Teep Vs. Front Kick

In Muay Thai, the front kick is known as a teep but it differs from the front kicks used in other martial arts like karate or taekwondo. Both of these moves are the quickest kicks to execute in their respective arts and, in many ways, they're the kicking equivalent of a jab. That's where the similarity ends, though, as these kicks differ both in purpose and execution.

  1. The Teep

    • In Muay Thai, the teep can be executed from either leg. The front leg is generally better for speed while a teep off the back leg is more powerful. The foot is first raised to the height of the target area, usually the stomach and chest, or the opponent's thigh as a point-scoring move. Then the leg is thrust forward by pushing out from the hips. The upper body moves back slightly as you kick, but not so much that you're off-balance.

    The Front Kick

    • With the front kick, the knee is raised quickly and the lower leg snaps out to strike the target area. After the attack, the lower leg is quickly snapped back to the starting position. As with the teep, the front kick can be executed from either leg, but is more commonly used from the front to catch the opponent off guard as you quickly strike an unguarded area.

    Defense

    • The teep is better suited as a defensive move, used when the opponent is moving toward you, as the extra power coming from the hips makes it easier to stop him in his tracks. You can also use the teep to push the opponent back and create some distance, something that you can't do with a front kick. Defensively, you can use the front kick but in the same way as a jab, to control distance and give your opponent something to think about without committing yourself too much.

    Attack

    • The front kick has great versatility and use as attacking move. You can shoot out front kicks more quickly than you can teep, and less commitment makes it easier to aim for the face, which some MMA fighters like Lyoto Machida do very effectively. The teep is less useful offensively – if you're moving forward while trying to teep, it's harder to keep your balance and you might find yourself over-committed. Also, although the teep is an extremely useful move, it's unlikely to end a fight – but a front kick to the chin might well do so.