Hook kick

Kake geri, the hook kick is the complement to the roundhouse kick. Both kicks trace large, arcing paths which are popular in movies and television. Roundhouse kicks travel from outside-to-inside, while hook kicks travel from inside-to-outside. Unlike roundhouse kicks, hook kicks can only be thrown from side-facing positions. Hook kicks are deceptive, because up until the last second, they look like side kicks which missed their targets. Since this technique builds upon side kicks, it is reserved for intermediate students .

Like all of our other kicks, hook kicking is a four-point procedure, so be sure to do it by the numbers:

1. Chambering. Begin from a horse stance, facing 90° away from your opponent; you can only hook kick from a side guard. Then, enter a walking or fighting crane stance, raising your knee higher than your hip (“past parallel”).
2. Kick. Throw a side kick at a point 6-12” (15-30 cm) outside of the opponent, seemingly missing them. Before your leg fully extends, sharply bend your knee, pulling your foot towards your butt. This results in a horizontal strike that impacts the opponent with your heel. Since the motion is like a side kick, you must also:
   • Open your hip to the outside prior to kicking, and turn your knee to the inside while kicking.
   • Pivot your supporting foot 90° to the outside, so your toes point away from your kick.
   • Switch your hands to cover your face and groin.
   • Arch your back while kicking for additional power and stability.
   • Avoid leaning to the side to increase the height of the kick.
3. Re-chambering. This kick ends in an awkward position. Quickly twist back into a walking or fighting crane stance, to keep the opponent from catching your kick, or using your leg as a lever to rotate your body. Do not use you kick as part of a giant step; that gives the opponent an opportunity to leg sweep you.
4. Stepping out. After kicking, return to a bent-knees attention stance, and slide either leg into whatever stance you chose.

[Hook kick videos, fast and slow, from the front and side.]

Since hook kicks are circular/round techniques, they are best when used against an opponent’s jaw, temple, skull, neck, or floating ribs. While we normally do not advocate kicking to the head, our active discouragement adds the element of surprise in the off chance when we do.

To cover more ground, pull your back leg up into a transitional attention stance and proceed from there. Professional wrestling fans will recognize these step-up hook kicks as either a superkick or a Sweet Chin Music, depending on who’s throwing them.

Spinning hook kick

Spinning hook kicks have more momentum (and power) than regular hook kicks. Spinning kicks are spectacular-looking technique which were a staple of VHS action movies. While can intimidate an untrained opponent, it is best to rely on other techniques. Spinning hook kicks are intrinsically dangerous because they:

• Force you to turn your back to your opponent.
• Briefly place you in an awkward, twisted position. However, spinning hook kicks can stop enemies from closing in when you unfortunately find yourself in an awkward, twisted position.
• Add another step to the kicking process, which increases your total response time.
• Require an impeccable sense of balance to execute correctly; we practice this kick mainly as a balance-building drill.

Directions on how to throw a right spinning hook kick are given below; changing the directions for a left kick is an exercise left for the reader.

1. Origin. Start in a left fighting stance facing #1.
   
   
2. Spin. Twist clockwise 270° to #2, pulling your right leg up into a left cat-like stance, except that your legs cross, like you’re waiting in a line to use the toilet.
   
   
3. Kick. Without pausing, immediately execute a right side kick to #2. Sharply bend your knee at the moment of fullest extension, and the momentum will carry your heel into your intended target at #1. Just as marksmen lead their targets, spinning karateka must trail their targets.

[spinning Outside crescent kick videos, fast and slow, from the front and side.]

While a spinning hook kick strongly resembles a wheel kick, they are different techniques.

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