Hook Kicks

In the hook kick, the foot of the kicking leg travels in a hooking motion. This allows the kick to reach around a guard.

The kicking leg is chambered and the kick fires straight forward, just as it is it does in the side kick. The defender will probably think the kick is a straight-in side kick and move to the outside to avoid it. However, the foot is actually aimed at a point about 12 inches from the side of the target. Now, instead of traveling straight forward, the kick begins it hooking motion.

The hip and knee of the kicking leg are pulled in the same direction the target is moving,  and do not stop until past the target. Simultaneously, the heel of the kicking foot snaps back toward the kicker's hip. The heel of the kicking foot strikes the side of the target.

The snapping of the foot backward in combination with the pulling of the hip and leg through the target, add force to the kick. Since the heel makes contact, this kick may be devastating.