Like clockwork, we’re back with another episode of Kick Like A Pro! Today we're excited to present to you one of the most beloved kicks in Taekwondo: The Tornado Kick (or 360° Jump Round House). Stay until the end to listen to our pro-tip.
The Tornado Kick is a kick that lands middle level or head level. In case you are kicking it head level, you’re going to need a higher degree of leverage that you get through leaning the opposite way. But in this video, we’re looking at the basic, middle level Tornado Kick.
🧘♂️ Become more flexible: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOzQJMM8g7k
🦵Want stronger kicks?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ftV3ek2N20
The tornado kick, sometimes called a 360 jump round house, is a jumping spin kick where you rotate your whole body in the air before landing a roundhouse kick, usually to the middle or head level. It's one of the flashier techniques in Taekwondo, and it shows up constantly in demonstration teams, competition highlight reels, and black belt testing because it combines power, timing, and body control in a single move.
1. Start with a small forward step or hop to build momentum into the jump.
2. Rotate your hips and shoulders as you leave the ground, spinning your body roughly 180-360 degrees depending on your target.
3. As you complete the rotation, chamber your kicking leg and snap it out into a roundhouse kick at the moment you spot your target.
4. Land balanced on your base leg, absorbing the impact through your knee and ankle rather than landing stiff-legged.
5. Reset into your stance quickly - in sparring, a tornado kick that leaves you off-balance is a liability, not a weapon.
Spot your target early. Turning your head to find your target before your body finishes rotating keeps you accurate and prevents dizziness.
Build the base skills first. A clean tornado kick depends on a solid roundhouse kick and comfortable jumping/spinning footwork - drill those separately before combining them.
Warm up your hips and ankles. This is a high-impact, rotational kick, so a few extra minutes of mobility work goes a long way toward both performance and injury prevention.
Where the tornado kick is a big, rotational, momentum-driven technique, the axe kick is a controlled, vertical strike that relies on flexibility and precision rather than speed or spin. Most students learn the axe kick first since it's more forgiving, then build toward the tornado kick once their balance and kicking fundamentals are solid.
Ready to start learning kicks like this one? Our Kids Taekwondo classes in Cedar Mill build these exact skills, plus confidence and discipline. Book a free trial class today.
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