Muay Thai

Muay Thai is a martial art that originated in Thailand over a thousand years ago. It is very similar to other Indochinese forms of kickboxing and martial arts in that it focuses on stand-up striking and self-defense. A descendant art form from the ancient sport of muay boran, Muay Thai is the national sport of Thailand. It is sometimes referred to as an art of eight limbs because it focuses on eight points of contact rather than the traditional four points of most other martial arts or the two points of boxing. People who partake in Muay Thai training are known as nak muay, or if they are Westerners practicing the Thai sport, they are generally called nak muay farang.

The ancient art of muay boran originated from Siamese soldiers who used the martial form in combat after losing their weapons. There are documents referencing what is now known as Muay Thai techniques dating as far back as four hundred years ago. Some Muay Thai techniques are known to have originated from another martial art, krabi krabong. The sport gained popularity in the late 1800s when a number of Muay Thai training camps were set up to teach young men self-discipline, self-defense and to give them an outlet for recreation and physical exercise. The first boxing ring in Thailand was built in 1921 in Suan Kularp and later King Rama VII set up a system of organized rules for Muay Thai training throughout the nation.

In this martial art, there are eight ways to strike your opponent or defend yourself. Punching is known as chok and it involves either a cross as seen in boxing, a hook, swing, spinning back fist, uppercut or cobra maneuver. Elbowing, or ti sok, involves an elbow slash, elbow thrust, horizontal elbow, elbow chop, elbow strike, or any combination of these movements. Kicking is called te and can be seen as a straight kick, roundhouse kick, diagonal kick, spinning heel kick, jump kick, axe heel kick or a combination. Kneeing is allowed in this sport and is called ti khao, consisting of straight, curving, diagonal or horizontal knee strikes. There is also a flying knee thrust that is specific to this Thai sport. Foot thrusts called thip are allowed, either straight, sideways, reverse or involving slapping or jumping movements. Clinching is also allowed, as are submission positions or lowering your opponent to the ground. To master all of these movements together takes significant flexibility, balance, weight training, speed and mental focus. Like most Eastern sports, this Thai tradition stresses the importance of mental discipline throughout training. Although Muay Thai is fascinating as its own sport, it has also been instrumental in the development of newer fighting forms, like mixed martial arts.