| While the roundhouse kick is probably the most | | | | - Curl the toes backwards to expose the ball of the |
| commonly used kick in Tae Kwon Do, the common | | | | foot. |
| front snap kick is a vital weapon in the art's arsenal. | | | | - Snap the knee from the chambered position in order |
| Also known as the A-Chaki, this is traditional the first | | | | to kick the target. |
| kick taught to students as it appears in the beginner | | | | - Return the kick to the chambered position and then |
| forms. This kick has great potential for the street | | | | back to its rear placement on the ground as you return |
| where it can be used to attack the groin and it has | | | | to your stance. |
| excellent tournament value since it can be easily | | | | Some may wonder if this is too many steps to |
| modified to hit sport safe targets. Of course, in order | | | | perform to effective deliver the kick. Actually, it is |
| to deliver the front snap kick properly, one needs to | | | | possible to perform several steps simultaneously. For |
| understand its basic mechanical principles. | | | | example, you could curl your toes as your reach the |
| Unlike some other martial arts, the front kick in TKD | | | | chambered position. Also, you could eliminate the |
| generally does not use the instep. Instead, the toes are | | | | posing of the knee in the chambered position. The |
| curled back to expose the ball of the foot. This is done | | | | reason the steps are presented in such a deliberate |
| because the ball of the foot becomes a striking | | | | manner is so beginners can get a handle on the proper |
| surface. Also, with a slight modification of the foot's | | | | way to perform the kick. |
| position, the heel can be used as the striking surface. In | | | | If the kick was introduced as a several steps |
| both variations, the front kick can be used as a impact | | | | coordinated simultaneously, a beginner could miss a |
| blow or a pushing technique both of which are | | | | number of important points. This would lead to a |
| effective although they each serve a different | | | | sloppy, ineffective kick that would not be very helpful. |
| purpose. | | | | Instead, learning the front snap kick in the previously |
| The process in which the kick is performed is relatively | | | | described progression is a much better starting point. |
| simple. (This is why it is introduced as the first basic | | | | Advanced practitioners are advised to combine the |
| kick beginners learn) The steps for performance are | | | | steps into one fluid motion as well as combine the |
| as follows: | | | | front snap kick with other kicks such as front snap |
| - Bring the rear leg forward into the chambered | | | | kick to sidekick or front snap to roundhouse. But, |
| position which is when the knee is directly in front of | | | | beginners are advised to keep it simple at the early |
| the hips. | | | | stages. |