Taekwondo Tornado Kick
Quick Information
Category
Combat Sports
Difficulty
Advanced
Equipment
None, Kicking Paddle
Primary muscle group
Hip Flexors, Quadriceps, Gluteals
Secondary muscle groups
Adductors, Obliques, Hamstrings, Gastrocnemius
Movement pattern
Rotational Jump Kick
Training goal
Plyometrics
Sport
Taekwondo, Kickboxing, MMA
Overview
Purpose. Add rotational momentum and elevation to a roundhouse kick, creating force and disguising the entry.
How it fits the system. An advanced jumping technique in the taekwondo material of the Combat Sports section. Related work in the library: Taekwondo Roundhouse Kick and Taekwondo Spinning Hook Kick.
Primary muscles
Hip Flexors, Quadriceps, Gluteals
Secondary muscles
Adductors, Obliques, Hamstrings, Gastrocnemius
Movement pattern
Rotational Jump Kick
Equipment
None, Kicking Paddle
Difficulty
Advanced
How to Perform
- Step across the body with the front foot to initiate the turn.
- Continue rotating and jump, bringing the knees up as the body turns.
- Deliver the roundhouse kick with the rear leg at the point where the hip faces the target.
- Land on the support leg in a balanced stance facing the opponent.
Coaching Cues
- “Step across first; that is what generates the spin.”
- “Jump up, not forward.”
- “Land balanced or the kick does not count.”
Common Mistakes
- Jumping before completing the turn, which produces a weak, off-target kick.
- Landing off balance, which leaves the athlete open.
Progressions & Regressions
Progressions
Increase height and speed, then add it behind a feint, then combine it with a following technique.
Regressions
Break it into the step-across, the turn and the kick, drilling each separately.
When to Use It
When to use
Technical kicking blocks, paddle work and sparring preparation.
When not to use
Hip, groin or knee injury, or when hip mobility does not yet allow the height required.
Programming
3–5 sets of 8–12 kicks per leg, quality first, full recovery between sets.
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