Muay Thai
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 camtured 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.
(Contributors: Peter Hahn, Glen Downton)
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