How Strong Is a Taekwondo Kick?

It’s easy to undermine the power and effectiveness of taekwondo kicks as most people consider the art as just a sport filled with fancy kicks. But how strong is a taekwondo kick?

A taekwondo kick is a very strong technique, particularly the Roundhouse kick which has about 2,300 pounds of force. This is way stronger than the second strongest martial art kick which is the Capoeira kick.

Contrary to public opinion, Taekwondo is not just an art filled with high fancy ceremonial kicks.

It also has a good number of kicks that are strong enough to cause great damage to the body of an opponent.

Some of these kicks include the roundhouse kick, the front kick, and the back kick.

These kicks can however vary in power based on the person executing them.

But which of these kicks is the strongest and how strong is it compared to other martial arts with their strong kicks?

In an attempt to answer this question, a scientific test was conducted by the National Geographic Channel to compare the kicking power and speed of Muay Thai, Karate, Capoeira, and Taekwondo.

These martial arts are all known to have some of the most lethal kicks.

The experiment proved the Taekwondo Roundhouse kick to be the strongest with about 2,300 pounds of force. That’s a lot of force in one kick!

Imagine getting hit by this Taekwondo kick. One moment you’re standing, a second later you’re dead!

This kick was way stronger than the second strongest kick (the Capoeira kick) which had about 1800 pounds of force.

Here is a YouTube clip of the study to help you better understand the lethal nature of the taekwondo kick in comparison to others.

What Is the Strongest Kick in Taekwondo?

The strongest kick in taekwondo is the Roundhouse kick which carries about 2,300 pounds of force upon impact.

The Roundhouse kick is a very versatile kick that can be used for both defending and attacking.

It is also one of the most commonly used kicks in Taekwondo.

To properly execute the roundhouse kick, begin by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart.

Then raise the knee of the kicking leg so that the knee is aimed toward the target, as with a Front Kick.

You then pivot on the balls of the non-kicking foot and slightly turn the hip over so that your body is turned sideways toward your target.

The leg is then straightened to kick so that the leg shin is moving in an arc that’s parallel to the ground as you are kicking.

This is a very powerful kick that can be used to knock out an opponent or break through their defenses.

Interestingly, it is relatively easy to learn, making it beginner friendly.

Here is a YouTube clip from Howcast on how to do a Taekwondo Roundhouse kick.

Note however that while a study has confirmed taekwondo to have the strongest martial arts kick using the roundhouse kick, this kick (according to many taekwondo practitioners) may not really be the strongest taekwondo kick.

Most practitioners believe that the taekwondo back kick is the strongest even though it’s only carrying over 1,500 lbs of force upon impact which is way less compared to the Roundhouse kick which has about 2,300 pounds of force.

One cannot however deny the practical force that this back kick carries making it one of the strongest kicks in Taekwondo.

The problem however with this kick is that it is a lot more difficult to properly execute compared to the Roundhouse kick which is beginner friendly.

Nevertheless, I still believe that the Taekwondo roundhouse kick is the strongest and easiest to execute.

How Fast Is a Taekwondo Kick?

A taekwondo kick is one of the fastest in the world with its roundhouse kick having a speed of about 136 miles per hour upon impact.

According to the same experiment conducted by the National Geographic Channel, you could see that a taekwondo kick can be really fast.

The experiment showed the taekwondo kick to have moved at a speed of 136 miles per hour upon impact.

Experiment aside, Taekwondo kicks are popularly known to be one of the fastest in the world of martial art.

So, this is probably not an argument.

I mean, this explains why taekwondo practitioners are effortlessly able to perform high flashy kicks since most of them are lightweight.

Are Taekwondo Kicks Effective in a Street Fight?

Taekwondo kicks can be very effective in a street fight especially when you utilize the basic kicks such as the front kick, back kick, and Roundhouse kick, using less of the high-flying kicks.

This means that in a street fight, basic kicks such as front kicks, sidekicks, and roundhouse kicks can be effective tools.

You want to avoid flashy head kicks such as the spinning kicks as this might give your attacker the handle to barrow you around.

The truth is, the simpler the kick, the more applicable it is to a real-life situation.

So, if you are caught in the middle of a street fight chaos, stick to your basic taekwondo kicks.

Note, however, that while these kicks might be effective in real fights, taekwondo as a martial art was not designed for this purpose.

Taekwondo was originally designed as a self-defense mechanism that has transitioned into a soft vehicle of diplomacy for peace in the world today.

So, Taekwondo is made to help you avoid and de-escalate trouble, not make trouble.

So, avoid street fighting if you can, as taekwondo should not be used as a tool to promote chaos and violence.

Is Taekwondo Kick Stronger Than Muay Thai?

According to Research, a Taekwondo kick is stronger than a Muay Thai kick. A Muay Thai kick has about 1400 pounds of force compared to taekwondo with about 2,300 pounds of force.

There is almost an endless debate between Taekwondo and Muay Thai as to which martial art has the strongest kick.

Among all the different styles of martial arts, these two styles are particularly known for their lethal kicks.

But which of these two arts has the strongest kick?

This argument was probably settled in the same experiment conducted by the National Geographic Channel.

Interestingly, these two arts were made participants in the experiment and were made to perform the same kicking technique (the Roundhouse kick).

The participant, trained in the ancient kickboxing form of Muay Thai performed a roundhouse kick and generated only about 1400 pounds of force.

Another participant, a taekwondo practitioner performed the same kicking technique generating about 2,300 pounds of force, making his kick the most powerful.

In my opinion, this should come as no surprise since taekwondo emphasizes the use of legs more than any other martial art out there.

So, while a Muay Thai kick at first glance might look like the most powerful (considering the amount of aggression exerted on their kicks) the taekwondo kick remains the most fatal if properly executed.

Take nothing away from a Muay Thai kick though.

Conclusion

Taekwondo kicks are one of the most underrated kicks in terms of power.

Interestingly, it has some of the most effective kicks in the world of martial art today.

I hope you find this article helpful. If you do please leave a comment below and let me know what you think about this post.