Whether you are starting your first class or watching your first event, kickboxing vocabulary can be confusing. Here are the terms you will hear most, grouped by topic.
Punches
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Jab | Straight punch with the lead hand |
| Cross (straight) | Straight punch with the rear hand |
| Hook | Circular punch with a bent arm |
| Uppercut | Upward punch, usually to the chin or body |
| Overhand | Looping rear-hand punch over the opponent's guard |
| Spinning back fist | Strike with the back of the fist after a spin (legal in some rulesets) |
Kicks and knees
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Round kick | Circular kick with the shin, to legs, body or head |
| Low kick | Round kick to the thigh (not allowed in full-contact rules) |
| Front kick / teep | Straight push kick with the ball of the foot or sole |
| Side kick | Kick with the heel or blade of the foot, body side-on |
| Spinning back kick | Spinning kick with the heel |
| Axe kick | Downward kick with the heel |
| Knee | Strike with the knee; allowed in some rulesets |
Defence
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Guard | The position of the hands protecting head and body |
| Check | Lifting the shin to block a low kick |
| Parry | Deflecting a strike with the hand |
| Slip | Moving the head to avoid a straight punch |
| Catch | Trapping a kick (rules vary on what may follow) |
| Clinch | Holding the opponent at close range; limited in most kickboxing rules |
Rulesets
| Ruleset | Key features |
|---|---|
| Full contact | Punches and kicks above the waist |
| Low kick | Adds kicks to the thighs |
| K-1 style | Adds knees, limited clinch |
| Light / point contact | Controlled contact, points for clean techniques; common in amateur events |
Ring and scoring terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Break | Referee command to separate |
| Standing count | Count given to a fighter who is hurt but not down |
| Knockdown | A fighter touches the canvas with anything but their feet after a strike |
| 10-point must | Round winner scores 10, loser 9 or fewer |
| Unanimous / split / majority decision | How many judges favoured the winner |
| KO / TKO | Knockout / technical knockout |
| RSC | Referee stopped contest (recorded as TKO by KBN) |
Ranking terms
In the KBN ranking, a kickboxing win earns 25 base points, a KO or TKO win 30, and a loss 5. Base points are multiplied by the event level and a time value. Kickboxing is ranked separately from Muay Thai, boxing and MMA.
Combat sports ranking glossary →
Stance and movement terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Orthodox | Left foot forward (right-handed stance) |
| Southpaw | Right foot forward |
| Switch | Changing stance, often to set up a kick |
| Pivot | Turning on the lead foot to change angle |
| Cut off the ring | Moving to trap an opponent against the ropes |
| Ring generalship | Controlling where the fight takes place |
Training terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Pad work | Coach holds pads for combinations |
| Bag work | Striking the heavy bag |
| Shadow boxing | Moving and striking without a partner |
| Technical sparring | Light sparring focused on technique |
| Drilling | Repeating a technique or combination |
| Camp | The training block before a bout |
Result and ranking terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Verified result | Approved by KBN against official evidence |
| Pending result | Awaiting verification; does not count |
| Base points | 5 participation, +20 win, +5 KO/TKO win, placement and title bonuses |
| Multiplier | ×1.0 to ×3.0 by event level |
| Time value | 100%, 50%, 0% by age of the result |
| Division | Discipline × category × gender × weight class |
Common combinations, written the coaching way
Coaches often number punches: 1 jab, 2 cross, 3 lead hook, 4 rear hook, 5 lead uppercut, 6 rear uppercut. Kicks and knees are added by name. So "1-2-low kick" means jab, cross, then a rear-leg low kick, one of the most common kickboxing combinations. "1-2-3-body kick" adds a lead hook before a rear round kick to the body. Learning the numbering makes pad work and corner instructions faster to follow.
Frequently asked questions
QWhat is the difference between low kick and K-1 rules?
Both allow kicks to the thighs; K-1 style also allows knees with limited clinching.
QWhat is a teep?
A straight push kick, common in Muay Thai and used in many kickboxing styles.
QWhat does RSC mean?
Referee stopped contest. KBN records it as a TKO.
QIs a spinning back fist legal?
It depends on the ruleset. Check the event's rules.
Figures in this article are computed from the KBN register at the time of reading. View, like and share counters on this demo site are sample values.