The standing wushu lotus kick (bai tui) is a jump kick commonly performed after front sweeps in longfist forms. When practicing the standard wushu lotus kick (with a run-up), it’s helpful to include a few standing lotus kicks as a warm-up.
In this lesson, you'll learn how to perform the standing lotus kick with 360°, 540°, and 720° rotations. This kick can also be executed while holding a wushu weapon in the right hand.
Find more wushu skills at Wushu Main.
Start by standing with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Extend your arms in front of you, fingers pointing upward. Look straight ahead and keep your back upright.
The strike-out is essential for the standing lotus kick. Move both hands to your left hip and bend your knees slightly. Twist your upper body a few degrees counterclockwise—but keep your eyes and head facing forward. Your upper body must stay vertically aligned. Do not lean forward, backward, or sideways—even slightly. Any tilt will affect your vertical jump and ruin the landing.
Tip: Keep your head aligned with your spine. If you look down or to the side, you may bend your back unintentionally.
Jump straight up from both feet simultaneously. If one foot leaves the ground before the other, your strike-out was incorrect. Your spine should form a perfectly vertical line.
As you jump, throw your hands upward, keeping them close to your body.
Rotate clockwise and kick your extended right leg upward. Slap your foot with your hands. Your upper body must stay upright and straight, with your hips compact (not extended).
There are two variations for hand movement during the kick:
Quickly pull the kicking leg back down and bring your arms and legs as close to the rotation axis as possible—ideally before reaching the peak of the jump. This increases momentum and speeds up the spin. With a fast kick and proper form, 540° or 720° rotations are achievable.
As noted earlier, there are two ways to position your hands during rotation:
Land in a wushu horse stance, with both feet touching the ground simultaneously. This is the standard landing for the standing lotus kick. Immediately punch to the right and raise your left arm overhead with elbows extended (as shown in the illustration). Look to your right.
If one foot lands before the other, your rotation wasn’t vertical.
Landing on the left foot first is incorrect. Landing on the right foot first can be acceptable, but only if your jump and rotation were still vertically aligned.
You should land in exactly the same spot where you took off.
Try this training exercise:
Caution: Do not look down at the floor while jumping!
