What Muay Thai IS and what it is NOT?

[nordin]

I'd like to say that this is one of the most respectful martial art Internet communities. Wonderful to read thoughtful discussions. I have learned a lot of interesting stuff here.

Few days ago I found some nice video of muay thai and started to read some comments (my mistake). There of course was a lot of bashing of different muay thai schools in world and how Thais have only real style. This is nothing new; however it made me think about what really is Muay Thai.

Today we hear Muay Thai both in MMA and K1 mentioned as a main or only striking style, but is it? I understand that different arts and styles often overlap and there are a lot of gray areas. However there should be some set of core principles, techniques and strategies. Lets say a fighter is light and bouncy on feet avoiding most damage by foot work and slipping and weaving, he/she is chambering kicks and using mostly snap, but most of the time using advanced punch combos. Is he/she really Thai fighter just because sometimes uses double collar tie clinch? Is person really prominently using Muay Thai if he/she just spars with MT fighters?

As I understand Thais already added some Western boxing techniques in 30ties, and that before even straight punches where more swing-like. Also there was some boxing footwork borrowing and later some Karate influences. And now when I watch MT fighters from Brazil or Holland I notice a lot of techniques and strategies that even today I rarely seen among Thai fighters and probably wasn't used at all before global commercial boom of MT in 90ties, but very common among other arts. It seems that everything standup related is called Muay Thai nowadays.

At the same time other aspects are forgotten or neglected. Muay Thai historically contains a lot tricky sweeps and throws and it's funny that when great MT guys use them in MMA often are credited to wrestling, judo or BJJ.

So my rant is over, here comes the questions.

What would you call true MT techniques, like kicks, punches, strikes, sweeps, throws, footwork? Things that are documented and widely used in MT throughout its history or at least since 30ties.

How Muay Thai guys would execute them, like no chambering, using shin, or sometimes ball of foot, full commitment?

What are core strategies of MT? Stable and attritional style with emphasis on attacking legs and getting in dominant standup grappling positions?

What would you say are new techniques or strategies that are probably borrowed in few last decades? axe kicks, spinning back kicks, uppercuts, bob and weave, heavy use of instep?

I think that knowing core principles and techniques of the art helps to appreciate it's true combat and cultural value.

 

[zilverkakashi]

I have great respect on this art.

 

[enthusiast]

can someone answer his question, I am thinking about the same thing

 

[Mauthos]

I really have a great respect for the art and respect most Muay Thai fighters as they are some of the hardest kickers I have met.

Unfortunately I do not have a lot of knowledge regarding the art, but the school why I rent my space for my Kenpo is mainly a Muay Thai fighting school and the Master has taught me the low leg kick which I think typifies the style. Keeping the leg straight, swinging it like a baseball bat (no snapping kick here) aiming to drive through the target with full committal. I think this is what Muay Thai is all about, it makes it a very strong, aggressive and powerful style.

I also think using elbows and knees is more in keeping with a Muay Thai way of fighting, they seem to train to use them almost as much as normal kicking and punching which not many other styles do.

Sorry it is not that concise, but again I do not have much experience with the style, so just my 2 pence, hope it helps.

 

[Ironcrane]

I think the only way you're really going to get an answer to your question is to study Muay Thai yourself. There are core principles to the art but if you ask, say, 50 Muay Thai martial artists then you'll probably get 50 different answers since everyone is different. Even in the same style martial artists will develop different attributes, and place more emphasis on certain parts of their art over others.

 

[nordin]

I think the only way you're really going to get an answer to your question is to study Muay Thai yourself. There are core principles to the art but if you ask, say, 50 Muay Thai martial artists then you'll probably get 50 different answers since everyone is different. Even in the same style martial artists will develop different attributes, and place more emphasis on certain parts of their art over others.

You are right. Firsthand experience is invaluable; however that necessarily doesn't answer the question. Let's say, person goes to one of schools that promise to teach Muay Thai. He/she trains hard and diligently follows instructions. Few years pass and the person enters little local MT competition and does well. So now he/she knows that things taught at that school are good when pressure tested, but it doesn't mean that it's Muay Thai. It might be very traditional MT, MT with some things added, hybrid kick-boxing style or maybe entirely different art.

I wanted to discuss what are concepts, techniques and strategies that are widely used among MT practitioners and traceable in at least 70 year history of modern MT (King Rama VII).
I have researched some little info from scattered sources in the Internet, but I'd like to learn more.

 

[CK1980]

There are a couple of things that set a Muay Thai fighter apart from other types of martial artists...
Most obvious is the use of the shin in kicking. It is becoming more prominent in blended arts to see shin kicks because of the devastating power behind them. But this is traditionally a Muay Thai concept.

The best way I can describe what Muay Thai is, is that it is a COMBAT art. Every strike is about power, every hold is about exposing vital areas, everything is about ending the fight as quickly as possible.
The best way I can describe what Muay Thai is not, is that (except for the Wai Kru) it is not flashy or showy.

 

[skribs]

I've trained mostly in Tae Kwon Do, but I have a lot of respect for Muay Thai. While I know most of the great martial artists we see on TV would beat me if I stepped into the ring, the only one that I would actually be scared to go up against would be Tony Jaa, because I have a feeling I'd wake up in the hospital after a single elbow or knee strike from him.

If the question is "what is specifically Muay Thai", I would say there are four things that are distinctly MT (or at least emphasized to a greater degree in MT): knees, elbows, the twisting rear-strike (usually an elbow), and shin kicks. I think the great thing about MT is you have the punches of boxing, the elbow and knee strikes of...well, MT, and the kicks of Karate rolled into one comprehensive striking art. I think the only thing missing in regards to striking is some kicks from TKD (You could also suggest more linear strikes).

I don't think of grappling when I think of Muay Thai, but then again most people don't think of blocks, punches, or grappling when they think of TKD. I would say that you would be hard-pressed to find a more comprehensive striking art than Muay Thai.