Wudang Kicking Methods

The following list are taken from the "36 Kicks of Wudang" set. These 21 kicks are the standard kicks, while the remaining 15 are example combinations. Since the kicks are named based on their translations from Chinese, many people have a hardtime with the names. I even learned them all visually without names, so I tend to use the standard American names from time-to-time. The list here offers the names we use in classes at Spring & Autumn Martial Arts, along with their general western name.

1. Straight Kick (limbering kick)
2. Outside Kick (outside the hip limbering kick)
3. Cross Kick (across-the-body limbering kick)
4. Inward Face Scraping Kick (limbering inside crescent kick)
5. Outward Face Scraping Kick (limbering outside crescent kick)
6. Heart Bending Kick (chest-height push kick / foot jab)
7. Heart Smashing Kick (outside crescent pushing kick)
8. Low Side Stamp (mid-height side kick)
9. Flicking Kick (snap kick / front kick)
10. Chopping Kick (axe kick)
11. Side Pressing Kick (high/upward side kick)
12. Open Side Kick (roundhouse kick)
13. Arcing Side Kick (front leg hook kick)
14. Leaping Flicking Kick (double jumping front kick)
15. Leaping Heart Bending Kick (jumping snap-push kick)
16. Tornado Kick (inside crescent + jump spinning inside crescent)
17. Small Lifting Kick (monkey kicks, high hooking sweeps)
18. Sweeping Kick (forward or backward dragon sweeps)
19. Reverse Kick (spinning hook kick)
20. Leaping Stamping Kick (jumping front-side kick)
21. Open Double Flying Kick (twin jumping front kick, wide)

A few other kicks we use are listed below:

1. Back Lifting Kick (fan kick) 
2. Lifting Stamping Kick (fan kick into side kick)
3. Back Stamping Kick (back side kick)
4. South-East Kick (jump spinning outside crescent kick)
5. Closed Double Flying Kick (twin jumping front kick, narrow)
6. Bicycle Kick (triple(+) jumping front kick)
7. Ankle Cutting Kick (side kick while sinking)
8. Hooking the Leg Kick (small crescent, pulling the foot in)
9. Downward Smashing Kick (turned-over downward snap kick)
10. Knee Bending Kick (instep foot jab to the knee)
11. Arcing Stamping Kick (side kick thrown across the body)

There are many variations of each kick. Also, many creative kicks are not listed here when it comes to striking methods. But these listed cover a vast array of body mechanics, to help a student learn to generate force through leg strikes and turning the hip into the kicks.