If you are trying to improve your knowledge on the kick, giving you the instinct to react in more manner during a fight, the heel front kick is a master to own.
It is not a common type of kick, and usually, only passionate people get informed about it, or people that are practicing a martial art that is part of it, like karate or MMA.
The heel front kick can be inserted in the category of stopping kick; it is slightly different from the front kick because it requires more hip forward movement to complete. It is considered more powerful and ideal as a stopping kick; in fact, in muay that, it is very frequently used, but is called teep kick.
This post brings you the best advice on how to perform the heel front kick, what it uses and how to take advantage of it. Please keep reading to understand how it is named on other martial arts and many others things. I am pretty sure that after reading that post will have all that you need to master that kick and to make it work for your future sparring session or fighting matches.
What is the heel front kick?
The heel front kick is a penetrating front kick, but it uses the heel to connect; it is perfect for stopping the attack of opponents and can generate danger too.
The heel front kick is also the perfect kick for people who instinctively avoid kicking barefoot because they fear hurting their toes.
Name of heel front kick in different martial arts
Depending on martial arts the heel front kick can have a different name. Here a list of the more common name:
- Mae kakato geri (Shotokan karate)
- Tendangan depan (pencak silat)
- Keep trong (muay Thai)
- Sokugyacku Geri (ninjutsu Ago kin Geri, if directed to chin)
How to throw a heel front kick
The execution of this kick is very similar to the front kick already discussed in the previous article; anyway, I make a summary of the step need to throw it efficiently.
Step 1
High knee chambering
Step 2
The foot travel parallels to the floor as the hips push strongly forward.
Step 3
The kick connects with the heel
Important consideration to do when throwing a heel front kick
To have the best result, you have to consider two main things:
- Strongly lift the toes and foot
- The hips must be very forcefully pushed forward
What is the target point for a heel front kick?
Usually, during karate or other martial arts competitions, the main points were the solar plexus, ribs, and groin.
Of course, it is not limited to only these parts; in fact, during the taekwondo competition is frequently used to hit on the head too.
What is the typical application of the heel front kick?
You can attack your opponent’s front leg with a strong outside sweep kick in the way to put his body off balance, and then without touching the floor, you can start to raise the knee, and as soon as you have the back of your opponent visible, you can throw it in the back.
Please consider this technique as the ultimate resource in case of danger of your life because this technique can cause several damages to your opponent’s back.
What is the best training to improve the heel front kick?
You can kick the bag with the heel at a different height, lower, abdomen, chest, face, in a way to have the right height always ready for use.
Another useful way to improve this kick is to kick a padded target held by a partner, making this you can simulate it as a penetrating power kick.
Is heel front kick used for self-defense?
We cover this kick on a martial arts approach during the article, but now your question can be if you can use it for self-defense, or simply is it efficient and realistic?
My answer is yes; you can use it. I will tell you some examples where you could use it.
Imagine that an assailant takes hold of your front wrist to control you;
In that scenario, you can simply use the front heel kick with your back leg to his solar plexus, while in the meantime, you can pull your arm and, therefore, your assailant toward you.
If these moves were not enough to shock the assailant, you could then have your kicking foot rebound on the ground for a forward knee strike to his head as you also pull downward with your hands.
How dangerous is the heel front kick?
The heel front kick is dangerous because of the hardness of the heel, it can cause several damages to your opponents.
Consider that it can be used in a different way, the most dangerous for my opinion are these 2, and in particular:
- Using it to hit on the head
- Using the kick to hit the back
You can imagine that if a professional fighter trains it at the maximum level and then throw it on the opponents’ head, the speed plus the weight of the leg plus the hardness of the heel will give a devastating mix of power.
Conclusion
I think that we cover almost anything necessary knowledge to become a master on that kick, of course, the most fundamental ingredient, on kicks or in general on martial arts, is the dedication the commitment and the training effort that you will put on it, read this article carefully start to train it. I am pretty sure that in no time, you will master the heel front kick as nobody.