Crane Kick

Lore & Background

In the original film, the move is first performed by Daniel LaRusso in the final match, not by Mr. Miyagi (who demonstrates the crane stance but not the kick itself). The move is famously used in the final scene of the picture, in which Daniel uses the crane kick to defeat his arch rival Johnny Lawrence in a karate match. The move is temporarily seen again in the sequel film, The Karate Kid Part II, as well as heavily referenced in the TV series Cobra Kai.

In the latter, the kick is used by both Miguel Diaz and Johnny at various points as a way to mock Daniel, whilst Daniel himself uses it in the Season 5 finale to defeat Terry Silver. In Season 4, Episode 8 ('The Fall'), Daniel acknowledges that the kick had only worked against Johnny because Johnny ran right into it. While training Johnny for the Sekai Taikai final match, the two are shown practicing the crane kick on the beach. During his fight with Sensei Wolf -- which occurs in the same location that the match had taken place at in 1984 -- Johnny does not defeat Wolf with a crane kick; he uses a different technique.

Reader's Guide

The move's effectiveness and practicality have been questioned by critics. The premise of the technique is to lure the opponent to move forward into a counterattack by appearing vulnerable. This vulnerability is created through two obvious tactical errors which an aggressive opponent would immediately take advantage of. First, standing tall with just one foot flat on the ground creates a stationary target for an opponent to strike.

Second, spreading arms wide leaves the head and center of mass undefended. It is also worth noting this kick is an extreme feat of athleticism; it takes unusual leg strength and coordination for any fighter to leap off one foot (which is already bearing all their body weight) to deliver an effective strike with that same foot. Modified versions have been used effectively in Mixed Martial Arts, most notably by Lyoto Machida. Starting from a southpaw stance, Machida feinted with his left leg before leaping off his right foot to deliver an upwards right kick to the mouth of former UFC champion Randy Couture, earning a knockout victory.

Commentators Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan immediately noted the similarity to the crane kick. In the Cobra Kai series finale, Daniel LaRusso acknowledges the crane kick's lack of practicality, noting that it was only successful against Johnny Lawrence because Johnny had been lured into running straight into it.