| has gloss | eng: : For the swimming technique, see Butterfly stroke. A butterfly kick or horse kick (xuànzi 旋子 circle) is a kick featured within many disciplines of martial arts, but originally practiced in Chinese martial arts, in particular modern wushu. It is so named because as the legs reach the apex of their arc the arms are stretched out, leaving all limbs extended in a position similar to that of a butterflys wings in-flight (however, note that the original Chinese word for this technique contains no references to butterflies or kicks). Although the specific nature of the kick varies, it is generally composed of a twist of the body while both legs are lifted from the ground and swung around, while the torso remains as horizontal as possible. It is an advanced maneuver that requires the use of the whole body and the strike can occur with either leg. |
