Jumping Roundhouse Kick: A Complete Guide
Quick Intro
Jumping Roundhouse Kick is a Martial Arts Drills exercise performed by loading and jumping off the standing leg while simultaneously chambering and extending the kicking leg through a roundhouse arc mid-air, then landing balanced. Building the jump height from both legs before the kick fires is what keeps this kick high and controlled.
Equipment Needed
No equipment is required. An open patch of floor with enough overhead and surrounding space for a full jump is all this drill needs.
Why It Matters
Producing height, chambering the kick and landing balanced all have to come together in the brief time the body spends in the air. The largest glute muscle (gluteus maximus) and a muscle at the front of the hip (hip flexors, iliopsoas) drive the jump, and the front of the thigh (quadriceps, rectus femoris) extends the kicking leg through the arc. A calf muscle (gastrocnemius) and a deeper calf muscle (soleus) power the push off the floor, and a muscle along the outside of the hip (IT band, TFL) stabilizes the standing leg before liftoff. The muscles along the sides of the abdomen (obliques) control the rotation mid-air, and a muscle at the back of the thigh (hamstrings, biceps femoris) absorbs the landing.
When to Do It
Jumping Roundhouse Kick works well within a kicking-focused session, added once the standard roundhouse kick already feels steady without a jump. Two sessions a week is a reasonable pace, since the repeated jumping and landing carries a high impact.
Anyone with a current knee, ankle or hip issue should get individual guidance before adding this drill, since both the takeoff and the landing put repeated impact through all three.
Getting Ready
A few standing jumps without any kick yet check the takeoff and landing this drill depends on. A couple of kicks at reduced height preview the full motion before a complete rep at full height is attempted.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Load the legs. Bend both knees to build spring before the jump.
- Jump and chamber. Drive off both legs while bringing the kicking leg up and across.
- Extend the kick. Snap the kicking leg through the roundhouse arc at the peak of the jump.
- Land balanced. Land with bent knees, ready to move immediately.
How Many, How Often
Jumping Roundhouse Kick is dosed by reps, with each full jump-and-kick counting as one.
| Level | Where you’re at | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | New to combining the jump with the kicking motion | 3 sets of 3 to 4 reps per side |
| Intermediate | The jump and the kick connect with a controlled landing | 3 to 4 sets of 4 to 6 reps per side |
| Advanced | Comfortable landing balanced after a full-height kick | 4 sets of 6 to 8 reps per side |
Landing with bent knees ready to move matters more here than how high any single jump goes, since a kick with great height but a flat-footed landing leaves no room to react to whatever comes next.
Modifications and Variations
As an easier version, Roundhouse Kick — Ground Based performs the same roundhouse motion from a stable stance with no jump, isolating the hip rotation and pivot.
As a harder version, Jumping Roundhouse — Combination Entry enters this jumping kick off the back of a hand combination or step, disguising the jump within forward pressure.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Relying on the kicking leg alone for height. Trying to get airborne mostly from the kicking leg leaves the kick short on height and timing. Both legs drive the takeoff before the kick chambers.
Landing flat-footed and stiff. Coming down without bending the knees sends the full landing force straight up through the joints. The knees bend on contact to absorb that impact and keep the body ready to move.
Chambering the kick too late in the jump. Waiting until near the top of the jump to start bringing the leg up rushes the extension and costs accuracy. The chamber begins the moment the feet leave the floor.
After Your Set
A few slow hip circles on the kicking side release the hip after repeated jumps. A kneeling calf stretch, the back knee bent slightly while the heel stays pressed to the floor, eases the calves that drove each takeoff.
Going Deeper
Adding a jump tests whether the roundhouse kick’s hip rotation and pivot hold up, since an airborne landing exposes balance problems a grounded kick can mask. The landing tends to arrive stiff and off balance even once the kick connects well. Dropping the jump height and rebuilding a soft, controlled landing before chasing height again fixes this faster than repeating a high jump that keeps landing rough.
Someone new to this kick generally manages a modest jump with a controlled landing within the first few sessions, then works toward full height with a consistently balanced landing over the following couple of weeks.
How to Know You’re Improving
- A jump driven by both legs
- A chamber that begins the instant the feet leave the floor
- A landing that comes down with bent knees, ready to move immediately
- A kick that holds its accuracy as the jump height increases
A soft, balanced landing matters more than how high the jump reaches.
Muscles Worked
- Gluteus Maximus (the largest glute muscle, extending the standing hip to launch the jump)
- Iliopsoas (the hip flexor group at the front of the hip, chambering the kicking knee while airborne)
- Rectus Femoris (a front thigh muscle that crosses both the hip and knee, extending the shin through the arc in mid-air)
- Gastrocnemius (a calf muscle, delivering the final push off the standing foot)
- IT Band and Tensor Fasciae Latae (a band of connective tissue running down the outside of the thigh, loaded on the standing hip before liftoff)
- Obliques (the muscles along the sides of the waist, turning the body over with nothing on the ground to push against)
- Biceps Femoris (a muscle at the back of the thigh, absorbing the landing on the way down)
- Soleus (a deeper calf muscle beneath the gastrocnemius, taking the landing force through the ankle)
FAQ
Why does the jump need to come from both legs? Loading and driving off both legs gives the body height to work with before the kick starts, while relying on the kicking leg alone leaves little spring once it also has to extend into the target.
Is this harder than the standard roundhouse kick? Yes, adding a jump and a balanced landing on top of the same hip rotation and pivot mechanics asks for more coordination and power than performing the kick from the ground.
Is some knee or ankle fatigue after this drill normal? Yes, a worked feeling through the legs and the ankles after a full set of jumps is expected. A sharp pain in either joint that lingers after the session is worth a visit to a doctor or physical therapist.
Does the grounded kick come before the jump? Yes, Roundhouse Kick — Ground Based isolates the hip rotation and pivot, which is worth having solid before the jump is added.
How often should the jumping roundhouse be trained? Two sessions a week, given the repeated impact of the landing, suits most people building toward this kick.
Related to Roundhouse Kick — Ground Based as the easier version with no jump and Jumping Roundhouse — Combination Entry as the harder version entered off a combination.