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Muay Thai
(Contributors: Peter Hahn - hahn@anubis.network.com,
Glen Downton - downton@pf.adied.oz.au)
Intro:
Muay Thai is usually regarded as a very hard, external style.
However, especially because of its roots in heavily Buddhist Thailand,
some consider it to have a spiritual aspect as well. Thai boxers
typically perform some Buddhist rituals before beginning a match.
Practicing Muay Thai is a vigorous workout and produces tremendous
cardiovascular endurance.
Origin: Thailand
History:
Modern Thai Boxing (Muay Thai) originated from Krabi Krabong
(a Thai weapons art roughly meaning "stick and sword"). When the
Thais lost their weapons or fought close quarters with weapons
they used knees, elbows, feet, fists and headbutting. They became
famous for their toughness on the battle field with constant wars
with their Burmese rivals. King Ramkamheng (1275 - 1317) wrote
the "Tamrab-Pichei-Songkram" - the Book of War Learning, about
the Thai war art, the basis of which was weaponless fighting.
The biggest Thaiboxing hero of Thailand is the 'Black Prince'
Nai Khanom Dtom, who was captured by the Burmese and had to fight
against 12 of the best Burmese fighters before he was released
(in 1560). The Thais are still having annual Muay Thai tournaments
in order to salute him.
In the old days the fights lasted until one of the fighters was
dead or seriously injured. There were no rounds and the fights
could have lasted for several hours. No protective gear was used
and sometimes they wore rope over their knuckles and glued some
broken glass on top of it...
Before the 1940's, Thai fighters fought bare-knuckled. After
World War II, the Thai government became concerned due to the
high number of fatalities in the ring and and forced some rules
to be used: they gave up groin shots, eye pokes, started using
weight classes and boxing gloves, and rounds. The Thais felt that
this watered down their sport. As a result, Thais place more emphasis
on kicks, particularly to the legs; knee strikes; and grappling.
These skills score higher points than hand strikes in Thai matches.
Description:
Muay Thai involves boxing techniques, hard kicking, and knee
and elbow strikes. Low kicks to the thighs are a very distinguishing
technique used frequently in Muay Thai. Stand up grappling is
also used and allowed in the ring. Muay Thai practitioners develop
a very high level of physical conditioning developed by its practitioners.
Training:
The training involves rigorous physical training, similar to
that practiced by Western boxers. It includes running, shadow-boxing,
and heavy bag work. Much emphasis is also placed on various drills
with the so-called "Thai pads". These pads weigh five to ten pounds,
and cover the wearers forearms. In use, the trainer wears the
pads, and may hold them to receive kicks, punchs, and knee and
elbow strikes, and may also use them to punch at the trainee.
This training is vaguely similar to the way boxing trainers use
focus mitts. The characteristic Muay Thai round kick is delivered
with the shin, therefore, the shins become conditioned by this
type of kicking.
Full contact, full-power sparring is usually not done in training,
due to the devastating nature of the techniques employed. Thai
boxers may box, hands only, with ordinary boxing gloves. Another
training drill is for two fighters to clinch, and practice a form
of stand-up grappling, the goal of which is to try to land a knee
strike. However, full-power kicks, knees, and elbows are typically
not used in training.
Promising children will enter dedicated Muay Thai training camps
as young as six or seven. There, the fighter will be put on a
plan aimed at making him a national champion while still in his
teens. The Thais fight frequently, and a 20 year old fighter may
have had 150 fights. Typically, half the purse from each fight
goes to the training camp, with the remainder being split between
the fighter and his family.
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