Yoko Geri Kekomi And Yoko Geri Keage Stepping In Kiba Dachi (2024)

Yoko geri kekomi and yoko geri keage

This is for 5th kyu Karateka working towards 4th Kyu Purple and White belt

Stepping in Kiba Dachi (horse riding stance) and kicking yoko geri kekomi (side thrust kick) and yoko geri keage (side snap kick).

Shotokan karateka always struggle with these two kicks and i believe one of the main reasons for the struggle is they try to kick to high.

Do not worry about height, a strong stamp to the knee and a fast snap to the groin is perfect!

Moving in kiba dachi and kicking takes practice to be able to move smoothly, one of the biggest mistakes when karateka practice these kicks in kiba dachi, is stopping and pausing at the half way point. Try not to stop as the stepping leg steps over the kicking leg.

The body weight should move in a continuous flowing movement, with no pause at the half way stage.

1. Starting with the left leg in front make kiba dachi (horse riding stance)

2. Step accross with the right leg and place the edge of the right foot lightly on the floor.

3. Lift the right knee, high and point towards the way you are going to kick, the underside of the kicking foot is facing the inside of the right supporting legs knee.

4. kick towards the target.

5. Push from the supporting leg, drive the right hip as you hit the target and try and kick with the side edge of the foot (sokoto).

6. Yoko geri keage is a snapping kick, so at the completion of the kick, vigorously snap the kicking foot back to the inside of the supporting right legs knee.

7. Then step back down into kiba dachi (horse riding stance stance).

Yoko Geri Kekomi Shotokan’s Side Thrust Kick

A powerful kick that was made famous by Bruce Lee, he used to call side thrust kick, ‘the stop kick’. For 7th kyu and 6th kyu we practice these kicks from a natural ready stance (heiko dachi). Then from 5th Kyu we are stepping and kicking.

In the film, Enter The Dragon, there is an excellent example of Bruce Lee combining the thrust kick with his ‘Bruce Lee Burst’, he could cover 8 feet in three quarters of a second! The famous kick is delivered during the fight with O’hara (Bob Wall), if you get a chance, check it out.

From kiba dachi (horse riding stance).

1. Starting with the left leg in front make kiba dachi (horse riding stance)

2. Step accross with the right leg and place the edge of the right foot lightly on the floor.

1. Lift the left knee high and to the front of your body, twist the ankle so the outside edge of the foot is pointing down and side of the big toe is facing up.

2. Thrust the leg forwards towards the target.

3. Driving the hips and body weight into the target.

4. Yoko geri kekomi is a Kekomi (thrust) kick as opposed to a keage (snap) kick, so there is a slight delay at the completion of the kick, as you finish the thrusting action.

5. Recover the kicking leg strongly, with the knee high in the starting position.

6. Then step back down into kiba dachi (horse riding stance).

Stepping Yoko Geri Kekomi and keage Video

Height is not important, a fast snapping kick can be used to the groin or ribs, but if you would like to kick higher then it is good practice.

From kiba dachi (horse riding stance).

1. Step accross with the right leg and place just the other side of the left leg, with the legs crossed.

2. Lift the left knee, high and point towards the way you are going to kick, which in this tutorial is to the left, the underside of the kicking foot is facing the inside of the left supporting legs knee.

3. kick towards the target.

4. Push from the supporting leg, drive the right hip as you hit the target and try and kick with the side edge of the foot (sokoto).

5. Yoko geri keage is a snapping kick, so at the completion of the kick, vigorously snap the kicking foot back to the inside of the supporting left legs knee.

6. Then step down into kiba dachi (horse riding stance).

Stepping Yoko Geri Kekomi Shotokan Karate’s Side Thrust Kick

A powerful kick that was made famous by Bruce Lee, he used to call side thrust kick, ‘the stop kick’.

In the film, Enter The Dragon, there is an excellent example of Bruce Lee combining the thrust kick with his ‘Bruce Lee Burst’, he could cover 8 feet in three quarters of a second! The famous kick is delivered during the fight with O’hara (Bob Wall), if you get a chance, check it out.

From kiba dachi (horse riding stance).

1. Step accross with the right leg and place just the other side of the left leg, with the legs crossed.

2. Lift the left knee, high and to the front of your body, twist the ankle so the outside edge of the foot is pointing down and side of the big toe is facing up.

3. Thrust the leg forwards towards the target.

4. Driving the hips and body weight into the target.

5. Yoko geri kekomi is a Kekomi (thrust) kick as opposed to a keage (snap) kick, so there is a slight delay at the completion of the kick, as you finish the thrusting action.

6. Recover the kicking leg strongly, with the knee high in the starting position.

7. Then step back down into kiba dachi (horse riding stance).