Oblique Kick Drill: A Complete Guide
Quick Intro
Oblique Kick Drill is a Martial Arts Drills exercise performed from a fighting stance by raising the knee and driving the foot diagonally downward and outward into the side of an opponent’s thigh, striking with the heel or blade of the foot. Aiming the strike downward at roughly a 45-degree angle into the thigh is what makes this a stopping kick and not a power kick.
Equipment Needed
No equipment is required. An open patch of floor with enough room to drive the foot diagonally downward is all this drill needs.
Why It Matters
Raising the knee and driving the foot along a precise diagonal angle asks for accuracy on top of the balance every kick needs. A muscle at the front of the hip (hip flexors, iliopsoas) drives the chamber, and the front of the thigh (quadriceps, rectus femoris) drives the downward diagonal strike. A band of connective tissue running down the outside of the thigh, along with its supporting hip muscle (IT band, TFL), guides the leg through the angle, and a hip muscle on the outer edge of the pelvis (gluteus medius) stabilizes the standing leg. A calf muscle (gastrocnemius) helps settle the base, the inner thigh muscles (adductors) assist the leg’s diagonal path and a muscle along the front of the shin (tibialis anterior) helps control the foot’s angle on contact.
When to Do It
Oblique Kick Drill works well within a kicking-focused session, added once basic front and roundhouse kicks already feel steady and before combinations or takedown entries. Fitting this kick into two or three sessions a week is a reasonable target.
Anyone with a current hip, knee or ankle issue should get individual guidance before adding this drill, since the diagonal angle loads those joints differently than a straight kick.
Getting Ready
Raising the knee and holding the chamber briefly, without extending into the diagonal strike yet, checks the base position this kick depends on. A few slow, partial extensions preview the full angle before full speed is attempted.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Find the stance. Settle into a fighting stance with the weight balanced.
- Chamber the knee. Raise the knee of the kicking leg.
- Drive the angle. Extend the foot diagonally downward and outward toward the thigh.
- Retract. Return the leg back to stance after contact.
How Many, How Often
Oblique Kick Drill is dosed by reps, with each full chamber-and-strike counting as one.
| Level | Where you’re at | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | New to finding the diagonal angle | 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps per leg |
| Intermediate | The chamber and the angle connect smoothly | 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 10 reps per leg |
| Advanced | Comfortable striking at full speed with consistent angle | 4 sets of 10 to 12 reps per leg |
Aiming the strike downward at a consistent angle matters more here than how hard the kick lands, since an inconsistent angle in this drill carries straight over into the live kick’s accuracy.
Modifications and Variations
As an easier version, Slow Oblique Kick Chamber raises the knee and extends the foot along the same diagonal path at slow, controlled speed, isolating the chamber and the angle without impact force.
As a harder version, Oblique Kick to Takedown Entry throws the kick to stop forward pressure, then immediately drops the kicking leg into a level change and drives into a takedown entry off the same rhythm.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Extending the foot directly forward. Skipping the 45-degree downward angle turns this into a weaker front kick that misses the intended target. The angle is what makes this kick effective.
Chasing raw power over placement. Trying to kick as hard as possible trades away the accuracy this stopping kick depends on. The same angle on each rep is the goal.
Letting the standing leg wobble on contact. Losing stability in the standing leg right as the kick lands weakens the strike and compromises balance. A stable standing leg is what lets the kicking leg deliver the angle cleanly.
After Your Set
A couple of minutes rotating the kicking hip gently in both directions settles it after a set of these strikes. A figure-four stretch, lying on the back with one ankle over the opposite knee, eases the outer hip of the standing leg.
Going Deeper
Finding a consistent diagonal angle asks for precision more direct kicks do not. The angle tends to drift toward a straight kick once speed is added. Slowing back down and rechecking the 45-degree angle on fewer reps fixes this faster than repeating a fast kick that keeps landing at the wrong angle.
Someone new to this kick generally manages a controlled, accurate angle within the first few sessions, then works toward a fast, consistently placed strike over the following couple of weeks.
How to Know You’re Improving
- A diagonal angle that stays consistent from rep to rep
- A chamber that happens before the leg extends
- A standing leg that stays stable through contact
- A kick that holds its placement once full speed is added
A consistent 45-degree angle matters more than how hard the kick lands.
Muscles Worked
- Iliopsoas (a muscle at the front of the hip, lifting the knee before the foot turns down and out)
- Rectus Femoris (one of the quadriceps at the front of the thigh, driving the downward diagonal strike)
- IT Band and Tensor Fasciae Latae (a band of connective tissue down the outer thigh and the hip muscle that tensions it, holding the leg on its diagonal line)
- Gluteus Medius (a hip muscle on the outer edge of the pelvis, stabilizing the standing leg)
- Gastrocnemius (a calf muscle, helping settle the base)
- Adductors (the inner thigh muscles, assisting the leg’s diagonal path)
- Tibialis Anterior (a muscle along the front of the shin, helping control the foot’s angle on contact)
FAQ
Why does this kick aim downward at an angle? A diagonal angle into the thigh is what gives this kick its stopping effect on an opponent’s forward movement, while a straight kick to the same target doesn’t carry the same leverage against the leg’s structure.
Is this kick different from a front kick or a roundhouse kick? Yes, the diagonal downward angle and the thigh target make this a distinct stopping kick, built to disrupt an opponent’s stance and forward pressure.
Is some hip or standing-leg fatigue after this drill normal? Yes, the hip and the standing leg work hard through a full set of this kick. A sharp pain that stays fixed to the hip, knee or ankle is different, and worth easing off and getting checked by a doctor or physical therapist.
Is slowing the kick down acceptable while learning the angle? Yes, Slow Oblique Kick Chamber isolates the chamber and the diagonal angle at a controlled pace, without the impact force of the full kick.
How often should the oblique kick be drilled? Two to three times a week, once basic front and roundhouse kicks already feel steady, suits most people building toward adding this kick into combinations.
Related to Slow Oblique Kick Chamber as the easier version isolating the chamber and angle and Oblique Kick to Takedown Entry as the harder version chaining into a takedown.