Muay Thai Kicks for Beginners: The 6 Basic Kicks

Muay thai kicks for beginners come down to six basics: the teep (push kick), the round kick to the body, the low kick to the thigh, the inside low kick, the switch kick and the high kick. Almost all of them land with the shin, not the foot, and all of them start with a turn of the hips.

I’ve trained seven martial arts over more than 20 years, Muay Thai among them, and I’m a NASM-certified trainer with corrective exercise and performance credentials. I haven’t taught Muay Thai classes, so this guide sticks to what a good beginner class covers and the hip and shin cues that keep new kickers healthy.

What Makes Muay Thai Kicks Different

Muay Thai is the national sport of Thailand, often called the art of eight limbs because it uses fists, elbows, knees and shins. Kicks are a big part of that, and the style is distinct: the kicking leg swings through like a bat rather than snapping back.

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If you’ve watched taekwondo or karate, you’ll notice Muay Thai kicks look heavier and less flicky. That’s on purpose. The kick is built to land hard even if the other person checks it, and to keep you balanced if it misses.

Muay Thai Kickboxing vs Other Kickboxing Styles

A question I hear a lot is whether Muay Thai and kickboxing kicks are the same. They share the round kick and front kick, but Muay Thai leans harder on the shin, the hip turn and the clinch, while many kickboxing styles rule out elbows and limit clinch work. My full breakdown of Muay Thai vs kickboxing covers the rule differences.

The 6 Muay Thai Kicks for Beginners

These are the kicks you’ll see in almost every beginner class, roughly in the order coaches tend to teach them.

1. the Teep (Muay Thai Jab Kick)

The teep is a push kick with the ball of the foot or the whole sole, driven straight forward into the midsection. Thrown with the lead leg it’s often called the jab kick, because it does what a jab does in boxing: measures distance, interrupts and keeps someone off you.

Lift the knee first, then extend the leg and push your hips forward into the target. Pull the leg back and set it down in your stance.

2. the Round Kick to the Body (Muay Thai Mid Kick)

The mid kick is the signature Muay Thai kick. From your stance, step slightly out at an angle with your lead foot, pivot on the ball of that foot so your heel turns toward the target, and swing your rear leg through so your shin lands on the ribs or arm.

Your arm on the kicking side usually swings down and back to help you turn, while the other hand stays up guarding your face. The roundhouse has enough detail to fill its own guide, so here we’ll keep it to the basics.

3. the Low Kick (Leg Kick)

The low kick is the same round kick aimed at the outside of the thigh, just above the knee. Many coaches teach a slightly downward angle so the shin chops into the big muscle.

It’s a lower risk kick for your balance because your leg doesn’t travel high. It’s also the kick beginners most often need to learn to check, which means lifting your own shin to block it.

4. the Inside Low Kick and the Muay Thai Cut Kick

The inside low kick targets the inner thigh of the other person’s lead leg. It’s a shorter kick, often thrown with the lead leg, and it’s useful for disrupting balance.

You may also hear about the cut kick, a low kick that chops across the standing leg to sweep it, usually as a counter when someone else kicks. It relies on timing, so most beginners just learn the name and the idea before trying it in drills.

5. the Switch Kick

The switch kick lets you throw a powerful round kick with your lead leg. You do a quick small hop or step to swap your feet, then kick with the leg that was in front.

Beginners often switch too wide or too slowly and telegraph it. Keep the switch small, keep your hands up, and practice it slowly on pads before adding speed.

6. the High Kick

The high kick is the round kick aimed at the head or neck. It needs good hip mobility and balance, so most coaches want you to own the body kick first.

Don’t force height. A body kick with good form is worth more than a head kick that pulls your hip or drops your hands.

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How the Basic Kicks Compare

Notice how they build on each other. Once your round kick pivot is solid, the low, switch and high kicks are mostly the same movement at a different height or from a different foot.

Proper Form Cues That Protect Your Hips and Shins

Most beginner kick injuries come from a few predictable mistakes. Watch for these from your first class.

1. Pivot on the standing foot. If your support heel stays planted facing forward, your knee twists. Turn the heel toward the target as you kick.
2. Land with the lower shin. The part just above the ankle is the strongest striking surface. The foot and toes are small bones that break easily.
3. Turn the hips over. Let your hip rotate through the kick rather than lifting the leg with your thigh alone.
4. Keep one hand guarding. The arm on the kicking side swings for balance; the other stays by your face.
5. Warm up your hips first. Leg swings, hip circles and easy bodyweight squats make a real difference before kicking drills.
6. Stop on sharp pain. Normal muscle soreness is fine. Sharp pain in the hip, groin or knee means stop and get it checked.

Muay Thai Pad Kick and Bag Kick Practice

You’ll spend most beginner time kicking pads held by a partner or coach, and a heavy bag. Each has a different job.

Muay Thai Pad Kick Drills

Thai pads let your partner move the target and call kicks, which trains timing and distance. Partners should hold firmly, call the kick before it comes, and agree on speed. Light, controlled reps beat hard, sloppy ones.

Muay Thai Bag Kick Drills

The heavy bag is where shins get used to contact. Start with easy kicks at about half power, a few sets per side, and build up over weeks. This gradual approach is what conditions shins; tricks like rolling hard objects on your legs mainly create bruises and risk.

How to Practice Muay Thai Kicks Without a Bag

No bag at home? You can still learn the movement. Shadow kick slowly in front of a mirror, holding a wall or chair for balance while you learn the pivot. Add hip mobility work and single-leg balance drills a few days a week.

My Muay Thai for fitness guide explains how kicks fit into a broader routine, and what to expect in your first Muay Thai class covers the gym side.

Your This-Week Plan

1. Day 1: Practice your stance and the teep slowly for 10 minutes, holding a wall for balance if needed.
2. Day 3: Shadow the round kick at body height, 10 slow reps per side, focusing on the heel pivot.
3. Day 5: Add the low kick and switch kick, then repeat the full set with your hands up.
4. This weekend: Book a trial class and ask how the gym introduces pad work for beginners.

Quick Questions

More from this series: start with my martial arts for beginners guide for the full picture, and pair your kicks with my guide on how to throw a punch.

The Bottom Line

The best muay thai kicks for beginners are the teep, the round kick to the body, the low kick, the inside low kick, the switch kick and, eventually, the high kick. Pivot, turn the hips, land with the shin, and let a good coach add speed and power as your body adapts. For what the first weeks feel like, see my guide to the first month of Muay Thai.

I’m a certified personal trainer and martial artist, not a physician or physical therapist, and this article is for general education. Kicking puts real load on the hips, knees and shins. If you have joint problems, a past hip or knee injury, or another health concern, check with your doctor or physical therapist before starting Muay Thai training.