • Cut Kick → Mix Turn Kick
    Keoteu Chago → Seokkeo Dollyeo Chagi
    커트 차고 → 섞어 돌려 차기

  • Inward Kick → Mix Side Kick
    An Chago → Seokkeo Yeop Chagi
    안 차고 → 섞어 옆 차기

  • Back Kick → Mix Hook Kick
    Dwi Chago → Seokkeo Huryeo Chagi
    뒤 차고 → 섞어 후려 차기

Pushing Kick
Mireo Chagi
밀어 차기
“Meer-Uh Chah-Gee”

Performed by extending the kicking leg slightly before or as you place the sole of the foot on the opponent to deliver pushing force rather than a strike. Is often accompanied by a forward leap of the anchor foot timed with the extension of the pushing foot.

Front Push Kick and Front Foot Side Push Kick are the most common examples, if just “Push Kick” is said it’s probably referring to the former.

Examples:

  • Push Front Kick
    Mireo Ap Chagi
    밀어 앞 차기

  • Push Side Kick
    Mireo Yeop Chagi
    밀어 옆 차기

  • Front Foot Push Front Kick
    Ap Bal Mireo Ap Chagi
    앞 발 밀어 앞 차기

Flying Kick
Ttwieo Chagi
뛰어 차기
“Twee-Uh Chah-Gee”

Performed by running then jumping and executing the kick in mid-air. The actual kicking technique is performed the same as if it is being done on the ground.

Primarily used in demonstration, breaking and Freestyle Poomsae.

Examples:

  • Flying Side Kick
    Ttwieo Yeop Chagi
    뛰어 옆 차기

  • Flying Back Kick
    Ttwieo Dwi Chagi
    뛰어 뒤 차기

  • Flying Axe Kick
    Ttwieo Naeryeo Chagi
    뛰어 내려 차기

Jumping Kick
Jeompeu Chagi
점프 차기
“Juhm-Poo Chah-Gee”

Kukkiwon calls this class of technique 이 단 차기 / I Dan Chagi (“Ee Dahn Chah-Gee”), meaning “2nd Level Kick”.

Performed by jumping upward, forward or backward while executing a kick, typically with the rear leg though Jumping Front Foot Kick / Jeompeu Ap Bal Chagi exists as well.

Sometimes Ttwieo Chagi is used interchangeably for Jumping Kicks and Flying Kicks instead of Jeompeu Chagi.

Examples:

  • Jumping Turn Kick
    Jeompeu Dollyeo Chagi
    점프 돌려 차기

  • Jumping Back Kick
    Jeompeu Dwi Chagi
    점프 뒤 차기

  • Jumping Back Hook Kick
    Jeompeu Dwi Huryeo Chagi
    점프 뒤 후려 차기

Power Kick
Taeryeok Chagi
태력 차기
“Teyh-R’yuhg Chah-Gee”

A technique where the anchor foot moves forward at the same time that the kicking foot leaves the floor, covering more space and striking with more power. It is important to remember that you should push your feet down through the floor in order to generate a reactionary force.

Should have the feeling of leaping forward to strike.

Sometimes written as Taeryuk, such as in the case of 이동희 Master Lee Dong Hee’s World Kangjin Taekwondo.

Examples:

  • Power Turn Kick
    Taeryeok Dollyeo Chagi
    태력 돌려 차기

  • Power Front Kick
    Taeryeok Ap Chagi
    태력 앞 차기

  • Power Side Kick
    Taeryeok Yeop Chagi
    태력 옆 차기

Scissor Kick
Gawi Chagi
가위 차기
“Gah-Wee Chah-Gee”

A flying kick where each leg is kicking in a different direction. Typically a Side Kick / Yeop Chagi is paired with a Twist Kick / Biteureo Chagi.

Used in fight choreography, demonstrations, breaking and Freestyle Poomsae.

360° Kick
360° Chagi
360° 차기
“Three-Sixty Chah-Gee”

Used in kyorugi, fight choreography, demonstrations and Freestyle Poomsae.

Performed by doing a feint with the rear leg, completing the first 180°, before doing a back turn to switch into an attack with the other leg, adding another 180° of rotation. The feint will be different depending on the situation.

Can be done with the feeling of a Jumping/Flying Kick or with the feeling of a Switch Kick.

Commonly used as a 360° Spinning Hook Kick, 360° Back Kick or 360° Turning Side Kick.

360 = Sambaeg-yugsip = 삼백육십

Examples:

  • 360° Back Hook Kick
    360° Dwi Huryeo Chagi
    360° 뒤 후려 차기

  • 360° Back Kick
    360° Dwi Chagi
    360° 뒤 차기

  • 360° Turning Side Kick
    360° Dwi Dora Yeop Chagi
    360° 뒤 돌아 옆 차기

540°, 720°, 900° Kick
540°, 720°, 900° Chagi
540°, 720°, 900° 차기
“540°, 720°, 900° Chah-Gee”

Used in demonstrations, breaking, and Freestyle Poomsae. The body turns the prescribed number of degrees prior to executing the chosen kick type.

540° Back Hook Kicks do pop up in Olympic style competition every now and then, though, and sometimes they’re successful.

Examples:

  • 540° Back Hook Kick
    540° Dwi Huryeo Chagi
    540° 뒤 후려 차기

  • 720° Tornado Kick
    720° Dolgae Chagi
    720° 돌개 차기

  • 900° Back Hook Kick
    900° Dwi Huryeo Chagi
    900° 뒤 후려 차기

Grabbing Kick
Japgo Chagi
잡고 차기
“Jahp-Goh Chah-Gee”

Performed by grabbing onto the opponent’s arm, clothing, etc. and holding them in place or bringing them into a kicking technique.

Examples:

  • Grabbing Side Kick
    Japgo Yeop Chagi
    잡고 옆 차기

  • Grabbing Turn Kick
    Japgo Dollyeo Chagi
    잡고 돌려 차기

  • Grabbing Scorpion Kick
    Japgo Nakka Chagi
    잡고 낚아 차기

Plyometric Kick
Gulleo Chagi
굴러 차기
“Gool-Luh Chah-Gee”

Also known as a Stomping Kick.

Similar to a Fast Kick / Ppaleun Bal Chagi, the front foot is lifted then stomps the floor before the rear foot travels.

The rebounding force of the front foot stomp should be used as a plyometric force to add power to the technique. The lift and stomp can also be used as a feint.

Stomp → Travel → Chamber → Kick

Examples:

  • Plyo Turn Kick
    Gulleo Dollyeo Chagi
    굴러 돌려 차기

  • Plyo Side Kick
    Gulleo Yeop Chagi
    굴러 옆 차기

  • Plyo Axe Kick
    Gulleo Naeryeo Chagi
    굴러 내려 차기

Target Kick
Pyojeok Chagi
표적 차기
“P’yoh-Juhg Chah-Gee”

Similar to a Grabbing Kick / Japgo Chagi, which often grabs the arm or clothing of the opponent, the Target Kick grabs their head from the side or back, or the hair, and holds it there while a kick is thrown towards the face.

Examples:

  • Target Inward Kick
    Pyojeok An Chagi
    표적 안 차기

  • Target Outward Kick
    Pyojeok Bakkat Chagi
    표적 바깥 차기

  • Target Scorpion Kick
    Pyojeok Nakka Chagi
    표적 낚아 차기

Stomp
Jitjjihgi
짓찧기
“Jeet-Chjeeh-Gee”

Performed by driving the heel of your foot down onto your opponent. The chamber and extension should mirror that of a Side Kick aimed downward.

Examples:

  • Instep Stomp
    Bal Deung Jitjjihgi
    발 등 짓찧기

  • Solar Plexus Stomp
    Myeongchi Jitjjihgi
    명치 짓찧기

  • Head Stomp
    Dugaegol Jitjjihgi
    두개골 짓찧기