This is the one. The kick that made me want to do Taekwondo in the first place. The spinning hook kick (dwi huryeo chagi) arcs past the target and then hooks back to catch it with the heel, usually to the head. When it lands clean it is the most satisfying thing in the sport and it is worth five points if it is a turning head kick under the (y-) modern rules.
It is harder than the (y-) back kick, so learn that one first. Shared mechanics live in (y-) The Complete Guide.
(y-) Mental Model
The difference from a back kick is one word: hook. A back kick thrusts straight and stops. A hook kick sends the leg past the target with a nearly straight leg, then bends the knee to whip the heel back through it. Think of your leg as a scythe: it swings wide, and the cutting edge (your heel) catches the target on the way back, not on the way out.
You are not trying to hit them on the arc out. You are aiming to just miss in front of their face, then hook the heel back into it.
(y-) The Step-by-Step
Orthodox stance, left foot forward.
- Pivot the front foot. Rotate on the ball of the lead foot, toes turning across your body, hips beginning to open away.
- Turn and spot. Wind the head and shoulders around and lock the target over your shoulder. Spotting matters even more here because the leg travels much farther.
- Extend the leg across. Swing the kicking leg out and around at head height with the knee fairly straight. The heel arcs past the target, just in front of their face.
- Hook the heel back. At the moment the leg passes the target, snap the knee to whip the heel back through the target line. The strike lands with the heel or the sole.
- Follow the rotation down. Let the momentum carry you around and set the leg down, landing balanced and facing the opponent.
(y-) Key Details
- Height first, then hook. Get the leg up to head height on the way out. If your extension is low, the hook has nothing to catch. This is where flexibility becomes non-negotiable, see the (y-) splits progression.
- Straight-ish leg out, bent leg back. The leg goes out long to clear the guard, then bends sharply to generate the hooking whip. All out-straight is a wheel kick; no bend is a miss.
- The heel is the blade. Contact is heel or the back of the sole. Never the toes.
- Chin over the standing foot. The urge is to lean away to get height. Fight it. Leaning drops your head off the axis and you spin out of control. Stay tall and use hip mobility for the height instead.
- Aim to miss, then catch. Target a point just in front of the target on the extension. The hook does the actual landing.
(y-) Progression Drills
| Stage | Drill |
|---|---|
| 1 | Standing hook, no spin. From a side-on stance, practice just the extend-and-hook of the leg at a paddle. Learn the whip before adding rotation. |
| 2 | Slow-motion full spin. Walk through all five steps against no target at quarter speed. Groove the arc and the spot. |
| 3 | Balloon or high paddle. Partner holds a target at head height. Spin and hook it. The high target forces real extension. |
| 4 | Wall-facing balance. Do the kick slowly next to a wall you can touch for balance, removing it as you improve. Builds the standing-leg control. |
| 5 | Off a fake. Throw a low roundhouse to pull the guard down, then spinning hook kick over the top to the head. This is how it lands on a live opponent. |
(y-) Where It Wins in Sparring
The spinning hook kick is a head-hunter that comes around the guard. Straight kicks get blocked by a front-facing guard; the hook arcs in from the side where the hands are not. It is highest-percentage as a counter when an opponent over-commits forward and freezes, or off a fake that drops their hands. It is high risk: miss it and your back is turned, so pick your moment. Study how CJ Nickolas hides spins inside pressure in (y-) Sparring.
(y-) Common Mistakes
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Leg too low to hook | Prioritize kick height. Warm up the (y-) hips and hamstrings first. |
| Leaning back for height | Stay stacked on your axis; get height from hip mobility, not a backbend. |
| Straight leg all the way (wheel) | Remember to snap the knee back at the target. The bend is the hook. |
| Kicking on the arc out | Aim to miss in front, then catch on the way back. |
| Spinning out of control | Slow down and spot. Speed comes after the path is grooved. |
Sources
(y-) Spinning Kicks Guide | (y-) Spinning Back Kick | (y-) Spin Drills
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