Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 5: Performing a Simple Circular Kick
• Method 2 of 5: Choosing the Right Protective Stand
• Method 3 of 5: Performing a Side Punch Stance
• Method 4 of 5: Punching in a Boxing Stance
• Method 5 of 5: Performing a Round Punch in Muay Thai
• Tips
• Warnings

If you want to learn martial arts at home, or simply imitate Chuck Norris or Bruce Lee, learning Mawashi Geri, also known as the Circular Kick, is a good place to start. Although if this strike seems simple at first glance, there are slight differences in execution, depending on your defensive position, as well as the opponent's block.

Steps

Method 1 of 5: Performing a Simple Circular Kick

1. 1 Adopt a defensive stance. If you are right-handed, put your right foot forward and your left foot backward. To block, clench your hands into a fist and raise them to about ear level, but do not block your line of sight.
2. 2 Keep your arms raised in attacking form and be ready to jump back and block the punch.
3. 3 Position your front foot at an angle so that if you are about to kick with your right foot, it looks to the left, and then roll your torso towards your opponent and extend one of your legs to hit the opponent with additional force from the rotational momentum.
4. 4 If you are kicking with your right foot, place your right hand in front of your face to defend, and pull your left arm back to increase the power of the kick.
5. 5 Fully straighten your leg as you twist, make sure you hit with the tibia of the leg, as this is a large bone and is much harder to break than small bones in the foot.
6. 6 After hitting, return to the starting position without lowering your hands, as a counterattack is possible.

Method 2 of 5: Choosing the Right Protective Stand

1. 1 Get into a defensive "side kick" stance to deliver a hard hit. Many practicing fighters claim that hard strikes are the best weapon in controlled combat (3-5 minutes round), as they damage the enemy immediately.
2. 2 Get into a boxing stance if you want to hit hard. Strength is a key element of punches in Muay Thai and mixed martial arts, where the damage inflicted on the opponent, rather than the number of punches, affects the outcome. If you do not have significant experience in martial arts, this stance will be optimal for you, as it allows you to effectively defend against the enemy after striking.

Method 3 of 5: Performing a Side Punch Stance

1. 1 Breathe in before punching as you will be vulnerable to a counterattack as you strike.
2. 2 Find a weak spot in your opponent's defense to use it to your advantage. You can use mawashi geri after a combination or as a counterattack.
3. 3 Bend your knee. You can learn this technique in Jun-fan Jeet Kune Do. Bending the knee helps conserve energy. Straighten your leg while striking to make it harder to block or dodge.
4. 4 Rotate your hips in the opposite direction (for example, if you are kicking with your right foot, rotate your hips to the left). It is not necessary to follow this rule, but it is worth remembering about it.
5. 5 Exhale and at the same time straighten your leg so that your foot hits the target.
6. 6 Move your foot quickly away from the target and you will hear a sharp sound.

Method 4 of 5: Punching in a Boxing Stance

1. 1 Breathe in before punching as you will be vulnerable to a counterattack as you strike.
2. 2 Find a weak spot in the enemy's defense and take advantage of it. You can use mawashi geri after a combination or as a counterattack.
3. 3 Bend your knee slightly. This trick can be learned in Muay Thai: By keeping your leg slightly bent, you can achieve maximum punching power.
4. 4 Rotate your hips in the opposite direction (for example, if you are kicking with your right foot, rotate your hips to the left). It is not necessary to follow this rule, but it is worth remembering about it.
5. 5 Exhale.
6. 6 Try to hit with your tibia, not your feet.

Method 5 of 5: Performing a Round Punch in Muay Thai

1. 1 Get into the correct stance. To begin, place your feet at shoulder distance from each other so that one foot is in front of the other and your toes are at a 45-degree angle.
   • Stand upright and balance your weight on the balls of your feet.
   • You should distribute your body weight evenly, but lean a little more on your back leg.
2. 2 Shift your weight onto your front leg. To kick, start by shifting your weight onto your front leg, with your toes twisted outward and your heel toward your opponent.
   • Once you have done this, rotate the hip of your back leg and begin to rotate that leg forward so that the knee is facing your opponent.
   • At the end of the strike, the thigh of the leg you are striking with should be over the thigh of the supporting leg. Most of the force of the impact depends on the movement of the hip.
3. 3 Use your hands. You can achieve more punching force by moving your right hand (if you are kicking with your right foot) down while punching.
   • But keep in mind, this makes you more vulnerable to counterattacks, so try to cover your face and head with your other hand.
4. 4 Strike the enemy. Keep your leg straight as you hit - remember, you are hitting with the tibia.
   • Also remember: your foot should hit your opponent like a baseball bat: from the side, not straight.
   • Once you hit your opponent, return your foot to its original position along the same trajectory. The longer you keep your foot in the air, the more time your opponent has to react and counterattack.

Tips

• If you are right-handed, train your left leg more. Thus, you subconsciously train your right leg, which gives a balanced attack. If you only have one strong leg, you will be too predictable.
• Stretching can help prevent injury and improve flexibility.
• Use a hard hitting technique for high and low hits.
• Use the second technique for body punches.

Warnings

• The above technique is not suitable for smashing boards or other objects. If you hit the board with your foot, you will be seriously injured. To break the board, you need to pull your foot back and hit the target with the balls of your feet.
• Keep your upper body straight. Do not tilt your head and shoulders down or to the side. This will allow the enemy to strike at the unprotected head.
• Breathing in before punching makes you more vulnerable to counterattacks that aim to interrupt your breathing - which is why some practitioners breathe out before punching to minimize the damage from a counterattack to the stomach or diaphragm.
• If you hit with your right foot, be sure to transfer your weight to your left foot. If you don't, you can stretch your knee or foot. The foot of the supporting leg should be turned away from the target.
• Pull your toes back. If you hit with your fingertips, you will damage them. You should beat with the pads of your toes.
• Do not straighten your leg completely, or you may damage the bones or tissues in the leg. To prevent this, always keep your leg slightly bent.
• Always protect your upper body, otherwise your opponent might hit you hard in the head.
• Do not use this punch in combat unless you have previously trained with a martial arts trainer. If you have not developed enough muscles, this punch can be weaker than a regular punch and, moreover, it will make you vulnerable to counter-attacks from your opponent.