Professional fighters in Thailand train twice daily, six days a week and competing almost every month. Many of them accumulate hundreds of fights on their record over their career as they started training as young as four or five. The push kick, referred to as “teep” in Muay Thai, can be used as both defensively or offensively.
In Thailand some fighters jog several miles every morning before starting their gym training routine. The aim is to simulate fighting scenarios, where the pad holder moves around and sets the pads up to be struck with punches, kicks, kneed and elbows by the attacker. This is done via guarding with the hands and arms to block punches and high kicks – whilst lower kicks are defended by raising the shin to take the impact of the opponent’s shin. With a centuries long history, Muaythai has progressed and is now recognised in many countries worldwide, creating a new era of a proud world history.
The banana tree was preferred because it was soft enough to not damage the fighters leg, but hard enough to powerfully strike with kicks or knees many times before it would fall over. Other than variations of punches as seen in western boxing (e.g. jabs, crosses, hooks, uppercuts), kicks, elbows and knee strikes are used in Muay Thai. Clinching, sweeps and throws are also used strategically in modern Muay Thai to make it an all-rounded combat art. Due to the 8-point contact, the sport has proven to be one of the most effective stand-up striking art and practised by many mixed martial artists.
There’s also a local annual event called Kanom Tom Day, where people celebrate his skills and love for the art. In the attempt to take Ayutthaya back from Myanmar, King Tak-sin created an army of seasoned warriors in Jantaburi. And many of these warriors happened to be Muay Thai masters of the era. For instance, Thongdee Fun-Kao (later known as Pichai, the broken sword).
- They are often passed down through generations and hold the history of the fighter’s lineage.
- So, it’s no surprise that the art contains various killing moves.
- Corners can also throw in the towel to stop the fight if their fighter is hurt.
King Naresuan introduced it to the Siamese military in 1560, marking a historical milestone in Muay Thai history. The sport’s earlier form, Muay Boran, was utilized in battles, showcasing its effectiveness in securing victories. And after so many fights, one of his dual swords couldn’t keep up and broke mid-battle.
In order to execute the single collar tie, a fighter must grasp their opponent’s head or neck with one arm while pulling their shoulder down with the lead arm. The lead elbow should lock into the opponent’s bicep and forearm to immobilize https://thenewsgod.com/the-ascent-of-muay-thai-in-thailand-a-rich-cultural-spread-and-sporting-force/ their movement. Of course, your positioning will be important when executing this strike, but you must ensure that you can cover the distance and are in range to land the downward elbow before you attempt to throw it.
Muay Thai is referred to as “The Art of Eight Limbs”; and using eight points of contact the body mimics weapons of war. The knees and elbows constantly searching and testing for an opening while grappling and trying to spin an enemy to the ground for the kill. Naturally, you will have limited attacking opportunities in the clinch as you will be up close and personal with your opponent (so ensure you have breath mints).
Here is a list of some of the most famous and successful fighters in modern Muay Thai. Nearly every city in the western world has a Muay Thai gym where anyone from the beginner to competitive fighter can train. For serious Muay Thai trainers (those looking to fight competitively) regular jogging is essential for building fitness levels that will help them last into the later rounds of a fight. The aim is to throw strikes at reduced power rate, in a bid to test each other’s skill, technique and defence – it is not a competition to knock each other out. People who participate in Muay Thai need to be in great physical shape, and need to perfect their technique with years of consistent training. Sanctioned Muay Thai fights have many rules and regulations, depending on the organisation, but here are some of the common guidelines.
Soft tissue injuries are the most common form of injury in muay Thai, comprising between 80 and 90% of all injuries. These injuries are caused by repeated trauma to soft parts of the body. During matches there is little to no padding, leaving soft tissue vulnerable to strikes. The second most common injuries among beginners and amateurs are sprains and strains. Many participants of a study admitted to inadequate warm up before the event of the injury.[29] The third most common injuries are fractures. Fractures are more commonly seen with amateur and professional fighters, because they are allowed full contact, while beginners are not.
