Lead Side Kick
Kicks · Lead side (Orthodox left, Southpaw right)
Linear kick with the blade of the lead foot, driven into the midsection to stop an advance.
How to throw it
Turn your hips sideways and drive the lead leg out in a straight line, striking with the blade or heel of the foot into the midsection while leaning your upper body back for reach and balance. It is a linear, thrusting kick, so extend the leg fully and push through the target rather than swinging around it. Keep your hands up and rechamber the leg cleanly to recover your stance.
When to use it
Use it as a stopping tool to halt an opponent charging in, pushing them back and breaking their forward momentum at long range. It also keeps a pressure fighter at distance and creates space to reset.
Common mistakes
- Throwing it as a swinging arc instead of a straight linear thrust, which loses stopping power.
- Leaning back too far and losing balance, leaving you unable to recover if it misses.
- Striking with the toes or ball of the foot rather than the blade or heel, weakening the impact.