Side Piercing Kick, Side Thrusting Kick and Side Pushing Kick

What are the differences between the side piercing kick, side thrusting and kick and side pushing kick?


In a previous post dedicated to the side piercing kick, we noticed that this kick reaches its target in a straight line while applying rotational force and hitting the target with the foot sword.

The side thrusting kick is basically a side piercing kick that uses as its attacking tool, not the foot sword, but the ball of the foot. The ball of the foot is kept vertical at the moment of impact. There is slightly less rotational force, but a little more reach and/or penetration. The Korean term for this kick is yobcha ddulgi / 엽차뚫기. The latter part of the term, ddulgi, is based on the verb ddulda / 뚫다, which can be translated as “to penetrade” or “to go through” something. From this we can deduce that the advantage of this technique over the normal side piercing kick is its reach which allows for more penetration.

The side pushing kick works different from the side piercing and side thrusting kick. The Korean name is yobcha milgi / 엽차밀기. Milgi is based on the verb milda / 밀다 which means to push or shove. The ITF Encyclopaedia says that the side pushing kick doesn't employ the same amount of acceleration as used in the side piercing or side thrusting kicks (Volume 4, p. 38). Instead, it relies more on body mass which is used to push an opponent away. The side pushing kick is always done side facing your opponent (i.e. from a parallel, sitting or diagonal stance), and often done with a cross-over step. As your foot touches the opponent be sure to push, using both your stationary leg and kicking leg to press forward. Remember to lean your body mass into the kick as you push your opponent away. The attacking tool is the same as that of the side piercing kick, namely the foot sword, but because the purpose of this kick is not to hurt the opponent, but merely to push the opponent away, a flat foot would not make the push any less effective. Unlike the other two kicks, there is hardly any revolving motion of the leg in the side pushing kick. Since this kick is used for pushing, the “naturally rapid withdrawal of the kicking foot becomes less important” (Volume 4, p. 38).

In summary: The side piercing kick and side thrusting kicks reach their targets in straight lines, with an accelerated revolving motion. The attacking tool for the side piercing kick is the foot sword and for the side thrusting kick the ball of the foot. The latter gives the side thrusting kick somewhat more penetration than the side piercing kick, although the side piercing kick has more rotational force. The side pushing kick uses body mass to push the opponent away by leaning the foot sword into the target while pushing the body mass forward. The purpose of the first two kicks is to seriously hurt your opponent, while the pushing kick merely creates distance between you and your opponent.