Rear Kick
Kicks · Rear side (Orthodox right, Southpaw left)
The signature Muay Thai weapon: rear roundhouse driven through with the hip.
How to throw it
Step your lead foot out slightly, pivot hard on the ball of the lead foot so your hips open, and swing the rear leg through the target like a bat, connecting with the shin. Turn the hip all the way over so the power comes from rotation, not the leg, and keep your rear arm swinging down and across to counterbalance while the lead hand protects your chin. Land with your bodyweight committed and let the follow-through carry you, rather than snapping the leg back.
When to use it
This is your heaviest single strike, so throw it at kicking range to attack the ribs, thigh, or head when the opponent is stationary or backing up. It rewards setup: hide it behind the hands so the pivot is not read early.
Common mistakes
- Not pivoting the lead foot, which jams the hip and turns a whipping kick into a weak push.
- Dropping the rear hand or leaning the head back off balance instead of swinging the arm through as a counterweight.
- Chopping down with just the leg rather than rotating the whole body, so the shin lands with no mass behind it.