How to Speed Up Your Roundhouse Kicks in Muay Thai: Tips and Drills

When it comes to Muay Thai, speed is just as important as power—especially when it comes to your roundhouse kicks. Whether you’re a beginner or seasoned fighter, improving the speed of your kicks can be a game-changer in the ring. In this blog post, I'll break down some essential tips to help you kick faster and more effectively, based on my experience training fighters and students. Plus, stick around for a video where I’ll guide you through the drills in action!

Start from the Ground Up: Building Speed from Your Ankles

Speeding up your kicks doesn’t start with your leg swing—it starts from the ground, specifically your ankles and Achilles tendon. If you can push off the ground faster, your entire body moves more quickly, sending your kick to its target in a fraction of the time.

Two great exercises to work on this are:

1. Weighted Step-Ups: Using dumbbells, take your back foot past your hip line and bounce off your back leg. This movement is explosive and trains your body to push off faster.

​2. Jump Rope: Skipping rope is a classic in Muay Thai training for a reason. Not only does it strengthen your calves, ankles, and Achilles, but it also builds the explosive power you need for faster kicks.

You can learn more about strengthening your Achilles in this video, which I cover in-depth. (I also share a drill that works wonders for kick speed!)

Hip Mobility: The Key to Faster Rotations
Once you've mastered footwork and pushing off the ground, it’s time to focus on your hips. Quick and smooth hip rotations are essential for speeding up your roundhouse kicks.

One of my favorite hip drills, which I picked up from a student who had trained in Thailand, involves pivoting hard on the balls of your feet and rotating your hips forward. Not only does this drill help improve speed, but it also strengthens your core and helps with overall balance. Here’s how to do it:

• Start in a marching stance, twist hard, and pivot your hips forward.
• Pivot both feet or use a step to replicate a switch kick.

It’s a simple drill, but the long-term benefits are huge! Watch this movement in action in the video below.

• Speed Kicking Drills: Heavy Bag & Partner Training

When it comes to kicking faster, the heavy bag is your best friend. Speed kicking drills on the bag are a great way to build muscle memory and practice rapid kicks in a controlled environment. Here are a few drills I use with my students:
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• Teep to Roundhouse Drill: Start with a foot tap or teep to initiate movement, then throw a roundhouse kick. This helps get your body used to quick, successive movements.
• Speed Kicks in Sets: Start by throwing two quick roundhouse kicks, rest for a second, then throw two more. Gradually increase the number of kicks—go for two, four, six, and so on, until you hit a set goal like 20 kicks per leg.
• Timed Speed Kicking: Set a timer for one or two minutes and kick non-stop as fast as you can. This builds endurance and trains your body for fast combinations during sparring or a fight.

If you're working with a partner, you can also do these drills on pads, or compete to see who can throw the fastest set of kicks!

Bonus Tip: Use Resistance Bands
For an extra boost in both speed and power, try incorporating resistance bands into your training. This adds resistance to your kicking motion, forcing your muscles to work harder and adapt to the extra strain. Over time, when you remove the bands, your kicks will feel faster and more explosive.

I’ve done two videos on how to use resistance bands to improve your Muay Thai roundhouse kicks. Check them out on my YouTube channel to see how adding resistance bands a few times a week can lead to serious results.

Watch the Full Video for More Drills and Tips

In my latest video, I dive deeper into these exercises and demonstrate the techniques I use with my fighters and students to help them improve their kick speed. Watch the video here and give these tips a try in your next training session!

Got any tips or exercises that helped you speed up your kicks? Drop a comment below or shoot me a message. Let’s get better together!