Lethal Kicks

In any type of modern Taekwondo free-sparring, the goal is to out score the opponent and win the match. However, this was not the goal of the Korean martial arts that preceded Taekwondo. They were developed to incapacitate or kill the opponent. If your warrior spirit is only attuned to free-sparring, you may be defeated or even die in a life or death defense situation. It is not so much the kicking techniques that need to change in a lethal situation; it is the targets and using the right technique for a specific target.

For lethal kicks, the first target is the head. The temple areas are the thinnest areas of the skull and this will flex of break easier and transmit the power of the kick to the brain. The roundhouse kick delivered with the ball of the foot is one of most effective kicks for temple strikes. Another effective but extremely difficult kick to the temple is the jump double crescent kick, where the insides of both feet connect with the temples on each side of the head. Another vital head target is the base of the skull. An instep roundhouse kick to the base of the skull may incapacitate the opponent but a ball of the foot roundhouse kick may be lethal. A spin heel kick to the base of the skull or the temple is also devastating.

The neck is very strong since it supports a heavy (sometimes empty) skull. The side of the neck is strong but a roundhouse, hook, or spin heel kick delivered there may cause dizziness or unconsciousness. Another effective but very difficult kick targeted to the side of the neck is a jump double side kick where one foot is targeted to the  neck and the other is targeted to the chest. Another lethal and vulnerable target is the trachea. If it collapses, asphyxiation quickly results. A front thrust kick to the trachea with the ball of the foot may be lethal. A kick target at the jaw hinge may easily subdue an opponent. The entire neck may be targeted with the difficult and dangerous jump twist scissor kick where attacker jumps, grabs opponent around the neck in a scissor leg grab, and twists his or her body taking the opponent to the ground.