Whats it like?

I'm just a young 15 year old punk with a yellow belt in karate. I have watched some MT on tv and too me it didnt look that inpressive and i felt like if i faced one it wouldn't be too hard to take someone on, im young and ranked low but have alot of confidence in my skill. Now im sure its not what i think because it never seems to be that way, and i was just wondering how it differd from karate and TKD. And dont get me wrong im NOT trying to say the "My dad can beat up your dad" kinda think with the styles here.

[Bob Hubbard]

From my -very- limited exposure to it, its a simpiler system, but alot more brutal. Injuries during training seem to be common. Read some of the older posts here, and check out the health forum. I vaguely remember some topics there too.

[Damian Mavis]

Heh, well hmmmmm. I have been in TKD for over 12 years, I run my own school and was even Canadian Champ for my wieght division and federation. So believe me when I tell you that Muay Thai is not...how did you say it? "if i faced one it wouldn't be too hard to take someone on". I'm an expert in TKD and I get laid out by amatuer Thai boxers pretty damn easily. Don't get me wrong, I'm getting better every day at Muay Thai but it is the harshest and most brutal martial art I've ever trained in and I've tried them all. (I'm sure I'm missing a few) My point is, Thai boxers not only know how to take brutal punishment without stopping their attack they also have extremely dangerous weapons (elbows and knees to the face just plain suck)

Im a little curious, what part of the match you saw made you think they were wussies? haha

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

Originally posted by Deathtrap101

I'm just a young 15 year old punk with a yellow belt in karate. I have watched some MT on tv and too me it didnt look that inpressive and i felt like if i faced one it wouldn't be too hard to take someone on, im young and ranked low but have alot of confidence in my skill. Now im sure its not what i think because it never seems to be that way, and i was just wondering how it differd from karate and TKD. And dont get me wrong im NOT trying to say the "My dad can beat up your dad" kinda think with the styles here.

well what exactly are you trying to say? you come into this style and make ridiculous claims such as above for a start.
ill tell you what you go study MT for a while and youll be able to fight properly in 3 months time instead of wasting 10 years at karate. point made.

Yes Muay Thai is a very harsh Martial Art. I also train in TKD as well and things are definately different. Alot of the brutal training that I have noticed comes from the conditioning of the art. This is also where alot of the training injuries come from as well. With all said, you eventually become accustomed to taking full power blows, which is something Muay Thai excels at. Its alot different from anything you might try.

I would certainly not assume a Muay Thai player can be easily taken down. Do a little research on it.... you might learn something.

ThuNder_FoOt

first, i want to apologize before hand if i sound like an a$$. i am a very serious Nak Muay, & i take it very personally when someone decides to bash my style (as i'm sure anyone of any other style would take offense).
now then... what you saw on TV is nothing like actually doing it. for example, a Nascar driver drives around in a circle. sounds easy, right? but, the driver is dealing with lots of stress. is his car mechanically sound? is he gonna hit another car? is he gonna take this turn ok? etc... what i'm saying, basically, is don't knock it 'til you try it.
Muay Thai has a very well deserved reputation for being "Kings of the Ring." look at the UFC or Pride MMA fights. many of the fighters have incorporated Muay Thai strikes (knees, & in the earlier events, elbows) into their arsenal. why? simply put muay thai is very effective. the K-1 event is another good example. many of the champions have at least some Muay Thai training. Peter Aerts is a Muay Thai champion, as is Maurice Smith.
a very good friend of mine is a black belt in both Isshin-ryu & TKD, yet every time we spar, my knees & elbows are too much for him. my intense training, hours upon hours of bag work, running, sprints, focus mitt work, full-contact sparring, etc. have proved too much. my body is used to full-contact impact, his is not. i am used to fighting all out, he is not. i am not saying that all karateka or TKD stylists are weak, i'm just saying that many do not train the way we Nak Muay train.
similarly, boxers should not be underestimated. just because they do not kick does not make them any less formidable. again, the intense physical training they go through is unlike any training i have seen karate or TKD guys do, at least where i live. sure, you may be able to keep them away from you by kicking, but when they get close enough to punch you, they will unleash a very brutal barrage of strikes that many TKD guys are not used to.
also, you made mention that you're a yellow belt. well, in all the schools i know of, yellow is very low on the totem pole, i.e. you're still very ignorant of many things. get a little experience under your belt (no pun intended) then make some claims. also, do more research about a style before you attempt to belittle it by saying "i could take a Muay Thai (or judo or BJJ or whatever) fighter."
finally, if you still think you could take a Nak Muay, contact Mike Miles at mikemiles.com . Mr. Miles is a kickboxing/Muay Thai trainer in Calgary (he has more than 1 location). explain to him your dilemma & i'm sure he could arrange a quick sparring match for you. if he can't, then come to Detroit. there are many boxers at my gym that would love to stomp all over a karate guy.
i have a TKD background, & i can assure you that Muay Thai is far superior for fighting.

Little Tiger

uhm.. guys.. he didn't say he could take a mauy thai guy he said he thought he could but he assummed he was wrong and was currious why.. he was just wondering what makes MT so good in the ring, I don't thnk he intended to flame.

[arnisador]

Nak Muay is a Muay Thai practitioner?

ok, i know that my 1st reply was a bit harsh & i apologize, but i can't stand it when the ignorant claim they can beat a martial artist of another style, especially if the style they feel they can take has a track record of defeating numerous other styles (i.e. Muay Thai or BJJ). i am not trying to start a flame war & i will apologize again if that is what i have done, but Deathtrap101 did say in his initial post that "it didnt look that inpressive (sic) and i felt like if i faced one it wouldn't be too hard to take someone on." i'm just defending my system as i'm sure any one of you would.
i just feel that unless you have at least tried a particular style or have fought against said style, you should not make claims that you can defeat them. i don't play basketball. i certainly wouldn't say that i can beat Jordan, regardless of how unimpressive basketball is to me.
i apologize if i ruffled some feathers, but it's just rude to dump on someone's art without even knowing much about it.

and yes, Nak Muay roughly translates into Thai Boxer.

Little Tiger

he also said " Now im sure its not what i think because it never seems to be that way, and i was just wondering how it differd from karate and TKD. And dont get me wrong im NOT trying to say the "My dad can beat up your dad" kinda think with the styles here. "

I figured the other point was just giving perspective, but he basicly said he doens't know what he's talking about in that second part.

anyway he never came back so I guess you either ruffled his feathers bigtime or you didn't at all :-p.

I never ment to trash your style, thats why i asked. Thank you for replying, if i get the chance i would like to try muay thai and see how i like it.

Thanks

deathtrap,

no prob about the previous post you left. i probably overreacted anyhow. if you do get the chance, check out mike miles' gym. i've only heard a little bit about the place, but both statements were positive.

Muay thai is more brutal than this and that. Have you seen any of the arts like military karate and TKD? Just as brutal.

Muay thai is pretty easy to learn and he wouldn't be taken down. TKD is a bit more complicated, but if you stick with it, you have a wider array under your belt (pardon the pun) but don't restrict yourself.

Muay thai IS brutal. If you're comparing it with your commercialized TKD, then yes, muay thai is more brutal in the sense you use your shins a lot more, knees, elbows, and clinches.

Well if you train full contact knees/elbows/low kicks, of course it is going to be more brutal, but TKD & KT also have these knees and elbows but do not spar with them, if these arts actually practiced and utilized what is in the cirriculum, as MT does, The practitioner would be just as deadly or more. Practice makes perfect and it is a shame to let TKD go too sporty.

i have been practicing taekwondo/hapkido for the past year, and after all the reading and such i have done lately muay thai definetly seems interesting to me. Im sorry to dwell on the "whats it like" question, but I was wondering in what ways it differs from taekwondo as seen by someone who may have performed both? im really looking at how its kicks/punches/attacks/combos differ, not an "its much more brutal" answer. I dont doubt that it is much more rigorous. i guess im just wondering as i fighting style what sets it apart, or makes it unique.

thanks