Axe Kick

Axe kick is considered one of the less practical kicks in Krav Maga because it requires greater flexibility and exposes the kicker to danger. However, it is useful in certain situations and does have solid applications in groundfighting.

Starting Position: Left-leg-forward fighting stance, facing a target.

Raise your rear leg just across and outside the target (e.g., if you kick with your right leg, raise it toward the left).

Keeping your leg relatively straight, bring it up over the target, then down hard, making contact with your heel. As you make contact, bend your knee to protect the joint and to add power. Be sure your weight is in the kick by pressing forward and down with your hip.

Variation: This version generally requires even more flexibility than the one detailed above: Rather than lifting your leg to the side, chamber your leg in tight, raise your knee high, then kick outward toward the target before delivering the axe kick downward.

Spinning Outside Slap Kick

This spinning kick can be used to give an opponent a “different” look if the opponent is used to dealing with round kicks and front kicks. The kick is most easily delivered if the target is slightly off-angle (e.g., if you’re in a fighting stance with your right leg back and your target is to the front and left) because it requires less rotation. It is certainly possible, however, to make the kick with a full 360° spin.

Starting Position: Left-leg-forward fighting stance, facing a target.

Pivot on your forward (left) foot so you turn over your right shoulder. Focus on bringing your head and right shoulder around so that your shoulder passes the target.

As your head comes around and your shoulder comes in line with the target, bring your right knee up to your chest.

As your shoulder passes the target, give an outside slap kick (page 172).

Land in fighting stance facing the target.

Tips: Before turning, you can take a small diagonal step forward to decrease the degree of your turn.

Spinning Heel Kick

Spinning heel kick is one of the most difficult kicks to learn. It involves a certain amount of comfort/trust in one’s own body movement. However, spinning heel kick may be considered slightly more practical than spinning outside slap kick because the weapon (the heel) tends to be harder than the side of the foot, and because the kick requires slightly less spin to be delivered with strength.

Starting Position: Left-leg-forward fighting stance, facing a target.

Take a diagonal step with your forward (left) foot. This step helps the kick by shortening the degree of the turn.

Spin toward your right, pivoting on your left foot. Focus on getting your head and shoulder around quickly.

When your right shoulder is pointing at the target, raise your right leg and swing through to deliver a heel kick.

Strike through the target with your heel.

End in fighting stance facing the target.

Tips: More advanced students can omit the initial diagonal step.

Variation: The initial diagonal step can be accompanied by a left punch to disguise it. If the instructions above are too complex, you can try this training method.

Make a regular heel kick (page 170) with your right leg.

Now cross your right leg over your left, then deliver the same heel kick. This “crossed” position exactly how you should feel during a spinning heel kick just before your leg is released. Now you can begin in a fighting stance and practice spinning (without the kick) until your shoulder points at the target (you can reach out to touch the target to confirm how far you’ve spun). You should end up in exactly the same position you were in when doing the “crossed” heel kick.