MUAY THAI

INSTRUCTO
R’S COURSE

The History of Muay Thai

The history of Muay Thai was lost when the Burmese army sacked and razed Ayuddhaya to the ground. With them, much of
the early Muay Thai history also went. The little we do know about Muay Thai comes from the writings of the Burmese,
Cambodian, early European visitors and some of the chronicles of the Lanna Kingdom - Chiangmai.

What all sources agree on is that Muay Thai began as a close combat battlefield fighting skill. More deadly than the weapons
it replaced. The sources aren't clear and often contradict each other. But there are two main theories. One says that the art
developed as the Thai people moved down from China; honed in the struggle for land. The other theory of the history of Muay
Thai says that the Thai people were already here and that Muay Thai developed to defend the land and people from constant
invasion threats.

The history of Muay Thai second theory, while controversial, has considerable academic backing and archaeological evidence.
The first is, however, possible as the area opened up to the early pioneers. What is known is that the history of Muay Thai was
an essential part of Thai culture right from its dawn. And in Thailand, it's the sport of kings.

King Naresuan Era in 1584

In the history of Muay Thai, national issues were decided by Muay Thai contests.
The first great upsurge of interest in Muay Thai as a sport, as well as a battlefield skill, was under King Naresuan in 1584, a
time known as the Ayuddhaya period. During this period, every soldier trained in Muay Thai and could use it, as the King
himself did. Slowly Muay Thai moved away from its root in the 'Chupasart' and new fighting techniques were evolving.

The Tiger King (Prachao Sua) Era

The change in the art was to continue under another fighting King - Prachao Sua - the Tiger King. From the history of Muay
Thai, he loved Muay Thai so much that he often fought incognito in village contests, beating the local champions. During the
reign of the Tiger King the nation was at peace. The King, to keep the army busy, ordered it to train in Muay Thai. The
interest in the sport was already high but now it took off yet again.

Thai Boxing became the favorite sport and pastime of the people, the army, and the King. Historical sources show that people
from all walks of life flocked to training camps. Rich, poor, young and old all wanted some of the action. Every village staged
its prize fights and had its champions. Every bout became a betting contest as well as a contest of local pride. The betting
tradition has remained with the sport and today large sums are wagered on the outcome of fights.

King Rama V Era

From the history of Muay Thai, Muay Thai has always been popular but like most sports, there have
been times when it was more in fashion. In the reign of King Rama V, many Muay Thai matches were Royal Command fights.
These boxers were rewarded with military titles from the King. Today the titles, like Muen Muay Mee Chue from Chaiya or
Muen Muay Man Mudh from Lopburi are virtually untranslatable. They mean something comparable to Major of Boxing. At
the time they were much prized and respected titles.

King Rama VI Era

It wasn't till the reign of King Rama VI that the standard ring surrounded by ropes came into use, as did time keeping by the
clock. Before this period, time keeping was done by floating a pierced coconut shell on a boat of water. When the coconut
piece sank, a drum signalled the end of the round.

Muay Thai Equipment History

In the history of Muay Thai, Muay Thai has always been a sport for the people as well as a military fighting skill. In all its
golden ages, the people have trained and practiced the sport whether they were King or commoner. It was a part of the school
curriculum right up to the 1920's when it was withdrawn because it was felt that the injury rate was too high. The people
however, continued to study it in gyms and clubs just as they do today.

The people have always followed the sport and have been instrumental in moving it from the
battlefield to the ring. They have been as much a part of making it a sport as have the Kings. One of the prime movers in
transforming the sport was the Tiger King, who not only influenced fighting styles but also the equipment.

During the reign of the Tiger King, the hands and forearms began being bound with strips of horse hair. This was to serve a
dual purpose - protect the fighter and inflict more damage on the opponent. Later, these were replaced by hemp ropes or
starched strips of cotton. For particular challenge matches and with the fighters agreement, ground glass was mixed with glue
and spread on the strips.

The changes that the sport has undergone have been changes to equipment used rather than radical change. For example, Thai
fighters have always worn groin guards. A kick or knee to the groin was a perfectly legal move up until the 1930's. In the early
days, the protection was made from tree bark or sea shells held in place with a piece of cloth tied between the legs and around

the waist.

The groin guard later became a triangular shaped pillow, red or blue, tied around the waist with a through strap between the
legs. The pillow went, after a boxer on a trip to Malaysia saw a groin box. He came back with the idea, which is close to the
original idea of the sea shell and since then, Muay Thai fighters have used them.

The 1930's saw the most radical change in the sport. It was then that it was codified and today's rules and regulations were
introduced. Rope bindings of the arms and hands were abandoned and gloves took their place.

Weight Classes in the History of Muay Thai

From the history of Muay Thai, before the introduction of weight classes, a fighter could and
did fight all comers regardless of size and weight differences. However, the introduction of the weight classes meant that the
fighters were more evenly matched and instead of there being one champion, there became one for each weight class.

Most Muay Thai fighters belong to the lighter weight classes. Seventy percent of all fighters belong to the fly and bantam
weight divisions. There are welterweight and middleweight fights but they are not seen that often and the heavier categories
seldom fight.

Present and Future of Muay Thai...

Muay Thai has changed across the years. Changed and evolved from a battlefield close quarters killing ground technique
based on a fighting tradition passed on from generation to generation up to the present time.

But despite the changes of history, Muay Thai has lost none of its exotic appeal and even mystique. Muay Thai is still the
fighting art to beat. The fighting art that defeats all challenges from Kung Fu, Karate, Taekwando and the latest kickboxing
fashions. They have all come to Thailand, not just once but many times and from many places to test themselves.

Muay Thai has lost none of its appeal in Thailand. The television fight broadcasts rate among the Kingdom's most popular
programmes. In the provinces, villages cluster around any available TV to watch. In the city, people disappear from the streets
while Thailand is watching Muay Thai.

Thai Boxing is also becoming increasingly popular outside of Thailand. It has its enthusiasts and practitioners in the Americas,
Australia, Japan, Europe, as well as in many other countries around the world.

The illustrious history of Muay Thai will continue as it receives greater recognition and gains in international popularity.

Muay boran, and therefore Muay Thai, was originally called by more generic names such as pahuyuth (from
the Sanskrit bahu-yuddha meaning unarmed combat), Toi muay or simply muay. As well as being a practical
fighting technique for use in actual warfare, muay became a sport in which the opponents fought in front of
spectators who went to watch for entertainment. These muay contests gradually became an integral part of
local festivals and celebrations, especially those held at temples. Eventually, the previously bare-fisted
fighters started wearing lengths of hemp rope around their hands and forearms. This type of match was
called muay khat chueak (มวยคาดเชือก). Kickboxing was also a component of military training and gained
prominence during the reign of King Naresuan in 1560 CE.

Muay Thai is referred to as the "Art of Eight Limbs" or the "Science of Eight Limbs", because it makes use
of punches, kicks, elbows and knee strikes, thus using eight "points of contact", as opposed to "two points"
(fists) in boxing and "four points" (hands and feet) used in other more regulated combat sports, such as
kickboxing and savate.[5] A practitioner of muay Thai is known as a nak muay. Western practitioners are
sometimes called Nak Muay  Farang, meaning "foreign boxer."[9]

19th century
The ascension of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) to the throne in 1868 ushered in a golden age not only for
muay but for the whole country of Thailand. Muay progressed greatly during the reign of Rama V as a direct
result of the king's personal interest in the sport. The country was at peace and muay functioned as a means
of physical exercise, self-defense, recreation, and personal advancement.[citation needed]
Masters of the art began teaching muay in training camps where students were provided with food and
shelter. Trainees would be treated as one family, and it was customary for students to adopt the camp's name
as their own surname. Scouts would be sent by the royal family to organize matches between different
camps.[citation needed]

Modernization
King Rama VII (r. 1925–35) pushed for codified rules for muay, and they were put into place. Thailand's
first boxing ring was built in 1921 at Suan Kularp. Referees were introduced and rounds were now timed by
kick. Fighters at the Lumpinee Kickboxing Stadium began wearing modern gloves, as well as hard groin
protectors, during training and in boxing matches against foreigners. Traditional rope-binding (Kaad Chuek)
made the hands a hardened, dangerous striking tool. The use of knots in the rope over the knuckles made the
strikes more abrasive and damaging for the opponent while protecting the hands of the fighter. [10] This rope-
binding was still used in fights between Thais but after the occurrence of a death in the ring, it was decided
that fighters should wear gloves and cotton coverlets over the feet and ankles. It was also around this time
that the term muay Thai became commonly used while the older form of the style came to be known as
muay boran, which is now performed primarily as an exhibition art form.

With the success of muay Thai in the mixed martial arts, it has become the de facto style of choice for
competitive stand-up fighters. As a result, western practitioners have incorporated much more powerful
hand striking techniques from boxing although some Thai purists accuse them of diluting the art.[citation needed]

In 1993, the International Federation of Muaythai Amateur, or IFMA was inaugurated. It became the
governing body of amateur Muay Thai consisting of 128 member countries worldwide and is recognized
by Olympic Council of Asia.

In 1995, World Muaythai Council, the oldest and largest professional sanctioning organizations of Muay
Thai was set up by the Royal Thai Government and sanctioned by the Sports Authority of Thailand.

In 1995, the World Muay Thai Federation was founded via the merger of two existing organizations, and
established in Bangkok.[11] as of August 2012, it had over 70 member countries.[12] Its President is elected at
the World Muay Thai Congress.[13]

Today, there are thousands of gyms spread out across the globe.

Folklore
Nai Khanomtom

According to Thai folklore at the time of the fall of the ancient Siamese capital of Ayutthaya Kingdom in
1767, the invading Burmese troops rounded up thousands of Siamese and took them to Burma as prisoners.
Among them were a large number of kickboxers, who were taken to the city of Ava.

In 1774, in the Burmese city of Rangoon, the Burmese King Hsinbyushin (known in Thai as "King
Mangra") decided to organize a seven-day, seven-night religious festival in honor of Buddha's relics. The
festivities included many forms of entertainment, such as the costume plays called likay, comedies and
farces, and sword-fighting matches. At one point, King Hsinbyushin wanted to see how Muay Boran would
compare to the Burmese Lethwei (Burmese Boxing). Nai Khanomtom was selected to fight against the
Burmese champion. The boxing ring was set up in front of the throne and Nai Khanomtom did a
traditional Wai Kru pre-fight dance, to pay his respects to his teachers and ancestors, as well as the
spectators, dancing around his opponent. This amazed and perplexed the Burmese people, who thought it
was black magic. When the fight began, Nai Khanomtom charged out, using punches, kicks, elbows, and
knees to pummel his opponent until he collapsed.

However the Burmese referee said the Burmese champion was too distracted by the dance, and declared the
knockout invalid. The King then asked if Nai Khanomtom would fight nine other Burmese champions to
prove himself. He agreed and fought them all, one after the other with no rest periods in between. His last
opponent was a great kickboxing teacher from Rakhine. Nai Khanomtom mangled him by his kicks and no
one else dared to challenge him.

King Mangra was so impressed that he allegedly remarked, "Every part of the Siamese is blessed
with venom. Even with his bare hands, he can fell nine or ten opponents. But his Lord was incompetent and
lost the country to the enemy. If he had been any good, there was no way the City of Ayutthaya would ever
have fallen."[citation needed]

King Mangra granted Nai Khanomtom freedom along with either riches or two beautiful Burmese wives.
Nai Khanomtom chose the wives as he said that money was easier to find. He then departed with his wives
for Siam. Other variations of this story had him also winning the release of his fellow Thai prisoners. His
feat is celebrated every March 17 asBoxer's Day or National Muay Boran Day in his honor and that of muay
boran's.[14]

Today, some have wrongly attributed the legend of Nai Khanomtom to King Naresuan, who spent his youth
as a royal hostage in Burma while Ayutthaya was a Burmese vassal. However, Nai Khanomtom and King
Naresuan lived almost two centuries apart.

Technique

Muay Thai match in Bangkok, Thailand

Formal muay Thai techniques are divided into two groups: mae mai or major techniques and luk mai or
minor techniques. Muay Thai is often a fighting art of attrition, where opponents exchange blows with one
another. This is certainly the case with traditional stylists in Thailand, but is a less popular form of fighting
in the contemporary world fighting circuit where the Thai style of exchanging blow for blow is no longer
favorable. Almost all techniques in muay Thai use the entire body movement, rotating the hip with each
kick, punch, elbow and block.

Punching (Chok)

English Thai Romanization IPA

Jab หมัดหน้า/หมัดแย็บ Mat na/Mat yaeb  [màt nâ]

Cross หมัดตรง Mat trong  [màt troŋ]

Hook หมัดเหวีย่ งสัน้ Mat wiang san  [màt wìəŋ sân]

Swing หมัดเหวีย่ งยาว Mat wiang yao  [màt wìəŋ jaːw]

Spinning
หมัดเหวีย่ งกลับ Mat wiang klap  [màt wìəŋ klàp]
Backfist

Mat soei/Mat soi  [màt sɤ̌j],  [màt sɔ̌j

Uppercut หมัดเสย/หมัดสอยดาว
dao daːw]

Cobra Punch* กระโดดชก Kradot chok  [kradòːt tɕʰók]

The punch techniques in muay Thai were originally quite limited being crosses and a long (or lazy) circular
strike made with a straight (but not locked) arm and landing with the heel of the palm. Cross-fertilization
with Western boxing and western martial arts mean the full range of western boxing punches are now used:
lead jab, straight/cross, hook, uppercut, shovel and corkscrew punches and overhands as well as hammer
fists and back fists.
As a tactic, body punching is used less in muay Thai than most other striking combat sports to avoid
exposing the attacker's head to counter strikes from knees or elbows. To utilize the range of targeting points,
in keeping with the center line theory, the fighter can use either the Western or Thai stance which allows for
either long range or short range attacks to be undertaken effectively without compromising guard.

Elbow (Ti sok)

The elbow can be used in several ways as a striking weapon: horizontal, diagonal-upwards, diagonal-
downwards, uppercut, downward, backward-spinning and flying. From the side it can be used as either a
finishing move or as a way to cut the opponent's eyebrow so that blood might block his vision. The diagonal
elbows are faster than the other forms, but are less powerful.

Romanizatio
English Thai IPA
n

Elbow Slash ศอกตี (ศอกสับ) Sok ti  [sɔ̀ːk tiː]

Horizontal Elbow ศอกตัด Sok tat  [sɔ̀ːk tàt]

Uppercut Elbow ศอกงัด Sok ngat  [sɔ̀ːk ŋát]

Forward Elbow Thrust ศอกพุง่ Sok phung  [sɔ̀ːk pʰûŋ]

Reverse Horizontal ศอกเหวีย่ งกลับ (ศอก Sok wiang  [sɔ̀ːk wìəŋ

Elbow กระทุง้ ) klap klàp]

Spinning Elbow ศอกกลับ Sok klap  [sɔ̀ːk klàp]

Double Elbow Chop ศอกกลับคู่ Sok klap khu  [sɔ̀ːk klàp kʰûː]

Mid-Air Elbow Strike กระโดดศอก Kradot sok  [kradòːt sɔ̀ːk]

There is also a distinct difference between a single elbow and a follow-up elbow. The single elbow is an
elbow move independent from any other move, whereas a follow-up elbow is the second strike from the
same arm, being a hook or straight punch first with an elbow follow-up. Such elbows, and most other elbow
strikes, are used when the distance between fighters becomes too small and there is too little space to throw
a hook at the opponent's head. Elbows can also be utilized to great effect as blocks or defenses against, for
example, spring knees, side body knees, body kicks or punches. When well connected, an elbow strike can
cause serious damage to the opponent, including cuts or even a knockout.

Kicking (Te)

Muay Thai boxer delivering a kick

English Thai Romanization IPA

Straight Kick เตะตรง Te trong  [tèʔ troŋ]

Roundhouse Kick เตะตัด Te tat  [tèʔ tàt]

Diagonal Kick เตะเฉียง Te chiang  [tèʔ tɕʰǐəŋ]

Half-Shin, Half-Knee เตะ ครึง่ แข้ง ครึง่ Te khrueng khaeng khrueng  [tèʔ kʰrɯ̂ŋ kʰɛ̂ ŋ kʰrɯ̂ŋ
Kick เข่า khao kʰàw]

Reverse Roundhouse
เตะกลับหลัง Te klap lang  [tèʔ klàp lǎŋ]
Kick

Down Roundhouse เตะกด Te kot  [tèʔ kòt]

Kick

Axe Heel Kick เตะเข่า Te khao  [tèʔ kʰàw]

Jump Kick กระโดดเตะ Kradot te  [kradòːt tèʔ]

Step-Up Kick เขยิบเตะ Khayoep te  [kʰa.jɤ̀p tèʔ]

The two most common kicks in muay Thai are known as the thip (literally "foot jab") and the te
chiang (kicking upwards in the shape of a triangle cutting under the arm and ribs) or roundhouse kick. The
Thai roundhouse kick uses a rotational movement of the entire body and has been widely adopted by
practitioners of other combat sports. it is done from a circular stance with the back leg just a little ways back
(roughly shoulder width apart) in comparison to instinctive upper body fighting (boxing) where the legs
must create a wider base. The roundhouse kick draws its power entirely from the rotational movement of the
body; the hips. It is thought many fighters use a counter rotation of the arms to intensify the power of this
kick, but in actuality the power is from the hips and the arms are put in said position to get them out of the
way.

If a roundhouse kick is attempted by the opponent, the Thai boxer will normally check the kick, that is he
will block the kick with his own shin. Thai boxers are trained to always connect with the shin. The foot
contains many fine bones and is much weaker. A fighter may end up hurting himself if he tries to strike with
his foot or instep.

Knee (Ti Khao)

Romanizatio
English Thai IPA
n

Straight Knee Strike เข่าตรง Khao trong  [kʰàw troŋ]

Diagonal Knee  [kʰàw

เข่าเฉียง Khao chiang
Strike tɕʰǐəŋ]
Curving Knee Strike เข่าโค้ง Khao khong  [kʰàw kʰóːŋ]

Horizontal Knee
เข่าตัด Khao tat  [kʰàw tàt]
Strike

Knee Slap เข่าตบ Khao top  [kʰàw tòp]

Knee Bomb เข่ายาว Khao yao  [kʰàw jaːw]

Flying Knee เข่าลอย Khao loi  [kʰàw lɔːj]

Step-Up Knee Strike เข่าเหยียบ Khao yiap  [kʰàw jìəp]

 Khao dot  [kʰàw dòːt] (Jumping knee strike) – the boxer jumps up on one leg and strikes with that
leg's knee.
 Khao loi (Flying knee strike) – the boxer takes a step(s), jumps forward and off one leg and strikes
with that leg's knee.
 Khao thon  [kʰàw tʰoːn] (Straight knee strike) – the boxer simply thrusts it forward but not upwards,
unless he is holding an opponents head down in a clinch and intend to knee upwards into the face.
According to one written source, this technique is somewhat more recent than khao dot or khao loi.
[citation needed]
 Supposedly, when the Thai boxers fought with rope-bound hands rather than the modern
boxing gloves, this particular technique was subject to potentially vicious cutting, slicing and sawing by
an alert opponent who would block it or deflect it with the sharp "rope-glove" edges which are
sometimes dipped in water to make the rope much stronger. This explanation also holds true for some
of the following knee strikes below as well.
Foot-thrust (Thip)
The foot-thrust or literally "foot jab" is one of the techniques in muay Thai. It is mainly used as a defensive
technique to control distance or block attacks. Foot-thrusts should be thrown quickly but yet with enough
force to knock an opponent off balance.

Romanizatio
English Thai IPA
n
Straight Foot-
ถีบตรง Thip trong  [tʰìːp troŋ][16]
Thrust

Sideways Foot-
ถีบข้าง Thip khang  [tʰìːp kʰâːŋ]
Thrust

Reverse Foot- Thip klap  [tʰìːp klàp

ถีบกลับหลัง
Thrust lang lǎŋ]

Slapping Foot-
ถีบตบ Thip top  [tʰìːp tòp]
Thrust

Jumping Foot-
กระโดดถีบ Kradot thip  [kradòːt tʰìːp]
Thrust

Clinch and neck wrestling (Chap kho)

See also:  Muay Thai clinch

In Western boxing the two fighters are separated when they clinch; in muay Thai, however, they are not. It
is often in the clinch where knee and elbow techniques are used. To strike and bind the opponent for both
offensive and defensive purposes, small amounts of stand-up grappling are used in the clinch. The front
clinch should be performed with the palm of one hand on the back of the other. There are three reasons why
the fingers must not be intertwined. 1) In the ring fighters are wearing boxing gloves and cannot intertwine
their fingers. 2) The Thai front clinch involves pressing the head of the opponent downwards, which is
easier if the hands are locked behind the back of the head instead of behind the neck. Furthermore the arms
should be putting as much pressure on the neck as possible. 3) A fighter may incur an injury to one or more
fingers if they are intertwined, and it becomes more difficult to release the grip in order to quickly elbow the
opponent's head.

A correct clinch also involves the fighter's forearms pressing against the opponent's collar bone while the
hands are around the opponent's head rather than the opponent's neck. The general way to get out of a clinch
is to push the opponent's head backwards or elbow them, as the clinch requires both participants to be very
close to one another. Additionally, the non-dominant clincher can try to "swim" their arm underneath and
inside the opponent's clinch, establishing the previously non-dominant clincher as the dominant clincher.
Muay Thai has several other variants of the clinch or chap kho  [tɕàp kʰɔː], including:

 arm clinch: One or both hands controls the inside of the defender's arm(s) and where the second
hand if free is in the front clinch position. This clinch is used to briefly control the opponent before
applying a knee strike or throw
 side clinch: One arm passes around the front of the defender with the attacker's shoulder pressed
into the defender's arm pit and the other arm passing round the back which allows the attacker to apply
knee strikes to the defender's back or to throw the defender readily.
 low clinch: Both controlling arms pass under the defender's arms, which is generally used by the
shorter of two opponents.
 swan-neck: One hand around the rear of the neck is used to briefly clinch an opponent before a
strike.[citation needed]
Defense against attacks
Defenses in muay Thai are categorized in six groups:

 Blocking – defender's hard blocks to stop a strike in its path so preventing it reaching its target (e.g.
the shin block described in more detail below)

 Redirection – defender's soft parries to change the direction of a strike (e.g. a downwards tap to a
jab) so that it misses the target

 Avoidance – moving a body part out of the way or range of a strike so the defender remains in
range for a counter-strike. For example, the defender moves their front leg backwards to avoid the
attacker's low kick, then immediately counters with a roundhouse kick. Or the defender might lay their
head back from the attacker's high roundhouse kick then counter-attack with a side kick.

 Evasion – moving the body out of the way or range of a strike so the defender has to move close
again to counter-attack, e.g. defender jumping laterally or back from attacker's kicks

 Disruption – Pre-empting an attack e.g. with defender using disruptive techniques like jab, foot-
thrust or low roundhouse kick, generally called a "leg kick"(to the outside or inside of the attacker's
front leg, just above the knee) as the attacker attempts to close distance

 Anticipation – Defender catching a strike (e.g. catching a roundhouse kick to the body) or
countering it before it lands (e.g. defender's low kick to the supporting leg below as the attacker initiates
a high roundhouse kick).
Punches and kicks
Defensively, the concept of "wall of defense" is used, in which shoulders, arms and legs are used to hinder
the attacker from successfully executing techniques. Blocking is a critical element in muay Thai and
compounds the level of conditioning a successful practitioner must possess. Low and mid body roundhouse
kicks are normally blocked with the upper portion of a raised shin. High body strikes are blocked ideally
with the forearms and shoulder together, or if enough time is allowed for a parry, the glove (elusively),
elbow, or shin will be used. Midsection roundhouse kicks can also be caught/trapped, allowing for
a sweep or counter-attack to the remaining leg of the opponent. Punches are blocked with an ordinary
boxing guard and techniques similar, if not identical, to basic boxing technique. A common means of
blocking a punch is using the hand on the same side as the oncoming punch. For example, if an orthodox
fighter throws a jab (being the left hand), the defender will make a slight tap to redirect the punch's angle
with the right hand. The deflection is always as small and precise as possible to avoid unnecessary energy
expenditure and return the hand to the guard as quickly as possible. Hooks are often blocked with a motion
sometimes described as "combing the hair", that is, raising the elbow forward and effectively shielding the
head with the forearm, flexed biceps and shoulder. More advanced muay Thai blocks are usually in the form
of counter-strikes, using the opponents weight (as they strike) to amplify the damage that the countering
opponent can deliver. This requires impeccable timing and thus can generally only be learned by many
repetitions.

Conditioning

A fighter punching a heavy bag at a training camp in Thailand

A fighter before a round

Like most competitive full contact fighting sports, muay Thai has a heavy focus on body conditioning.
[17]
 Muay Thai is specifically designed to promote the level of fitness and toughness required for ring
competition. Training regimens include many staples of combat sport conditioning such
as running, shadowboxing, rope jumping, body weight resistance exercises, medicine ball
exercises, abdominal exercises, and in some cases weight training. Thai boxers rely heavily on kicks
utilizing the shin bone. As such, practitioners of muay Thai will repeatedly hit a dense heavy bag with their
shins, conditioning it, hardening the bone through a process called cortical remodeling.[citation needed]

Training that is specific to a Thai fighter includes training with coaches on Thai Pads, focus mitts, heavy
bag, and sparring. The daily training includes many rounds (3–5 minute periods broken up by a short rest,
often 1–2 minutes) of these various methods of practice. Thai Pad training is a cornerstone of muay Thai
conditioning which involves practicing punches, kicks, knees, and elbow strikes with a trainer wearing thick
pads which cover the forearms and hands. These special pads (often referred to as pad Thais) are used to
absorb the impact of the fighter’s strikes and allow the fighter to react to the attacks of the pad holder in a
live situation. The trainer will often also wear a belly pad around the abdominal area so that the fighter can
attack with straight kicks or knees to the body at anytime during the round.

Focus mitts are specific to training a fighter’s hand speed, punch combinations, timing, punching power,
defense, and counter-punching and may also be used to practice elbow strikes. Heavy bag training is a
conditioning and power exercise that reinforces the techniques practiced on the pads. Sparring is a means to
test technique, skills, range, strategy, and timing against a partner. Sparring is often a light to medium
contact exercise because competitive fighters on a full schedule are not advised to risk injury by sparring
hard. Specific tactics and strategies can be trained with sparring including in close fighting, clinching and
kneeing only, cutting off the ring, or using reach and distance to keep an aggressive fighter away.

Due to the rigorous training regimen (some Thai boxers fight almost every other week) professional boxers
in Thailand have relatively short careers in the ring. Many retire from competition to begin instructing the
next generation of Thai fighters. Most professional Thai boxers come from the lower economic
backgrounds, and the fight money (after the other parties get their cut) is sought as means of support for the
fighters and their families. Very few higher economic strata Thais join the professional muay Thai ranks;
they usually either do not practice the sport or practice it only as amateur muay Thai boxers.

Rules
2013 Southeast Asian Games' fights (for 14 gold medals) will be ruled by Southeast Asian Muay Federation.
[18]
 Other rules are those of International Federation of Muaythai Amateur(Ifma) and subordinate
organizations (Federation of Amateur Muaythai of Asia(Fama) and other organizations recognized [18] by
Ifma (such as Amateur Muaythai Association of Thailand—Amat).

There have been tournaments where elbow strikes are only permitted in the last fight of each weightclass.

Attempt to unite boxing styles

At an ASEAN meeting in 1995 regarding the upcoming King's Cup Muay Thai
competition, Cambodia wanted to rename Muay Thai as "Sovannaphum boxing" or "SEA Boxing", which
represented Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. Sovannaphum means "golden land" in Khmer and is
written as Suwannabhumi in Thai. The name refers to mainlandSoutheast Asia in the Indian language
of Pali.

Thailand would not compromise, stating that each Southeast Asian country including Cambodia's Pradal
serey has its own boxing style and that Thailand was responsible for making its kickboxing an international
sport. At the 2005 Southeast Asian Games, Cambodia did not enter the Muay Thai event in protest of the
name used to refer to the sport.[19]

Use in other combat sports

Mixed martial arts
Muay Thai, like boxing and various forms of kickboxing, is recognized as a very effective striking base
within MMA, and is very widely practiced among mixed martial artists. Fighters (some of whom have won
titles) such as Maurício Rua, Wanderlei Silva, Jose Aldo, Renan Barao, Anderson Silva, Thiago Silva, Gina
Carano and Cristiane Santos employ a broad range of tactics born of Muay Thai. Countless other mixed
martial artists have trained in the art and it is often taught at MMA gyms as is BJJ and Wrestling.

Many techniques associated with muay Thai are often seen in MMA, such
as punches, elbows, clinch fighting, high kicks, leg kicks and knees.

What Are The Steps To Master Muay Thai?

To truly become a master of something like Muay Thai, or anything really… martial arts or otherwise. Can
be easy, as long as you know the proper steps to getting there.
And what are the keys to making improvements the right way and in the fastest amount of time?
Just think about improvement in terms of steps. What are the steps to learning? What steps do the great
martial artists take that make them so great?
It’s pretty much 4 basic steps, or building blocks to mastering Thai boxing. It’s so simple yet much of the
time it’s missed.
Here are the 4 basic steps are:
1. Learning the Right Technique
2. Drilling the Muay Thai Technique
3. Situation Drilling of That Technique
4. Trying the Technique in a Live Situation
If you followed the sequence above you’ll be making lightning fast improvements to your overallMuay Thai
boxing training.

The 4 Steps to Mastering Thai Boxing

 
1. Learning the right technique.
First you’ve got to learn the proper Muay Thai technique for whatever situation your working on.
Maybe your working on learning the proper fundamental mechanics to the round kick, or how to catch a
push kick. Perhaps you’re having trouble dealing with your opponents jab punches and need to learn how to
counter it.
Whichever Muay Thai moves your learning you need to be sure it’s the right one. Hopeful you’re
taking Muay Thai classes from a good instructor. That way you know you’re learning the best techniques
the right way. Remember that all the steps are going to be pointless if the technique you’re learning is
wrong.
 
2. Drilling the Muay Thai Technique
We now know the correct way to do the technique. Once you learn something new you’ve got to drill it,
over and over again, until it becomes a reflex and you don’t have to think about it.
You can drill the techniques in class or outside of class. I recommend both. When your not in your Muay
Thai classes schedule a time when your free and can drill these moves. It doesn’t have to be hours at a time,
maybe 15-20 minutes tops.
You can even shoot for a certain number of times your going to do the move. Say… 200 reps of whatever
the technique is.
This will help a ton and will get you dramatic results in your Muay Thai training really fast!
 
3. Situation Drilling of That Technique
What’s situational drilling? It’s something you’d use in sparring or on the Thai pads, but with a goal in
mind. That goal most of the time is to test out something new or work on trouble areas of your kickboxing
game.
Pretty much you get put in an exact scenario where you have to use your newly learned technique with a set
time limit to attack or until you execute the martial arts technique properly.
Example: You learn how to catch the right round kick to the body. You then drill it like crazy and now with
the situation drilling, you start working with a training partner in situations where you would execute that
particular technique.
You get 3 minutes to defend the right round kick — only by catching. That forces you to use and perfect
catching the Muay Thai kick only. We call those situation drills.

We use them a lot here at my Muay Thai school. You’d be wise to do the same.
 

4. Trying the Technique in a Live Situation

What does live mean? What’s a live situation? We call it controlled sparring.
That’s the safest way to test out new techniques. Sparring in a controlled environment is the best choice for
not only testing techniques, but for you and your partners safety as well.
This will give you a chance to test your technique out in the real world, or as close to the real world as you
can get.
Notice I said “controlled” sparring. Not murder death kill type training. That’s never a good idea when your
first learning to master a new technique.
Controlled sparring under the supervision of a knowledgeable instructor should be on the menu too
When you first try out a newly learned technique in sparring don’t be surprised if it doesn’t work. Most
techniques fail the first time you try ‘em. That’s just the way learning goes, no worries so make sure to keep
on trying it.
After a while if you still don’t have success with a certain technique then it’s time to toss it. Maybe it just
 wasn’t a good fit for you. That doesn’t mean the technique doesn’t work, it just didn’t work for your
abilities, body type, speed or any other reason

Drilling your Muay Thai Kickboxing Techniques

 

It takes more than knowledge of Muay Thai training techniques to become proficient at these powerful martial
arts techniques. You have to actually drill them.
They say that it takes a minimum of 10,000 reps to really understand and ingrain whatever it is your learning.
It’s no different in your Muay Thai training.
By drilling your Muay Thai moves your embedding them into your nervous system. That’s right your nervous
system. A lot of people are under the impression that it’s “muscle memory” that recalls the techniques. It’s not
muscle memory. Your muscles help you carry out the actual move. Your nervous system is what remembers
the technique.
Through constant repetition your nervous system remembers these martial arts technique and your muscles
help to execute them. Of course, the more conditioned your muscles are — the stronger and faster each
striking/defensive move will be. But speed and power are nothing in comparison if you can’t properly execute
the technique at the right time.

Muay Thai drilling

When you see these professional Thai boxing fighters land these strikes, it’s from thousands of repetitions.
They discovered the proper timing and every little nuance to be able to successfully land that particular move.
This is where your drilling comes in. By constantly drilling your Muay Thai techniques your nervous system is
remembering how you throw and execute that particular technique. Each time you throw a kick,  a punch, a
defensive movement… your body remembers how you did it, how it felt, when you did it, and how long it
took. The more you do it the better you get at the move.
Remember Bruce Lee quote: “Fear not the man who knows 10,000 moves, fear the man who knows 1 move
and practiced it 10,000 time”.
Image how good your push kick would be if you just drilled that one move for a month, or 3 months. I would
be significantly better than all your Muay Thai techniques. The problem is that we become very bored at just
doing one technique all the time. It starts to become mundane and you start drilling the move horribly. Which
 in turn makes you become a worst Muay Thai kickboxing fighter because you just did 10,000 reps completely
wrong.

Ways to drill your Muay Thai techniques

So how do you get a lot of drilling in without sacrificing technique?
Start by mixing up all the different ways you can drill these techniques. Lets just keep it simple with the push
kicks. Here are a few;
 Shadow boxing with push kicks
 Push kicks on the Muay Thai heavy bag
 With a pad trainer
 Push kicks with a partner
 Visualizing the technique
 Light Sparring with kicks
Not only do all the ways above help you to keep everything fresh, but it also gives you a different feel and look
on how to throw your attacks. Shadow boxing your push kicks is going to be a lot different then push kicking
on the Muay Thai heavy bag or the Thai pads

Beginning Basic Muay Thai boxing Conditioning

Most of my students at my Muay Thai gym will never become professional Thai fighters – And that’s cool,
there are many great ways to earn a living. However, one of the main reasons people keep coming back is for
the great conditioning they get – a natural part of all combat sports.
 Let me explain… Muay Thai fighters need a whole range of physical and technical skills to be successful, i.e.:

 Speed

 Endurance

 Power (explosiveness)

 Timing

 Balance

While no certified instructor can guarantee you win or even success as a fighter, maximizing your Muay Thai
experience necessarily means continuous work on your conditioning. In this article, we’ll touch briefly on
running and shadowboxing.
 

Conditioning With Running

What do I mean exactly?

Well, for starters, if you don’t run on a regular basis, it’s time to purchase a good pair of running shoes. Muay
Thai fighters must have a strong aerobic conditioning base, and running is the best (and cheapest!) way to get
up to speed. Three low impact runs of twenty (20) minutes per week on a high school track or in a
neighbourhood park is a good way to start.

As you build up your stamina, consider new running challenges (e.g. hills, natural terrain, stairs, distance
goals, intervals, etc.) to keep you motivated. At some point, you will have to incorporate sprints or interval
training to improve your anaerobic (high intensity) capacity. Don’t worry, though. Your trainer is in great
position to judge your progress and move your training forward.

Shadowboxing is the next, natural step for you to improve your Muay Thai conditioning. Don’t be intimidated
– all you are doing is practicing techniques on your own time, the best way is in front of a mirror, or maybe
while doing your morning jog.

Don’t underestimate the importance of shadowboxing. When done properly, a full session can come close to
matching the intensity of a regular Muay Thai training session at the gym. It is also, in my opinion… The best
practice to hone your fighting skills and make fast, dramatic improvements in your training. You don’t need to
 become the next Muhammad Ali or Floyd Mayweather, but consider shadowboxing while jogging. It will give
you a way to simultaneously condition your body and work on your Thai boxing techniques.
In a stationary position, you have the option of going beyond strict shadowboxing by practicing combinations
of punching, elbowing, kicking, and kneeing. Don’t forget to incorporate our defensive techniques as well!

In the beginning, I recommend trying one skill alone like;

 Round kicking techniques
 Single jabs and double jabs shadow boxing
 Push kick
 and shielding Muay Thai techniques
For a 3-4 minute stretch, taking a one minute break, and then doing a final 3-4 minutes incorporating all
your Muay Thai combination techniques.
Ready to double your pleasure? Consider the following six (6) shadow boxing combos when you want to take
it to the next level:
A) Jab, cross, right round kick.
B) Catching the jab and return a jab, hook, low round kick.
C) Push kick, switch knee, right elbow.
D) Blocking the round kick and return with a push kick, jab, cross, switch round kick.
E) Double jab, clinch knee, round kick to the head.
F) Lead uppercut elbow, right horizontal elbow, right knee, left elbow.
Muay Thai Conditioning
In combat sports like Muay Thai, it pays to be in top condition at all times. Professional fighters have no
choice but to train on a regular basis, perhaps five to six days a week with “two a day” sessions that would put
most NFL practices to shame.
Now, my intention is not to scare you off with an overdose of conditioning work. Obviously, beginners and
intermediate Muay Thai students will not want the intensity and drilling offered to battle-hardened combatants.
Still, there are some basic things that you can incorporate into your daily lives that will definitely make a
difference.
In this article, we will focus on two more important conditioning techniques for beginners: Body weight
exercises and Abdominal exercises.
 
A. Body weight exercises.
What could be more convenient for a Muay Thai athlete than exercises that require NO dumbbells, NO
exercise balls, and NO machines! In fact, many body weight exercises don’t require any equipment at all,
although as you advance as an athlete, you are encouraged to introduce items to increase the degree of
difficulty.

1. Pushups: A classic exercise from high school gym class, the U.S. military, and all points in between. I’ll
give you the basic description here, keeping in mind that there are thousands of variations to try out later on.
 Muscle Groups Worked: Chest, triceps, shoulders, wrist

Lie on a flat surface face down and place your hands three feet apart while holding your torso up at arms
length in the prone position. Then, lower yourself down until your chest almost touches the floor as you inhale.
At the lowest position, breathe out and press your upper body back up to the starting position while squeezing
your chest. After pausing at the top contracted position, you can lower yourself downward again to continue
for as many repetitions as needed.
 
2. Lunges: Cross-trainers, yoga practitioners and Muay Thai fighters alike swear by this lower body (leg)
exercise.
Muscle Groups Worked: Thighs, buttocks, hamstrings.
Stand on flat surface and step forward with one leg and bend down until the front knee is at a ninety degree
angle and the back knee nearly touches the surface while keeping the upper body straight. Then, push back
with the front leg to the original standing position and repeat the exercise with the alternate leg. Follow a right
leg, left leg sequence.
 
3. Burpees: Arguably, the most versatile bodyweight exercise in the world, incorporating push-ups,
plyometrics (jumping), and cardio. Best described as a full body, strength training, and aerobic exercise.
Muscle Groups Worked: Legs, Shoulders, Abdomen.
Standing straight, drop into a squat position with your hands on the ground. Kick your feet back, while keeping
your arms extended. Then, immediately return your feet to the original squat position. Jump up and return to
the original position.
 
B. Abdominal exercises.
1. Sit-Ups: A combat sport classic for working the abdominals and other core muscles.
Muscle Groups Worked: Abdomen, Hip flexors, rectus abdominus, and also work the obliques
 Lie on your back on a flat surface. Keep your feet flat on the floor and hands close to your head and
the knees bent.
 Use your abs to curl your upper and lower body off the ground, exhale as you reach the top until only
the buttocks remain on the floor.
 Lower your body back to the floor as you inhale.
 Repeat as necessary.
 
 1. Basic Plank: A combat sport classic for working the abdominals and other core muscles.
Muscle Groups Worked: Core muscles (abdominals, shoulders, back).
On a flat surface, lie on your stomach and lift your body by keeping the toes and forearms on the ground. Hold
for fifteen (15) seconds to start with. Repeat as necessary.
 
2. (Lying) Leg Raise: Strength training exercise, especially good for the lower abdomen.
Muscle Groups Worked: Abdomen, Hip Flexors.
 Lie flat on the floor with your legs extended in front of you off the end.
 Place your hands under your glutes with your palms down. This is your starting position.
 Extend your legs outward. With your legs extended and straight with your knees slightly bent but
locked, raise your legs until they make a 90-degree angle with the floor.
 Exhale as you perform this portion of the movement and hold the contraction at the top for a second.
 Now, begin inhaling while slowly lowering your legs back to the original position

Putting it all together in a Muay Thai Workout Routine

 1
10-15 Minutes of Road Work
Start with a light jog to get your heart going and to warm up your muscles, stopping occasionally to shadow
boxing for 30 sec.

 2
3 Rounds of ShadowBoxing
3 minutes, 1minute rest. Grab a set of 1-3 lbs dumbbells and shadowbox focusing on proper technique, or
practice the ones that need the most work.

 3
3 Rounds of Pad Work
3 minutes, 1 minute rest. Get a partner that knows how to hold the Thai pads and have them take you through
your favorite techniques and combinations, whilst testing your guard and defensive skills.
 4
3 Rounds of Heavy Bag Training
3 minutes, 1 minute rest. Practice your Muay Thai techniques on the heavy bag, making sure you work not
only offense, but also your defense and footwork techniques as well.

 5
Muay Thai Basic Conditioning
Reps x Sets Push-Up 20 x 2 Lunges 24 x 2 Burpees 20 x 2 Sit-ups 50-100 Total Leg raises 20 x 2 Basic plank
15 seconds x 2

 6
Cool Down & Stretch
10-15 minutes. Focus on stretching all the major muscle groups; Arms, stomach, back, neck, and legs.

The Awesome Power Of The Muay Thai Jab

As a Muay Thai practitioner, the jab is going to be one the the most important and fundamental weapons in
your arsenal. You may have been under the impression that jabs are weak but next time you watch a Muay
Thai or UFC fight pay close attention to how often they throw jabs.
 Jabs aren’t known for their knock out power but they are strategically used to set up your opponent and keep
them off balanced. I will get into exactly how they can and should be used shortly.
So for the moment consider Muay Thai jabs as a powerful tool and be prepared to invest a lot of your time in
mastering this Muay Thai technique.
 

The Versatile Thai Boxing Jab

The jab is so versatile you not only can use it on the offensive, but you can also use it on the defensive.
Still think the jab isn’t worth the time to develop? What other Muay Thai technique is more versatile than the
jab?
 

Benefits of the Jab:

 Used to set-up other powerful attacks

 It’s a fast technique

 Counter punching

 Measure your distance

 Travels in a straight line and it’s the closet weapon to your target

 Different types of jabs Can be used to stop your opponent with his/her attacks

 Used to get a reaction

 Used at different angles and confuse your opponent

 Can be used to start lots of great combinations

So you see the Thai boxing jab should not be overlooked as a weak weapon. Some martial artist claim it’s a
useless technique, but as you can see above, it definitely isn’t.
 

Types of Jabs:

 Regular jab

 Step jab
 Jab to the body

 Step back jab

 Fan jab

 Shot Gun jab

 Long jab

 Up jab

 Straight lead (vertical jab)

 Stiff jab (posting)

 Axe jab

There are many different types of jabs that you can use in thai boxing. If you would like to know more just
leave a comment below and let me know… for now I’ll just cover the basic one.
“The jab should be felt, before it is seen”

Learning How To Throw the Muay Thai Jab

Start in your proper Thai stance. Make sure your whole body is relaxed, chin is down, and your hands up.
Keep your knees slightly bent and your eyes on the target.
If your need more info on the Muay Thai stance check out my blog on the basic Muay Thai stance.
Start to extend your Jab punch. If your an orthodox fighter you punch with your left hand — Southpaws jab
with the right hand.
 

Step 1 – Extend your jab punch – make sure that your relaxed and keep your hand in a closed, but loose fist.
(imagine your holding a potato chip. Squeeze it too tight and the chip cracks) This will help in making the
punch shoot out quickly.
Remember, the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, so keep that jab going forward on its
path. It will get there a lot faster.
Key points:
* Stay loose and relaxed (can’t stress that enough)
* Keep your elbows in to not telegraph the punch
* Don’t lean forward or back. Stay in your Muay Thai fighting stance
* Keep your eyes on the target
* Chin Down
* Don’t forget to breathe
 

Step 2 – Hand Rotation – As your jab makes contact with the target, rotate the hand until the palm of your
hand is facing the floor.
This part is very important. The turn of your punch is what gives the power to your jab. By turning it over at
the last minute and clinching your fist into a tight ball, you give your jab a snapping type of motion which can
cause damage to the opponent.
Key points:
* Turn your hand over just before or right at impact
* Make a tight fist
* Palm faces down
* Shoulder slightly rised
* Hit with the front two knuckles
* Breathe out as you make contact
* opposite hand stays up on your head
* Keep a slight bend in your elbow at impact (can cause damage to your joints if you extend it all the way out)
 

Step 3 - Return your jab – To return your jab punch back and ultimately return to your Thai Boxing fighting
position, is to just reverse the technique. As easy as this might sound, this is often an over look part when you
throw punches, especially for beginner’s.
Just like when you extend your punch in a straight line… it also has to come back in a straight line.
The return of the punch has to quickly come back to the starting position just as fast as you threw it out. A
slow return might cause you to get counter.
Also try not to loop your punch. Which is another common mistake for beginner’s. Meaning… after you land
the attack, avoid bringing the jab to your hip or chest. It has to come back directly to your face.
After you hit your target relax your fist and quickly bring it back to the starting position. Be sure your ready to
move and defend after the attack.

 Common Mistakes
Not staying relax  - This will cause your jab to be slower and weaker. Imagine trying to drive your car with the
emergency brake on. Your not going to get very far – very fast! Not to mention you will get tired a lot faster.
This will help you whip out the jab with quickness and keep you from wasting any unnecessary energy.
Bringing your chin up when you punch - I don’t think I have to explain this one…
Dropping your opposite hand  - Most people tend to focus on the jab punch and forget that they have to keep
the other hand up to stay protected. So make sure that other hand is close to your face, otherwise you could get
countered.
Bring out the Elbow  - This is another mistake a lot of beginner’s have a tendency of doing. Rising the elbow
when they throw the jab. It’s natural for people to do this — It feels like you get more power, but in reality
your just telegraphing your intentions and letting them know something is coming.
Pulling the hand back  - This is by far the most common mistake. And the one that my students and
sometimes myself struggle with… Is pulling the jab hand back to load the punch. Although it adds a bit of
power, it’s something you don’t want to get into the habit of doing. You sacrifice speed and the element of
surprise. Remember the quote above… “The jab should be felt before it is seen“.

The Ultimate Goal

I would rather hit my opponent with less power, and a jab that they don’t see coming, then with a jab
with slightly more power, but can see it coming a mile away. Many times it’s the punch you don’t see that
hurts or knocks you out, rather then the one you do see and can prepare for it.

Punching in this way also keeps your opponent on their toes and off balance and having them worrying about
what’s coming next is the ultimate goal when using the Muay Thai boxing jab.
One of the biggest reasons that I love the jab so much, and that a lot of people don’t realize is the balance
aspect. Each attack should move you one step closer to keeping your opponent off balance. Both psychically
and mentally. The more I can disrupt his/her balance the better my chances are of finishing the fight.
And this is exactly what the jab does. I’ll talk more about balance concepts in another blog.

Attacking All Levels of the Body is Important to Being

Unpredictable
In many fights people typically focus on one area of attack, the face.  This is a mistake because that’s the one
place everyone wants to protect and is usually expecting.  This will make it much easier for someone to defend
and even counter attack. 
So when using combinations make sure you focus on attacking the entire body.  Give them an entire assault by
throwing a jab to the face, right round kick to the thigh and a left hook to the liver, then clinch and rain the
knees on your opponent.
 
 If you’re constantly changing levels with your combinations this will confuse your opponent and leave more
attacks open for you.
 

Benefits of using Combinations

 Wears them down

 Creates more openings

 Keeps them guessing

 Keeps them from attacking you

 Makes them lose their balance

 Help to create angles

 Creates frustration

 Looks awesome when you can throw tons of combinations in Muay Thai

What should I do to include these types of

combinations so that way I do them naturally?
1. Shadow box - When you shadow box do not just throw throw punches.  Use all of your attacks and mix
them up.  You may feel a little lost at first but with practice you will get much better and mixing it up.
2. Shadow box with a partner - Shadow boxing with a partner will give you a great visual as to where you
are throwing your combos. Make sure that you and your partner are at a safe distance from each other and you
can use different parts of their body as a target without actually touching them.  This will also give you a good
idea of how to use your combinations and setup for better attacks.

3. Work on technique not how fast you are going – It is important for you to get proper technique down
before you try to speed things up.  If your partner is a little more advanced than you don’t worry about it.  Just
stay sharp and go at a pace you feel most comfortable.
4. Hit heavy bags - Make sure you are always getting bag work in. You want to use the heavy bag and
visualize it as if it were a person you are fighting. Once again you want to use all of your weapons on the
heavy bag and constantly work on different combinations, not just one.  Pay attention to your footwork and
defense as you are working, because a lot of people start drilling the bag and forget all about their proper Muay
Thai Stance and defense.
5. Try not to use too much power when you strike - We want to throw power strikes obviously, but when
your first learning worry about how good your technique is, then power. This will prevent you from getting
tired too quickly. Practicing tired will cause bad form when first learning new attacks and combinations.
So TAKE YOUR TIME! Make sure to use the clinch too!
 

Use The Muay Thai Clinch Too!

In Thai boxing, it isn’t like boxing or kickboxing where you get ripped away from the clinch. We use the
clinch as a weapon in Muay Thai. From the clinch, it would be very difficult to throw punches and kicks that
have a lot of power.  Instead, you should throw elbows and knees constantly with good form.  Once you start
working with a partner you will see how easy it is to disrupt their balance from the clinch.
When working the clinch, try to remember not to go in with both hands at once. You should always start with
the leading hand and then using the back hand to follow up.  Your hands should be on the crown of the head so
the person can not easily lift his or her head up.
To work this in with your combinations start off by maybe throwing punches and then crash in for the clinch. 
Breathe every time you throw a strike and stay loose and relaxed.

Why Use Muay Thai Combos

When training or fighting in Muay Thai Kickboxing it’s important to have an understanding of how to use
combinations.  As I mentioned in other articles, you can use punches, kicks, knees and elbows.  These are your
weapons and can be used individually or even better, in combination.
In a regular street fight many people would probably not expect you to throw a piercing knee, or proper round
elbow.  So you may be able to end the fight with 1 or 2 attacks without using any sort of combinations.  But if
you were to come across a more experienced fighter they could very easily counter your single attacks.  This
makes it important to use your kicks, punches, elbows and knees in combination.  Doing so will catch even the
more experienced fighter off guard and balance.
So why would you want to force your opponent off balance? 
Anytime someone is off balance in a fight it is much easier to land your more powerful attacks because they
are not expecting it.  You’re gaining the upper hand both mentally and physically.  They will usually start
crossing their feet, dropping their hands (which you should never do) and even second-guess their next attack. 
They’re now on the defensive and you are on the offensive.  What sort of combinations would you use?
Muay Thai Nutritional Way
“If you don’t do what’s best for your body, you’re the one who comes up on the short end”
-Julius Erving
By making a commitment to Muay Thai and/or the Muay Thai way of life, you should also embracehealthy
eating habits, as the means to get the best Thai boxing training results.
Coming from a stressful ‘9 to 5’ job, or a full day with the kids into an intense combat training environment is
tough, especially for beginners. However, if you have yet to adopt a disciplined approach to diet, you will
quickly discover that you lack the energy and recovery ability that Muay Thai demands.
With that in mind, I’m here to offer you some great ideas about nutrition that will allow you to enjoy food and
feel better about yourself at the same time:
 
1. Drink Plenty of Water to Stay Hydrated!
Muay Thai even at the beginner’s level means a 1-2 hour session packed with punches, kicks, striking and
training outside the squared circle (i.e. running, shadowboxing). As a result, you need to drink water to replace
the fluids lost through sweating and to help flush out waste (toxins) from your body.
There are no hard and fast rules for how much water to drink daily, but you should definitely have access to it
at your Muay Thai gym. Depending on your past experiences in sports, you may also want to add some sugar
(glycogen replacement) and salt to help replace lost electrolytes that are vital for explosive muscle
contractions.
Don’t forget to drink a glass of water with every meal at home, too!
 
2. Good Carbohydrates and Good Protein.
Carbohydrates are what give you the energy (glycogen stores in your muscles) to push through any demanding
Muay Thai session. Give yourself at least ninety (90) minutes to consume a wholesome pre-workout meal that
includes the following:
Fresh fruits, eggs, nuts, and low fat yogurt.
Protein is the main building-block of muscle recovery and repair between training sessions. We recommend
low fat or skimmed milk, plain Greek yogurt, lean meat (e.g. chicken or turkey breast), or if really pressed for
time, real protein bars – not those candy bars at the supermarket that pretend to be protein bars.
After long and especially intense Muay Thai workouts, as weird as it sounds… Chocolate milk is a good
option immediately afterwards to speed up recovery (i.e. within thirty (30) minutes of completion).
Ricotta cheese with various green vegetables serves as a great snack to end the day for folks who usually work
out on evenings.
 

3. Discover Healthy Thai Food.

While not as well known as the Paleo, Mediterranean, Wheat Belly or other diets, eating Thai food will bring
you a bit closer to the ways of the original fighting warriors.
Not that you need to abandon traditional American cuisine, but Thai food is known for helping to keep regular
folks lean and in fighting shape.
Thai meals are often centred on scented white rice, and can also include seafood (e.g. fish, prawns), poultry,
fresh vegetables (e.g. Thai basil, cabbage, mushrooms, chili) and fruits (e.g. papaya, mangosteen, pineapple).
Note the lack of emphasis on red meat.
Using these tips can make the right choices to keep your body and your mind functioning at maximum levels
all day long. Train hard, eat smart, and domination the competition.

Muay Thai Clinching

The Muay Thai clinch is another aspect of this fighting system that separates it from all other martial arts.
Clinching is executed in the closest range for stand up fighting.
 Balance and control is the most important aspect when fighting at this range.
 

Controlling your opponent from the clinch and landing short attacks ie. punches, knees, elbows, and sweeps is
the ultimate goal when grappling in this close range position. This can only really be mastered through feeling
out and reacting with your opponents movements, and attacks.
Practicing with a partner in the clinch is the best way to really master controlling the movements of the
opponent and clinching technique from this close-range position. Through constant training you’ll be able to
build great cardiovascular endurance, develop timing, and position yourself for whatever attack or defense is
needed for the situation.
 

Muay Thai Body Lock Escape

In this technique we will cover how to escape the body lock clinch, when the opponent has both hands
underneath.
The biggest problem with an opponent having double under hooks or the body lock… Is that they can have
greater control over you and can easily take you down. This is also an uncomfortable position where they can
attack with a variety of different knee strikes.
This escape will keep you from getting put down and will help stop your opponent from banging you up with
curve knees to the thighs and ribs. Remember, we always want to take the least amount of damage, while
escaping this terrible position.
 

How to escape the body Lock

1. He has you in the double under hooks or body lock position.

 Secure the right leg instep on the inside of his left thigh to create a hook. (If I don’t have the hook in,
when I come over the top, he is just going to come around to your back).

 Grab the back of his neck with your right hand and squeeze your elbow in between the body (if you
can) to create space and pressure on the opponent.

 Place your left hand on the hip or get a over hook.

 Rotate your right arm over the top and around to the right side of his head. Turning your body clock-
wise to your right.

2. Keep good balance on your supporting right leg

 Start to rotate clock-wise, as you press his head down with pressure in the same direction with your
right arm.

 Extend your right hook on his thigh to create more pressure, so it will be a lot harder for him to hold
on.

3. Once the grip is released, place your right foot on the ground

 Move your hips back and step back with the right leg.

 Keep your body weight on your opponent.

 Now you have the ability to counter with knee strikes.

 

Common Mistakes
Not putting in a hook – The main reason for placing the hook on the thigh is to create space and take away
his balance. Also not using the hook will give your opponent a chance to come around to your back. Leaving
you exposed for strikes and sweeps.
Keeping Balance - Balance is very important in this position. Remember, you are only on one leg and can
easily be taken down. Secure a good balance point with your support leg… you might even need to hop around
with your leg to maintain a strong base and balance.
Creating pressure on the head - Once your ready to rotate the body when your arm is on the other side of the
head, it’s important that there is a lot pressure coming down on top to break the grip and bring him down.