How to do a Back Heel Sweeping Kick for Karate and Taekwondo

The Back Heel Sweeping Kick has been used for many years in both Karate and Taekwondo. However, it has deep roots in Shaolin Kung Fu which was the originator of most modern-striking-based martial arts. These days, it is not the most common move or technique, however, this does not mean it’s effective. In the Karate Kid film, the Cobra Kai coach repeatedly says “Sweep the leg” which is a nod to the move. Nonetheless, unlike certain, popular Karate moves – this one didn’t really take off. Below we shall examine why this was, and more importantly, how to do the Back Heel Sweeping Kick correctly.

Why is the Back Heel Sweeping Kick rare?

This is a good question. Firstly, it is quite a detailed movement that can take years to master. Secondly, it is very situational. In short, there are certain techniques that are easier to accomplish when compared to others. For example, a basic Karate chop is simple and effective. It makes sense that this move is prioritized in dojos ahead of stuff like the Back Heel Sweeping Kick. The reason for this is that it’s fundamentally sound, and can be taught to beginners. With this said, the Back Heel Sweeping Kick is not something for rookies and shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Secondly, the Back Heel Sweeping Kick doesn’t always work. That’s not to say it isn’t good, but more that it isn’t always appropriate. Basically, a lot of its entries come from the opponent throwing a big kick themselves and being reactionary. This means it isn’t a proactive attack and relies largely on timing and precision on your behalf. Even with this in mind, it’s still a good move to learn and is great for sports situations such as Karate and TKD competitions. Having said this, it’s almost never seen in MMA.

How to start the Back Heel Sweeping Kick

To begin with, it relies on your opponent throwing a big kick, it also needs an element of athleticism from yourself. Imagine someone throws a headkick such as a roundhouse kick, but its application is slow and predictable. You could counter by numerous means, such as dodging completely or even throwing a punch in retaliation. Anyway, the idea is to anticipate this kick and when their leg is fully in the air, you should crouch onto your knee.

Whilst doing this, you should also turn your body and face away from the opponent. With this said, you should now be looking away from them. As mentioned above, this move relies on being quicker than your opponent, so once you sit, you crouch, you shouldn’t hang around there either. More specifically, if the opponent kicks with their right leg, then you should crouch to your left knee. A good way to think about this is to drop to the opposite leg. This gives you ample room to set up attacks. Remember to always be on your toes for speed even before the kick is thrown.

This also requires spacial awareness. You want to be able to be in a position to sweep and connect your leg with theirs. Because of this, it’s ideal to still be close to your partner when you drop to the floor, and not back away.

How to finish the Back Heel Sweeping Kick

Once on your knee, you then want to base out on your arm to support your body, otherwise you would simply drop and not be able to complete the sweep. From here, you can target two areas to strike with. The first is behind the opponent’s knee. Basically, this is a weak spot as it hits their joints and should result in putting them to the floor. As their balance is already compromised by attempting an ambitious kick, this leg should be easy enough to sweep.

Alternatively, you can also choose to strike their heel. This is the last part of the body that connects the opponent to the floor and once again will remove their base. Either hitting the heel or behind the knee is fine, and depends purely on personal preference. To do this with either variation, you’ll want to swing your leg like a pendulum. Simultaneously, you’ll also want to keep your leg straight and connect just above your own heel. So, you should be striking with the back of your leg.

One mistake that is commonly made with foot sweeps in general is when people try to kick instead of sweep. There is a key difference between the two. This isn’t a strength move that relies on muscle, nor are you trying to hurt your opponent’s leg. Instead, you are merely using momentum and your skeletal frame to put someone to the floor. In a sports setting, you would get awarded points for a sweep. In a self-defense scenario, you would be able to stand up quickly due to having a superior base. At the same time, your opponent would be dazed after hitting the floor and would be in a far worse position to stand before you do.

The Back Heel Sweeping Kick in popular culture

As mentioned in the intro, the Back Heel Sweeping Kick is used in Karate Kid, but also has a number of appearances in video game culture too. It is used in many fighting arcade games but possibly first featured in the Atari 7800 game Kung Fu Master. This was released in the mid 80s in a time that Kung Fu and Karate gripped the USA. With this said, it’s not too surprising that there was a Kung Fu video game made in the 80s, but it is surprising to see the Back Heel Sweeping Kick featured and that much detail put into the game for the time.

Not only this, but the Back Heel Sweeping Kick has also featured in numerous films down the years and is popular in fight scenes. Perhaps due to its dramatic style, it is seen as a fancy attack that is often used in Hollywood.

How to use the Back Heel Sweeping Kick safely

There are two issues with the Back Heel Sweeping Kick that involve safety. The first is when it’s done on your training partner. You should only do this with those who are trained in breakfalling. Breakfalling is a Judo term that is used to describe the term when you fall and land on the ground. Basically, you don’t want to bash your head, or land awkwardly on your wrist and break your arm. As this involves falling backward, you need to be confident that you will land safely and avoid injury.

The next issue is for the one doing the sweep. For instance, doing this on concrete could hurt your knee when you drop onto it on the ground. This may cause chronic knee problems down the line. Another issue is that some teachers will badly teach this move against a stationary opponent. If you try this on someone who is standing on both legs, their base will be too strong and they won’t floor. With you on the floor, this could have devastating consequences in a street fight, such as getting your head kicked or punched. Because of this, it is best used correctly, or in a safe, competition setting.