Kick Like A Pro #8: How to Do a Taekwondo Axe Kick, Step by Step

Here we are with Episode 8 of our Kick Like A Pro series with more Taekwondo tips for beginners! Today, we’re showing you how to do an Axe Kick.

The Axe Kick is a head-level kick that you land with the bottom of your foot, heel included. It can be done attacking or countering, with the back leg or front leg. Today we’re looking at the basic Axe Kick, done with the back leg. It’s one of the easiest kicks to learn in Taekwondo.

What Is an Axe Kick (Naeryeo Chagi) in Taekwondo? The axe kick, or naeryeo chagi, is a technique where the leg is raised straight up and then dropped sharply downward, striking with the heel or the bottom of the foot. Unlike kicks that drive forward through a target, the axe kick works vertically, which makes it deceptively simple to learn but genuinely difficult to defend against. It’s a staple in both sparring and forms (poomsae).

How to Do a Taekwondo Axe Kick, Step by Step: start in a ready stance with your weight balanced and your hands up in guard position; chamber your kicking leg by lifting your knee, then extend the leg straight up toward your target, keeping it as close to vertical as your flexibility allows; at the top of the kick, snap your leg downward, striking with your heel or the bottom of your foot; land with control and immediately reset into your stance; practice slow and controlled before adding speed, since the axe kick relies on precision, not power.

Three common mistakes: bending the knee too early, which robs the kick of height and snap; losing balance on the standing leg, since the axe kick’s vertical motion puts all the stabilizing work on your base leg; and telegraphing the kick by dropping your hands or leaning back before you kick.

In sparring, the axe kick works best as a counter when an opponent closes distance predictably, or as a feint that sets up a follow-up technique. In forms and testing, it’s a common marker of technical control. It also pairs naturally with kicks like the tornado kick, a great next step once the axe kick feels 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.