Gedan Mawashi Geri
下段廻し蹴り
Literally: roundhouse kick to the lower level
A low, arcing shin kick to the opponent's thigh; made famous by Kyokushin karate, though attacks to the legs are banned in WKF kumite.
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Gedan mawashi geri, literally "roundhouse kick to the lower level," is an arcing kick aimed at the opponent's legs. The striking surface is the shin, the target the thigh muscles. It differs from regular mawashi geri, which targets the head or torso, precisely in its low trajectory. Masutatsu Oyama taught this shin-to-thigh kick in Kyokushin karate, where the roundhouse kick uses greater hip rotation. Kyokushin favours the low kick; other karate styles use it less. In muay thai, the thigh is kicked repeatedly at the same spot so the effect accumulates. In sport kumite under WKF rules, the low kick is not used: Article 9.1.1 of the 2024 rules bans attacks to the arms, legs, groin, joints and instep, and points go only for strikes to the torso and head.