Muay Thai, often known as Thai boxing, is a type of martial art. This method has become more popular throughout time due to its effectiveness in both competition and self-defense. It is renowned for its adaptability since it uses a variety of striking techniques and clinching. Unlike other martial arts, Muay Thai practitioners are allowed to utilize their fists, elbows, knees, and shins, making it a full striking style.
The cultural importance of Muay Thai is another factor in why it's popular. It has a long, fascinating history and is Thailand's national sport. Muay Thai has become more popular in western countries as a result of its success in combat sports like mixed martial arts (MMA) and kickboxing. This article will discuss the 6 most common Muay Thai fighting style, their advantages and disadvantages, and the necessary training equipment.
What is Muay Thai and its History?
Thailand gave birth to the combat sport known as Muay Thai. It is also known as "The Art of Eight Limbs" because it involves eight points of contact: hands, elbows, knees, and shins. The Thai military adopted Muay Thai as a combat training method. Muay Thai was developed over many years. Through time, it changed into a sport that is now loved by millions of people all over the world.
Gear for Muay Thai Training
Understanding the necessary equipment for Muay Thai training is key before diving into the various Muay Thai styles. These tools and their significance are listed below for every Muay Thai practitioner:
Muay Thai Gloves
Muay Thai Gloves are crucial for sparring or training because they shield your hands and knuckles from injury. Depending on your level and choice, they come in various weights and sizes.
Shin Guards
When sparring or working drills, shin guards will protect your feet and shins. It's crucial to select a pair that fits snugly and comfortably because they come in a variety of sizes and fabrics.
Mouthguard
While sparring, a mouthguard is crucial for preventing damage to your teeth and mouth.
Hand wraps
Hand wraps protect your hands, wrists, and knuckles from impact and injury. It provides an extra layer of padding and support to absorb shock and prevent injury. Hand wraps also help to stabilize your wrists, keeping them straight and aligned during punches.
Muay Thai Shorts
Muay Thai shorts are constructed of breathable with premium ultra-light-weight material that is smooth, comfortable to wear and can withstand the rough nature of Muay Thai training. Also, the shorts are made with a high waistband and side slits, which promote unrestricted movement across the whole range of motion. This is crucial when executing moves like the roundhouse kick or the teep, which include a lot of hip movement.
Skipping Rope
Skipping rope is a great exercise for increasing your cardio stamina and footwork.
Thai Pads
Thai pads are necessary when working out with a partner. They contribute to the improvement of your striking accuracy and techniques.
Muay Thai Fighting Style
1 Muay Mat Style
Popular Muay Thai fighting style Muay Mat places a focus on strong punches and destructive elbow strikes. Because it relies on intense forward pressure and a persistent attacking strategy, this style is also known as the "puncher" style.
Muay Mat fighters frequently adopt a high guard stance, with the elbows tucked in close to the torso and the hands raised high to protect the head. By adopting this defensive stance, the fighter can deflect approaching blows while yet being prepared to strike back.
Utilizing strong strikes like the cross, hook, and uppercut is one of Muay Mat's vital components. The face or torso of the target could sustain serious injury from these strikes because to their force. In addition, this Muay Thai fighting style is also known for their ability to deliver bone-crushing elbow strikes to their opponents. These strikes can be used to cut an opponent or to knock them out cold.
Fighting Strength: Distance battle is where the Muay Mat fighting technique excels. To manage the space and execute precise hits, it employs strong punches and agile movement. In addition, practitioners of this style move extremely quickly and agilely.
Fighting Weakness: Muay Mat is susceptible to opponents with strong gripping and grappling skills. The style's dependence on long-distance combat can also be restrictive when faced with adversaries who are proficient at closing the distance.
2 Muay Khao Style
Popular Muay Thai fighting style Muay Khao, sometimes referred to as the "knee fighting" style, stresses the use of strong knee strikes in close range combat. This fighting style is distinguished by a clinch-heavy strategy, in which fighters attempt to control their opponent's head, arms or neck in order to establish control and deliver knee strikes to the body.
The "double collar tie" or "plum" position is a crucial Muay Khao fighting style. The fighter completes this by maintaining a firm grasp on their opponent's head while encircling their opponent's neck or shoulders with their arms. From this stance, the fighter can direct their opponent's movements and prepare knee attacks.
Fighters with this Muay Khao style frequently use their knees to target their opponent's body once they are in the clinch, particularly their opponent's ribs and stomach. They might even sweep their opponent to the ground or use elbow strikes.
Training for the Muay Khao style typically involves a lot of sparring and clinch work, as well as strength and conditioning exercises to develop powerful knees and a strong grip. To maintain stability and prevent being thrown by their opponents, fighters in this style additionally work on developing their balance and footwork.
Fighting Strength: The Muay Khao fighting technique is renowned for its devastating knee strikes that may swiftly end a bout. This style's practitioners are also very fit and have exceptional clinching skills.
Fighting Weakness: The Muay Khao fighting style can be vulnerable to opponents with stronger hitting skills. Because of the ferocity of the technique, practitioners may be more open to counterattacks.
3 Muay Tae Style
Muay Tae is a popular Muay Thai fighting style which primary focus on kicks to attack and defend. The name "Tae'' is derived from the Thai word for foot, which is a nod to the prominent use of kicks in this style.
Strong and precise kicks are a trademark of Muay Tae fighters, who use them to strike the legs, body, and head of their opponents. The kicks of this Muay Thai fighting style are challenging to block since they are frequently thrown as quick, precise and powerful strikes.
Additionally, Muay Tae competitors also use punches, elbows, and knees in their attacks in addition to kicks. Although the kicks are the main emphasis, Muay Tae practitioners frequently use their hands and arms to block their adversary's blows while they wait for a chance to strike with their feet.
Fighting Strength: The Muay Tae style is mostly known for its focus on kicking techniques. The capacity to deliver high, powerful kicks that can seriously hurt their opponents is a trademark of this Muay Thai style. Because of this, the Muay Tae style performs well in combat sports like kickboxing and MMA that rely on hitting.
Fighting Weakness: One of the weaknesses of the Muay Tae style is its overreliance on kicking techniques. While this style is effective in competitions that allow striking, it may be less effective in self-defense situations where grappling and clinching may be necessary.
4 Muay Plum Style
Muay Plum is a well-known Muay Thai fighting style that emphasizes clinching and close-range combat. This fighting style can also be translated to "clinch fighting" or "clinch trapping," emphasizing the significance of this move in this particular style.
Fighters in Muay Plum use a range of tactics to subdue their opponents and benefit from the clinch, which is a position in which the two combatants are locked together with their arms around each other's bodies or necks. With this Muay Thai fighting style a fighter can execute strikes, throws and sweeps.
Muay Plum places a strong emphasis on upsetting the opponent's balance and control by using techniques like foot sweeps, knee strikes, and elbow strikes is one of the key elements of this style. This type of fighter frequently attempts to "trap" their opponents' arms or necks in order to reduce their capacity for self-defense and open up opportunities for attacks or sweeps.
Fighting Strength: The Muay Plum style is effective in close-range combat. It uses grappling and clinching techniques to control the opponent and deliver powerful strikes. Practitioners of this style also have exceptional stamina and technical proficiency.
Fighting Weakness: The Muay Plum style can be vulnerable to opponents who have superior striking techniques. The style's reliance on counterattacks and clinching can also be limiting against opponents who can effectively defend against it.
5 Muay Sok Style
Another popular Muay Thai fighting style known as Muay Sok emphasizes strong and aggressive striking tactics, especially with the elbows. The primary objective of the style is close-range combat, with practitioners looking to quickly close the gap with their opponent and engage in severe striking exchanges.
The Muay Sok style places a heavy emphasis on using the clinch to control and manipulate the opponent's movements. In the clinching method, the fighter grasps their opponent's neck and pulls them in close, controlling their motions with their body weight and power. With the help of a series of quick, forceful attacks, you may wear down your opponent or set up lethal elbow strikes.
Fighting Strength: The Muay Sok style is known for its powerful elbow strikes that can end a fight quickly. Practitioners of this style also have excellent timing and technique.
Fighting Weakness: The Muay Sok style can be vulnerable to opponents who have superior clinching and grappling techniques. The style's reliance on close-range combat can also be limiting against opponents who can effectively control the distance.
6 Muay Femur Style
Another popular Muay Thai fighting style known as Muay Femur Style highlights the use of long-range moves like kicks and knee blows and is distinguished by its quick and fluid motions. The longest bone in the human body, the femur, which is used to execute long-range strikes, is the inspiration for the style's name.
Muay Femur Style teaches fighters on how to maintain a safe distance from their opponents while yet having the capacity to attack intelligently. It is particularly advantageous against opponents who adopt close-range strategies like grappling because it allows the Muay Femur fighter to keep their opponent at a distance.
Muay Femur fighters frequently combine knee attacks to the torso and head with low and high kicks directed towards the legs or head, respectively. Additionally, they move fast in and out of striking range using a variety of footwork methods, making it challenging for their adversaries to land strikes.
Fighting Strength: The Muay Femur style is effective in long-range techniques such as kick and knee strikes. Practitioners of this style have swift and fluid movements that can make it difficult for opponents to predict and counter attacks.
Fighting Weakness: The Muay Femur style can leave fighters vulnerable to opponents who are skilled in clinching and grappling techniques. The style's emphasis on long-range techniques may not be suitable for fighters with shorter limbs or less reach.
Benefits when Training Muay Thai
Muay Thai training is not only a successful combat sport, but it also has many other advantages for practitioners. The following are some advantages of learning Muay Thai:
Increased Cardiovascular Health - Muay Thai training is a strenuous exercise that can raise your level of fitness all around.
Strength and Conditioning Improvements - Muay Thai training makes use of a variety of methods and exercises that can help improve one's strength, speed, and agility.
Better Self-Defense Techniques – Muay Thai training provides practical self-defense methods that may be applied in a variety of real-world scenarios.
Stress Reduction - Muay Thai training can reduce stress and enhance mental well-being.
In conclusion, Muay Thai is a combat sport that gives participants a variety of styles and methods to use. Finding a Muay Thai style that complements your interests and strengths is crucial because every style has advantages and disadvantages. It is understandable why Muay Thai has grown to be one of the most well-liked martial arts in the world given the numerous benefits Muay Thai training provides for practitioners.