Martial Arts Of The World - Webs
Martial Arts Of The World - Webs Martial Arts Of The World - Webs
352 Muay Thai (Praditbatuga 2000). A fighter demonstrates level of expertise through combat. Like other Asian martial arts, Muay Thai has a spiritual side that is rooted in Buddhism. For example, there is a ceremony called “paying homage to the teacher.” This ceremony includes a prefight ritual dance (ram muay, wai kruh) in which the fighter hexes his enemy with magic. Also, fighters wear magical charms, such as the mongkon (headband) and praciat (armband), before and during the bout. In the mid- to late 1960s, after the 1964 Olympics, Muay Thai gained popularity in Japan. Karatekas (Japanese; practitioners of karate) blended techniques into an international kickboxing style. Japanese fighters, however, have not adhered to the traditions and rituals associated with the art as practiced in Thailand. The techniques, however, still work without the rituals. The practice of Muay Thai has spread throughout Europe and to the Western Hemisphere as well. Muay Thai practitioners train in professional boxing camps, such as the Lanna Boxing Camp (Kiat Busaba) in Chiang Mai. Trainers hold practice every day and fighters compete at least monthly. Boxers by tradition carry the name of their camp into the ring. A boxer’s training regimen includes stretching; calisthenics; weight lifting; rope skipping; running; swimming; shadowboxing; equipment drills with focus mitts, kicking pads, and heavy bags; and sparring. Many strikes are not permitted during sparring in order to ensure the fighters’ safety by limiting potential injury. Training sessions may last for about two hours, but are held throughout each day. Therapeutic massage with boxing liniment is included in the training regimen. Diet is key; proper nutrition is essential for stamina. Training routines may vary, but generally stretching and limbering exercises are included in the ritual dance (ram muay or wai kruh). The hissing sound of exhaling air is heard during movements as fighters practice their breath control. They target vital points when learning striking techniques. A special type of heavy bag, called a “banana bag,” which is longer and heavier than a punching bag, is used for kicking. Other training equipment includes a speed bag of the type used by boxers, bag gloves, doubleend bag, jump rope, timer, focus mitts, kicking pads, sparring gloves, headgear, and medicine ball. Fighters condition their shins to withstand the impact of their opponents’ kicks by striking them with sticks or by kicking banana trees. To improve their focus and control, fighters practice kicking at a lemon hanging from a rope or string. There is only one stance, or posture, in Muay Thai. For a righthanded fighter, the left leg leads and the right leg follows. Hands are held high. Closed and gloved fists protect the head with the elbows held inward, arms protecting the body. The fighter’s body is turned slightly sideways, with the head held slightly forward. The shuffle step is used to move forward and backward. The fighter’s front foot moves first going forward,
while the rear foot moves first going backward. In moving sideways or laterally, the fighter’s left foot moves first when going to the left, and the right foot moves first when going to the right. Punching includes the basic five moves used in Western boxing: jab, cross, hook (mat tong), uppercut (mat aat), and overhead. Another type of punch is the swing, which is a long-range hook. Savate uses a similar punch, because of a similar need to close the gap from kicking range. A difference between Muay Thai and international boxing can be seen in the way Muay Thai boxers hold up their guard. Because the Thai boxer must counter kicks, knees, and elbows with punches, the guard position tends to keep the hands farther away from the body. Elbows are delivered in many ways: horizontally, downward, upward, spinning, and driving. The horizontal elbow whips the point of the elbow across the target, usually the side of the head, like a hook. The downward elbow technique first raises the point backward and then drops it downward, using the body weight while moving forward with the hand held low. A variation on the downward elbow technique is done with jumping, in which the elbow point is dropped down from above with the hand held high. Upward elbows are usually delivered like the uppercut punching techniques. Spinning elbows are horizontal elbows with body turns. Driving elbows come straight in like the boxing jab. Knee attacks are dangerous techniques in Muay Thai and are often fatal. The knee strikes are delivered in three basic ways: straight, round, and jumping. Usually either the straight knee or the round knee is used. The straight knee is used to close distance in close-quarter fighting, while the round knee is delivered from the clinch, usually for an attack to the ribs and kidneys. The jumping knee may be used against an opponent trapped in a corner. This is a flamboyant technique employed to impress the audience. Kicking techniques include, in order of preference, the roundhouse kick, front kick, and spinning kick. The round kick is directed at low, middle, and high targets. The low kicks are full-force and committed. They differ in execution from other martial arts like Boxe Française Savate or Kyukushinkai Karate. There is a front kick, which is usually used as a “stop hit” or pushing-away technique to halt the opponent’s forward progress. The spin kick is a reverse whipping kick. This technique is seldom used in ring fighting. Similar to the high round kick, the spinning kick is prudently saved for the bout’s final blow. There is no side kick in the traditional Muay Thai repertoire, but Japanese kickboxers who have converted from karate use this technique effectively. Muay Thai camps may differ in the strategies they emphasize. For example, the method emphasized in the Prapaisilp-Kitipitayangkul Camp in St. Louis, Missouri, by Arjan (Teacher) Supat Prapaisilp and Kruh (Trainer) Muay Thai 353
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while the rear foot moves first going backward. In moving sideways or laterally,<br />
the fighter’s left foot moves first when going to the left, and the right<br />
foot moves first when going to the right.<br />
Punching includes the basic five moves used in Western boxing: jab,<br />
cross, hook (mat tong), uppercut (mat aat), and overhead. Another type of<br />
punch is the swing, which is a long-range hook. Savate uses a similar<br />
punch, because of a similar need to close the gap from kicking range. A difference<br />
between Muay Thai and international boxing can be seen in the<br />
way Muay Thai boxers hold up their guard. Because the Thai boxer must<br />
counter kicks, knees, and elbows with punches, the guard position tends to<br />
keep the hands farther away from the body.<br />
Elbows are delivered in many ways: horizontally, downward, upward,<br />
spinning, and driving. <strong>The</strong> horizontal elbow whips the point of the elbow<br />
across the target, usually the side of the head, like a hook. <strong>The</strong> downward<br />
elbow technique first raises the point backward and then drops it downward,<br />
using the body weight while moving forward with the hand held low.<br />
A variation on the downward elbow technique is done with jumping, in<br />
which the elbow point is dropped down from above with the hand held<br />
high. Upward elbows are usually delivered like the uppercut punching techniques.<br />
Spinning elbows are horizontal elbows with body turns. Driving elbows<br />
come straight in like the boxing jab.<br />
Knee attacks are dangerous techniques in Muay Thai and are often fatal.<br />
<strong>The</strong> knee strikes are delivered in three basic ways: straight, round, and<br />
jumping. Usually either the straight knee or the round knee is used. <strong>The</strong><br />
straight knee is used to close distance in close-quarter fighting, while the<br />
round knee is delivered from the clinch, usually for an attack to the ribs and<br />
kidneys. <strong>The</strong> jumping knee may be used against an opponent trapped in a<br />
corner. This is a flamboyant technique employed to impress the audience.<br />
Kicking techniques include, in order of preference, the roundhouse<br />
kick, front kick, and spinning kick. <strong>The</strong> round kick is directed at low, middle,<br />
and high targets. <strong>The</strong> low kicks are full-force and committed. <strong>The</strong>y differ<br />
in execution from other martial arts like Boxe Française Savate or<br />
Kyukushinkai Karate. <strong>The</strong>re is a front kick, which is usually used as a<br />
“stop hit” or pushing-away technique to halt the opponent’s forward<br />
progress. <strong>The</strong> spin kick is a reverse whipping kick. This technique is seldom<br />
used in ring fighting. Similar to the high round kick, the spinning kick is<br />
prudently saved for the bout’s final blow. <strong>The</strong>re is no side kick in the traditional<br />
Muay Thai repertoire, but Japanese kickboxers who have converted<br />
from karate use this technique effectively.<br />
Muay Thai camps may differ in the strategies they emphasize. For example,<br />
the method emphasized in the Prapaisilp-Kitipitayangkul Camp in<br />
St. Louis, Missouri, by Arjan (Teacher) Supat Prapaisilp and Kruh (Trainer)<br />
Muay Thai 353