Savate Kicks
Fencing with the feet.
Savate kicks – unlike those in kickboxing, Thai boxing or MMA – are delivered with the boot. Students learn to use each part of the shoe as a weapon.
Demonstration
Fouetté
Literally ‘Whip’ kick. The kicking action is made around the knee joint. Striking with: toes or top of the shoe, foot extended. The final trajectory must be lateral. (Never swung forwards).
Chassé
Literally to ‘drive away’. Stamping using a piston action and hitting at full extension, using the heel to keep an opponent at distance.
Lateral: hips sideways on.
Frontal: hips front facing.
Revers
Reverse kick. The reverse arc of the fouetté from outside-in, striking with sole or blade of the shoe.
Lateral: hips sideways on.
Frontal: hips front facing.
Coup de pied bas (balayage)
Literally low strike (sweep). Either striking forwards or outside-to-inside. Can be used to upend an opponent’s. Striking with: inside blade of the shoe, below the knee of the adversary.
Kicks may only strike with the shoe: shins and knees are forbidden. The line is important and certain trajectories are not allowed. Emphasis is placed on kicks over punches in Savate – and competition rules encourage this.
The Federation International publishes a rule book which describes legal Savate technique (French language, external link).