Who Would Win Western Boxer or Chinese Martial Arts?

Combat sport of Thailand (lit. "Thai battle")

Muay Thai (Thai: มวยไทย, RTGS: muai thai , pronounced [mūa̯j tʰāj] ( heed )), sometimes referred to as Thai boxing, is a martial art and combat sport that uses stand-up hitting along with various clinching techniques.^[1] This bailiwick is known as the "fine art of eight limbs", as it is characterised by the combined utilize of fists, elbows, knees and shins.^[2] Muay Thai became widespread internationally in the late 20th to 21st century, when Westernised practitioners from Thailand began competing in kickboxing and mixed-rules matches equally well as matches nether muay Thai rules around the world. The professional league is governed by The Professional Boxing Association of Thailand (P.A.T), sanctioned by The Sports Authority of Thailand (S.A.T.).

Muay Thai is related to other martial art styles such as musti-yuddha, muay Chaiya, muay boran, muay Lao, lethwei, pradal serey and tomoi.^[3] Muay Thai adult from the traditional muay boran.^[four] A practitioner of muay Thai is known as a nak muay. Western practitioners in Thailand are sometimes called nak muay farang, significant "strange boxer".^[v]

History [edit]

Local school children in Thailand demonstrate muay Thai

The history of muay Thai tin exist traced at to the lowest degree to the 16th century as a peace-time martial fine art practised by the soldiers of King Naresuan.^[6] An exhibition of muay Thai was observed and reported by Simon de la Loubère, a French diplomat who was sent by Male monarch Louis Xiv to the Kingdom of Siam in 1687, in his famous work and the Ayutthaya Kingdom Burmese–Siamese War (1765–1767)^[7] Muay boran, and therefore muay Thai, was originally chosen by more generic names such as toi muay or just muay. Also as being a practical fighting technique for employ in actual warfare, muay became a sport in which the opponents fought in front end of spectators who went to watch for entertainment. These muay contests gradually became an integral office of local festivals and celebrations, peculiarly those held at temples. Eventually, the previously bare-fisted fighters started wearing lengths of hemp rope around their hands and forearms. This type of match was chosen muay khat chueak (มวยคาดเชือก).

13th century [edit]

The ascension of King Chulalongkorn (Rama Five) to the throne in 1868 ushered in a gilded historic period not simply for muay simply for the whole country of Thailand. Muay progressed greatly during the reign of Rama V as a directly result of the male monarch's personal involvement in the sport. The country was at peace and muay functioned as a means of concrete exercise, self-defense, attacking, recreation and personal advancement.^[viii]

The modern era [edit]

1909-1910: King Chulalongkorn formalized muay boran ("ancient boxing") by awarding (in 1910) three muen to victors at the funeral fights for his son (in 1909). The region style: Lopburi, Korat and Chaiya.^[8]

1913: British battle was introduced into the curriculum of the Suan Kulap Higher. The starting time descriptive use of the term "muay Thai".

1919: British boxing and muay taught as i sport in the curriculum of the Suan Kulap College. Judo was also offered.

1921: Start permanent ring in Siam at Suan Kulap College. Used for both muay and British battle.

1923: Suan Sanuk Stadium. Beginning international manner 3-rope ring with red and bluish padded corners, almost Lumpinee Park. Muay and British boxing.^[9]

King Rama Seven (r. 1925–1935) pushed for codified rules for muay and they were put into identify. Thailand's start boxing ring was built in 1921 at Suan Kulap. Referees were introduced and rounds were at present timed past kicking. Fighters at the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium began wearing modern gloves, as well every bit difficult groin protectors, during training and in boxing matches against foreigners. Traditional rope-bounden (khat chueak) made the hands a hardened, dangerous striking tool. The use of knots in the rope over the knuckles fabricated the strikes more annoying and damaging for the opponent while protecting the hands of the fighter.^[x] This rope-bounden was yet used in fights betwixt Thais but after a death in the band, information technology was decided that fighters should clothing gloves and cotton wool coverlets over the feet and ankles. It was likewise around this time that the term "muay Thai" became commonly used, while the older form of the fashion came to be known as "muay boran", which is now performed primarily as an exhibition art grade.

A muay boran demonstration, Lumpinee Boxing Stadium, Bangkok

Muay Thai was at the height of its popularity in the 1980s and 1990s. Summit fighters commanded purses of up to 200,000 baht and the stadia where gambling was legal drew big gates and big advertisement revenues. In 2016, a payout to a superstar fighter was near 100,000 baht per fight,^[11] just tin can range as high equally 540,000 baht for a tour.^[12]

In 1993, the International Federation of Muaythai Amateur, or IFMA was inaugurated. It became the governing body of amateur muay Thai consisting of 128 fellow member countries worldwide and is recognised past the Olympic Council of Asia.

In 1995, the Globe Muaythai Quango, the oldest and largest professional sanctioning organisations of muay Thai, was established by the Thai government and sanctioned by the Sports Authority of Thailand.

In 1995, the World Muay Thai Federation was founded by the merger of two existing organisations, and established in Bangkok, becoming the federation governing international muay Thai. In Baronial 2012, it had over 70 fellow member countries. Its president is elected at the Globe Muay Thai Congress.

In 2006, muay Thai was included in SportAccord with IFMA. I of the requirements of SportAccord was that no sport tin can accept a name of a state in its name. As a result, an amendment was fabricated in the IFMA constitution to change the proper noun of the sport from "muay Thai" to "muaythai" —written as 1 word in accordance with Olympic requirements.

In 2014, muay Thai was included in the International World Games Association (IWGA) and was represented in the official program of The Earth Games 2017 in Wrocław, Poland.

In January 2015, muay Thai was granted the patronage of the International University Sports Federation (FISU) and, from xvi to 23 March 2015, the first Academy World Muaythai Cup was held in Bangkok.

In 2020, there are more than than three,800 Thai battle gyms overseas.^[thirteen]

Today, the Isan region in the northeast famously produces a lot of muay Thai boxers.^[14] Many of the boxers from Srisaket, Buriram and Surin are of indigenous Kuy (Suai), Lao and Khmer descent.^[15] Nearly people in the northeast area of the Khorat Plateau share traditions of religion, culture and linguistic with the Lao people that live on the other side of the Mekong River. The Lao-speaking people of this surface area telephone call themselves "Khon Isan" and make upwards the bulk of the population. The Kuy (Suai) and Khmer who live in the southern role of the northeast region accept traditions and speak languages more similar to those in Cambodia than the Lao or Thai.^[16]

Rules [edit]

Co-ordinate to IFMA rules and regulations, muaythai is a martial art of using every part of the torso limbs therefore making every strike including punch, kick, knee and elbow are allowed.

Generally, for a strike to count towards the point score, it has to hit without being blocked or guarded confronting by the opponent. Strikes also exercise not score if they striking the opponent'south glove, forearm, pes, or shin. Strikes to the groin are against the rules and if found to be intentional are counted equally fouls.^[17]

If both muaythai fighters take the aforementioned score at the terminate of the round, the winner is determined by which fighter has the more powerful strike.

Olympics [edit]

Timeline of International Federation of Muaythai Associations (IFMA) from founding to International Olympic Commission (IOC) recognition:^[18]

1992 – Νational Federation of Muaythai Associations founded.
1995 – Ιnternational Amateur Muay Thai Federation (IAMTF) founded.
2012 – Official request for International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognition launched.
2016 – Beginning endorsement received.
2017 – Muaythai is included in the World Games.
2021 – On June 10, the IOC Board of Directors agreed on the full endorsement of IFMA at the 138th IOC Full general Assembly in Tokyo.
2021 – On July xx, the IOC Full general Associates granted full recognition to the International Federation of Muaythai Associations (IFMA) and Muaythai.

Traditional article of clothing [edit]

The mongkhon, or mongkol (headband), and pra jiad (armbands) are often worn into the ring earlier the match begins. They originated when Siam was in a constant country of state of war. Young men would tear off pieces of a loved ane's wearable (ofttimes a mother'due south sarong) and wear information technology in boxing for good luck likewise as to ward off harmful spirits. In modern times, the mongkol (lit. "holy spirit", "luck", "protection") is worn as a tribute to the fighter'south gym. The mongkol is traditionally presented by a trainer to the fighter when he judges that the fighter is ready to represent the gym in the band. Often, after the fighter has finished the wai kru, the trainer will take the mongkol off his head and place it in his corner of the ring for luck. They were as well used for protection. Whether the fighter is a Buddhist or not, information technology is common for them to bring the mongkol to a Buddhist monk who blesses it for good luck prior to stepping into the ring.

Techniques [edit]

Formal muay Thai techniques are divided into ii groups: mae mai (แม่ไม้), or "major techniques", and luk mai (ลูกไม้), or "minor techniques". Muay Thai is often a fighting fine art of attrition, where opponents exchange blows with one another.^[xix] This is certainly the instance with traditional stylists in Thailand, but is a less popular form of fighting in the contemporary world fighting circuit where the Thai style of exchanging blow for blow is no longer favorable. Almost all techniques in muay Thai use the entire body movement, rotating the hip with each kick, punch, elbow and cake.

Punching (Chok) [edit]

English language	Thai	Romanization	IPA
Jab	หมัดหน้า/หมัดแย็บ	Mat na/Mat yaep	[màt nâ]
Cross/Straight	หมัดตรง	Mat trong	[màt troŋ]
Hook/Swing	หมัดเหวี่ยงสั้น	Mat tawad/mat wiang san	[màt wìəŋ sân]
Overhand/Haymaker	หมัดเหวี่ยงยาว	Mat khork/mat wiang yao	[màt wìəŋ jaːw]
Backfist/Spinning Backfist	หมัดเหวี่ยงกลับ	Mat wiang klap/Mat clap lang/Kwang jag narai	[màt wìəŋ klàp]
Uppercut	หมัดเสย/หมัดสอยดาว	Mat soei/Mat ngat	[màt sɤ̌j], [màt sɔ̌j daːw]
Superman punch/Cobra punch	กระโดดชก	Kradot chok	[kradòːt tɕʰók]

The dial techniques in muay Thai were originally quite limited, being crosses and a long (or lazy) circular strike fabricated with a direct (but not locked) arm and landing with the heel of the palm. Cantankerous-fertilisation with Western boxing and Western martial arts mean the full range of western battle punches are now used: lead jab, straight/cantankerous, hook, uppercut, shovel and corkscrew punches and overhands, as well equally hammer fists and back fists.

Every bit a tactic, torso punching is used less in muay Thai than about other striking combat sports to avoid exposing the assaulter'due south caput to counter strikes from knees or elbows. To utilize the range of targeting points, in keeping with the eye line theory, the fighter tin can apply either the Western or Thai stance which allows for either long range or curt range attacks to be undertaken effectively without compromising guard.

Elbow (Sok) [edit]

The elbow tin can exist used in several means every bit a striking weapon: horizontal, diagonal-upwards, diagonal-downwards, uppercut, downward, astern-spinning,and flying. From the side, information technology can be used as either a finishing move or equally a way to cut the opponent's eyebrow so that claret might block his vision. The diagonal elbows are faster than the other forms merely are less powerful. The elbow strike is considered the most dangerous course of set on in the sport.

English language	Thai	Romanization	IPA
Elbow slash	ศอกตี (ศอกสับ)	Sok ti	[sɔ̀ːk tiː]
Horizontal elbow	ศอกตัด	Sok tat	[sɔ̀ːk tàt]
Uppercut elbow	ศอกงัด	Sok ngat	[sɔ̀ːk ŋát]
Forward elbow thrust	ศอกพุ่ง	Sok phung	[sɔ̀ːk pʰûŋ]
Reverse horizontal elbow	ศอกเหวี่ยงกลับ (ศอกกระทุ้ง)	Sok wiang klap	[sɔ̀ːk wìəŋ klàp]
Spinning elbow	ศอกกลับ	Sok klap	[sɔ̀ːk klàp]
Double elbow chop	ศอกกลับคู่	Sok klap khu	[sɔ̀ːk klàp kʰûː]
Mid-air elbow strike/Jump elbow chop	กระโดดศอก	Kradot sok	[kradòːt sɔ̀ːk]

Horizontal Elbow (Sok tat)

At that place is a singled-out difference between a single elbow and a follow-upward elbow. The single elbow is a move independent from any other, whereas a follow-up elbow is the second strike from the aforementioned arm, being a hook or straight punch first with an elbow follow-upwards. Such elbows, and near other elbow strikes, are used when the distance betwixt fighters becomes too small and there is too lilliputian infinite to throw a hook at the opponent'south head.

Elbows tin can exist used to great effect as blocks or defences against, for example, leap knees, side trunk knees, body kicks or punches. When well continued, an elbow strike tin can crusade serious harm to the opponent, including cuts or even a knockout.

Kicking (Te) [edit]

English language	Thai	Romanization	IPA
Straight kick	เตะตรง	Te trong	[tèʔ troŋ]
Roundhouse Kkick	เตะตัด	Te tat	[tèʔ tàt]
Diagonal kicking	เตะเฉียง	Te chiang	[tèʔ tɕʰǐəŋ]
Half-shin, one-half-knee kick	เตะครึ่งแข้งครึ่งเข่า	Te khrueng khaeng khrueng khao	[tèʔ kʰrɯ̂ŋ kʰɛ̂ŋ kʰrɯ̂ŋ kʰàw]
Contrary roundhouse kick	เตะกลับหลัง	Te klap lang/Jorakhe faad hang	[tèʔ klàp lǎŋ]
Down roundhouse kicking	เตะกด	Te kot	[tèʔ kòt]
Axe heel kicking	เตะเข่า	Te khao	[tèʔ kʰàw]
Spring boot	กระโดดเตะ	Kradot te	[kradòːt tèʔ]
Step-upward kicking	เขยิบเตะ	Khayoep te/yiep te	[kʰa.jɤ̀p tèʔ]

The two nearly common kicks^[20] in muay Thai are known equally the thip (literally "foot jab") and the te chiang (boot upwards in the shape of a triangle cutting under the arm and ribs), or roundhouse boot. The Thai roundhouse kicking uses a rotational move of the entire trunk and has been widely adopted past practitioners of other gainsay sports. It is done from a circular stance with the dorsum leg just a piddling ways back (roughly shoulder width apart) in comparing to instinctive upper torso fighting (battle) where the legs must create a wider base. The roundhouse kicking draws its ability almost entirely from the rotational movement of the hips, counter-rotation of the shoulders and arms are too often used to add torque to the lower trunk and increment the power of the kick likewise.^[21]

If a roundhouse kick is attempted by the opponent, the Thai boxer volition normally check the kick, that is, he will block the kick with the outside of his lower leg. Thai boxers are trained to always connect with the shin. The human foot contains many fine bones and is much weaker. A fighter may cease up hurting himself if he tries to strike with his human foot or instep. Shins are trained by repeatedly hitting firm objects, such as pads or heavy bags.

Knee joint (Ti Khao)^[22] [edit]

English	Thai	Romanization	IPA
Straight knee joint strike	เข่าตรง	Khao trong	[kʰàw troŋ]
Diagonal knee strike	เข่าเฉียง	Khao chiang	[kʰàw tɕʰǐəŋ]
Curving knee strike	เข่าโค้ง	Khao khong	[kʰàw kʰóːŋ]
Horizontal knee strike	เข่าตัด	Khao tat	[kʰàw tàt]
Genu slap	เข่าตบ	Khao ti/khao top	[kʰàw tòp]
Knee bomb	เข่ายาว	Khao yao	[kʰàw jaːw]
Flying knee joint	เข่าลอย	Khao loi	[kʰàw lɔːj]
Step-upwardly knee strike	เข่าเหยียบ	Khao yiap	[kʰàw jìəp]

Khao dot [kʰàw dòːt] (Jumping knee strike) – the boxer jumps up on 1 leg and strikes with that leg's knee.
Khao loi (Flying knee strike) – the boxer takes a step(s), jumps forwards and off ane leg and strikes with that leg's human knee.
Khao thon [kʰàw tʰoːn] (Straight articulatio genus strike) – the boxer just thrusts it forward just not upwards, unless he is belongings an opponent'south head down in a assure and intend to articulatio genus upwards into the face. According to one written source, this technique is somewhat more recent than khao dot or khao loi.^{[ citation needed ]} Supposedly, when the Thai boxers fought with rope-leap hands rather than the modern boxing gloves, this item technique was subject to potentially vicious cutting, slicing and sawing past an alarm opponent who would cake it or deflect it with the abrupt "rope-glove" edges which are sometimes dipped in water to make the rope much stronger. This caption likewise holds true for some of the following knee strikes below every bit well.

Foot-thrust (Teep) [edit]

One fighter executes a Muay Thai Foot-thrust (Thip) kick against her opponent in a women'southward muay Thai match.

The foot-thrust, or literally, "pes jab", is one of the techniques in muay Thai. It is mainly used equally a defensive technique to control distance or block attacks. Human foot-thrusts should be thrown quickly but with enough force to knock an opponent off balance.

English language	Thai	Romanization	IPA
Directly foot-thrust	ถีบตรง	Thip trong	[tʰìːp troŋ]
Sideways foot-thrust	ถีบข้าง	Thip khang	[tʰìːp kʰâːŋ]
Contrary human foot-thrust	ถีบกลับหลัง	Thip klap lang	[tʰìːp klàp lǎŋ]
Slapping foot-thrust	ถีบตบ	Thip top	[tʰìːp tòp]
Jumping foot-thrust	กระโดดถีบ	Kradot thip	[kradòːt tʰìːp]

Clinch and neck wrestling (Chap kho) [edit]

Ram Muay, rituals before the friction match

In Western boxing, the two fighters are separated when they clinch; in muay Thai, nonetheless, they are not. It is often in the clinch that genu and elbow techniques are used. To strike and bind the opponent for both offensive and defensive purposes, small amounts of stand-up grappling are used in the assure. The front end clinch should be performed with the palm of one paw on the back of the other. There are 3 reasons why the fingers must not be intertwined. ane) In the ring fighters are wearing boxing gloves and cannot intertwine their fingers. 2) The Thai front clinch involves pressing the head of the opponent downwards, which is easier if the hands are locked behind the back of the caput instead of backside the cervix. Furthermore, the arms should be putting as much pressure on the neck as possible. 3) A fighter may incur an injury to ane or more than fingers if they are intertwined, and information technology becomes more hard to release the grip in club to quickly elbow the opponent'due south head.

A correct clinch also involves the fighter's forearms pressing against the opponent's collar bone while the easily are around the opponent'due south head rather than the opponent's neck. The general mode to become out of a clinch is to button the opponent's caput backward or elbow them, as the clinch requires both participants to exist very close to one another. Additionally, the non-dominant clincher can try to "swim" their arm underneath and inside the opponent'south assure, establishing the previously non-dominant clincher as the dominant clincher.

Muay Thai has several other variants of the assure or chap kho [tɕàp kʰɔː], including:

Arm assure: One or both hands controls the inside of the defender's arm(s) and where the second paw if free is in the front clinch position. This clinch is used to briefly control the opponent before applying a human knee strike or throw.
Side assure: Ane arm passes around the front of the defender with the aggressor'due south shoulder pressed into the defender'due south arm pit and the other arm passing round the back which allows the attacker to apply knee strikes to the defender's dorsum or to throw the defender readily.
Depression clinch: Both controlling arms laissez passer under the defender'due south arms, which is generally used by the shorter of two opponents.
Swan-cervix: One paw around the rear of the neck is used to briefly assure an opponent before a strike.^{[ commendation needed ]}

Defence against attacks [edit]

Defences in muay Thai are categorised in six groups:

Blocking – defender's hard blocks to stop a strike in its path so preventing it reaching its target (east.grand. the shin cake described in more than detail beneath)
Parries – defender'south soft parries to change the management of a strike (e.g. a downwards tap to a jab) then that it misses the target
Avoidance – moving a trunk office out of the manner or range of a strike and then the defender remains in range for a counter-strike. For instance, the defender moves their front leg backward to avoid the assailant'south low kick, then immediately counters with a roundhouse kick. Or the defender might lay their head back from the aggressor's high roundhouse kicking so counter-attack with a side kick.
Evasion – moving the body out of the mode or range of a strike and then the defender has to move shut once again to counter-attack, e.g. defender jumping laterally or back from aggressor'southward kicks
Disruption – Pre-empting an attack e.one thousand. with defender using disruptive techniques like jab, human foot-thrust or low roundhouse kick, by and large called a "leg boot" (to the exterior or inside of the attacker'due south front leg, just above the human knee) as the attacker attempts to shut distance
Anticipation – Defender communicable a strike (due east.g., communicable a roundhouse kick to the body) or countering it before information technology lands (due east.g., defender's low kick to the supporting leg below as the attacker initiates a high roundhouse kick).

Defences in do [edit]

Defensively, the concept of "wall of defense" is used, in which shoulders, arms and legs are used to hinder the assailant from successfully executing techniques. Blocking is a critical chemical element in muay Thai and compounds the level of conditioning a successful practitioner must possess. Low and mid body roundhouse kicks are normally blocked with the upper portion of a raised shin (this block is known as a "check"). Loftier body strikes are blocked ideally with the forearms and shoulder together, or if enough fourth dimension is allowed for a parry, the glove (elusively), elbow, or shin volition be used. Midsection roundhouse kicks can also exist caught/trapped, allowing for a sweep or counter-assail to the remaining leg of the opponent. Punches are blocked with an ordinary boxing guard and techniques like, if not identical, to basic boxing technique. A common means of blocking a punch is using the hand on the same side as the oncoming punch. For case, if an orthodox fighter throws a jab (being the left paw), the defender will make a slight tap to redirect the punch'south angle with the correct hand. The deflection is e'er as small and precise as possible to avert unnecessary energy expenditure and render the hand to the baby-sit every bit quickly equally possible. Hooks are often blocked with a motility sometimes described every bit "combing the hair", that is, raising the elbow forward and effectively shielding the head with the forearm, flexed biceps and shoulder. More avant-garde muay Thai blocks are ordinarily in the form of counter-strikes, using the opponent's weight (as they strike) to amplify the damage that the countering opponent tin can deliver. This requires impeccable timing and thus can mostly only be learned past many repetitions.

Kid boxers [edit]

In Thailand, children often commencement practicing Muay Thai and perform in the band from the historic period of five.

In 2016, 9,998 children under the historic period of xv were registered with Lath of Boxing under the Sport Authority of Thailand, according to the Kid Prophylactic Promotion and Injury Prevention Research Eye (CSIP).^[23] Some estimates put the number of child boxers nationwide at between 200,000 and 300,000, some every bit immature equally four years old.^[24]

The Avant-garde Diagnostic Imaging Centre (AIMC) at Ramathibodi Infirmary studied 300 kid boxers aged under 15 with two to more than than five years of experience, likewise as 200 children who do not box. The findings show that child boxers non only sustain brain injuries, they also take a lower IQ, about x points lower than average levels. Moreover, IQ levels correlate with the length of their training.^[24] ^[25] Across encephalon impairment, the death of immature fighters in the band sometimes occurs.^[26]

Adisak Plitapolkarnpim, director of CSIP,^[27] was indirectly quoted (in 2016) as having said that muay Thai practitioners "younger than fifteen years old are being urged to avoid 'head contact' to reduce the risk of brain injuries, while children anile under nine should be banned from the combat fight"; furthermore, the Battle Act's minimum age to compete professionally was largely existence flouted; furthermore, quoted indirectly, "Boxers aged between 13 and 15" should still exist permitted to compete, only "with light contact to the head and face".^[23] He said that "spectators and a alter in the boxing rules can play a vital office in preventing child boxers from suffering brain injuries, abnormality in brain structure, Parkinson'southward disease and early-onset Alzheimer'due south later in life...Children aged between nine and fifteen tin can take part in [Thai] boxing, merely direct head contact must not be allowed". Referring to Findings [of 2014] on the Worst Forms of Child Labour equally published by the United states Department of Labor'south Agency of International Labor Affairs, he said, "Nosotros know Muay Thai paid fighters have been exploited in the by like kid labourers and the matter still remains a serious concern."^[23]

At the 13th Globe Conference on Injury Prevention and Condom Promotion in 2018, it was revealed that up to 3 pct of the upcoming generation volition grow up with learning disabilities unless an amendment is ratified that bans children under 12 from participating in battle matches. International pediatricians have called on lawmakers in Thailand to help.^[28]

Injuries [edit]

Muay Thai is a combat sport that utilises eight different parts of the body (fists, elbows, knees and shins) and then injuries are quite common in all levels of muay Thai. An injury is considered reportable if it requires the athlete to rest for more ane day. Many injuries in the sport go unreported every bit the fighters may not observe the injuries at first, refuse to admit that they need treatment, accept a heightened pain threshold, fear that their instructor will perceive the injury negatively, or accept confusion as to what is an injury.^[29] Similar to virtually sports, injury rates tend to exist higher in beginners than amateurs and professionals. Soft tissue injuries are the most common grade of injury in muay Thai, comprising between 80 and 90% of all injuries. These injuries are acquired by repeated trauma to soft parts of the body. During matches there is little to no padding, leaving soft tissue vulnerable to strikes. The second nigh common injuries among beginners and amateurs are sprains and strains. It appears that these injuries can be easily avoided or reduced. Many participants of a study admitted to inadequate warm upwards before the event of the injury.^[29] The third most common injuries are fractures. Fractures are more commonly seen with amateur and professional fighters, considering they are allowed full contact, while beginners are not. The almost mutual sites for fractures are the nose, carpal bones, metacarpals, digits and ribs. The distribution of injuries differs significantly for beginners, amateurs and professionals, considering as a fighter progresses through the different levels, the forces involved grow progressively higher, less padding and protective equipment is used, and athletes are likely to train harder, resulting in more serious injuries amongst experienced fighters.

Gambling [edit]

Thai boxer during a fight on Koh Samui

Co-ordinate to a Bangkok Post columnist, "...Thai professional boxing is all about gambling and large money. Gambling on muay Thai boxing is estimated to worth about twoscore billion baht a year....all the talk near the promotion of Thai martial arts is only baloney."^[xiii] Rob Cox, the manager of a battle army camp just e of Bangkok claims that "Without the gamblers, the sport would pretty much be expressionless. They're killing it off, but they're also keeping it alive".^[11]

The practice of fixing fights is not unknown. Boxers tin can earn from 60,000 to 150,000 baht for purposefully losing a fight. A fighter, afterward arrested, who threw a fight at Rajadamnern Stadium in Dec 2019, is an example.^[30] An infamous alleged case of friction match-fixing was the bout on 12 October 2014 in Pattaya betwixt top Thai boxer Buakaw Banchamek and his challenger, Enriko Kehl, at the K-ane World Max Final result.^[13]

Folklore [edit]

An urban legend started being told by Thai people in 1767 around the time of the autumn of the ancient Siamese capital of Ayutthaya, when the invading Burmese troops rounded up thousands of Siamese citizens. They then organised a seven-solar day, seven-dark religious festival in honour of Buddha's relics. The festivities included many forms of entertainment, such every bit costume plays, comedies and sword fighting matches. According to the folklore story, at 1 point, Male monarch Mangra wanted to see how Thai fighters would compare to his fighters. Nai Khanomtom was selected to fight against the Male monarch's chosen champion and the battle ring was set up in front of the throne. When the fight began, Nai Khanomtom charged out, using punches, kicks, elbows and knees to pummel his opponent until he complanate. The King supposedly asked if Nai Khanomtom would fight ix other Burmese champions to prove himself. He agreed and fought 1 after the other with no rest periods. His last opponent was a keen kickboxing teacher from Rakhine Country whom Nai Khanomtom defeated with kicks.^[31]

Every year on March 17th, Thailand gloat the Nai Khanom Tom day.

King Mangra was so impressed that he allegedly remarked, "Every function of the Siamese is blessed with venom. Even with his bare hands, he can fell nine or x opponents. Just his Lord was incompetent and lost the country to the enemy. If he had been any expert, there was no way the City of Ayutthaya would ever have fallen."^[32]

To commemorate the story of Nai Khanom Tom, the Muay Thai Festival and Wai Khru Muay Thai Anniversary are staged annually every year on March 17.^[33]

Conditioning [edit]

Like most full contact fighting sports, muay Thai has a heavy focus on body conditioning.^[34] This tin can create a steep learning curve for newcomers to muay Thai but allows for rapid increases in fettle and stamina provided one avoids overtraining.^[35] Training regimens include many staples of combat sport conditioning such as running, shadowboxing, rope jumping, body weight resistance exercises, medicine brawl exercises, abdominal exercises and, in some cases, weight preparation. Thai boxers rely heavily on kicks utilising the shin bone. As such, practitioners will repeatedly hit a dense heavy bag with their shins, conditioning it, hardening the bone through a procedure called cortical remodelling.^[36] Striking a sand-filled bag will have the same upshot.

A fighter punching a heavy bag at a training army camp in Thailand

Training specific to a Thai fighter includes grooming with coaches on Thai pads, focus mitts, heavy pocketbook, and sparring. Daily training includes many rounds (3–5 infinitesimal periods broken up by a short rest, often 1–ii minutes) of these various methods of practice. Thai pad training is a cornerstone of muay Thai conditioning that involves practicing punches, kicks, knees, and elbow strikes with a trainer wearing thick pads covering the forearms and hands. These special pads (often referred to as Thai pads) are used to absorb the bear upon of the fighter's strikes and let the fighter to react to the attacks of the pad holder in a live state of affairs. The trainer will often also wear a belly pad around the abdominal surface area so that the fighter tin can assail with direct kicks or knees to the trunk at any time during the round.

Focus mitts are specific to training a fighter's hand speed, punch combinations, timing, punching power, defense force and counter-punching and may also be used to practice elbow strikes. Heavy bag grooming is a conditioning and power exercise that reinforces the techniques practiced on the pads. Sparring is a ways to test technique, skills, range, strategy and timing against a partner. Sparring is often a light to medium contact exercise because competitive fighters on a total schedule are non brash to chance injury by sparring hard. Specific tactics and strategies can be trained with sparring including in close fighting, clinching and kneeing just, cut off the ring, or using accomplish and distance to go along an aggressive fighter away.

Due to the rigorous training regimen (some Thai boxers fight almost every other week), professional person boxers in Thailand take relatively brusque careers in the ring. Many retire from competition to brainstorm instructing the next generation of Thai fighters. Most professional Thai boxers come from lower economic backgrounds, and the pocketbook (afterwards other parties have their cutting) is sought as a means of back up for the fighters and their families.^[37] Very few college economic strata Thais bring together the professional person muay Thai ranks; they unremarkably either do not exercise the sport or practice it merely equally amateur boxers.^[38]

Famous practitioners [edit]

Popular culture [edit]

In the 1999 version of The King and I, the prince uses muay Thai.
Muay Thai is featured prominently in the Street Fighter series equally a common martial art between characters. The graphic symbol Sagat is referred to in-universe as "The Emperor of Muay Thai".
The Marvel Cinematic Universe features Muay Thai used by Shang Chi, Hope van Dyne and George Batroc.

See as well [edit]

Muay Boran
Muay Chaiya
Muay Lerdrit
Wai khru ram muay
Pra Jiad
Mongkhon
Muay Thai in popular culture
Krabi–krabong
Pencak silat

References [edit]

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- "Muay Thai History". 4 March 2016.
^ Kuswandini, Dian (22 July 2009). "Get fit the Muaythai way". The Jakarta Mail service . Retrieved 4 March 2015.
^ Wee, Lionel; Goh, Robbie B. H. (24 October 2019). Language, Infinite and Cultural Play: Theorising Affect in the Semiotic Landscape. ISBN9781108472203 . Retrieved 9 July 2020.
^ "Awesome Muay Thai" (PDF). Tourismthailand.org.
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^ Reynolds, Alex (24 Jan 2006). "Fighting as a 'farang' for a fist full of Baht". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 10 Baronial 2010.
^ "IN FRIENDLY THAILAND, Battle MATCHES ARE BRAWLS". Chicago Tribune.
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^ Patterson, Jeff. "Know Your Muay Thai: Mitt Wraps". nwfighting.com. Northwest Fighting Arts. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
^ ^a ^b Zandstra, Tate (xiii Oct 2016). "Blood, sweat and debt". Southeast Asia Globe . Retrieved 3 April 2020.
^ Krausz, Tibor (15 Oct 2018). "Muay Thai kid fighters put their wellness on the line for gamblers and hope of a better life". South China Forenoon Post . Retrieved 3 Apr 2020.
^ ^a ^b ^c Prateepchaikul, Veera (30 March 2020). "Ground forces's role in boxing a shady matter" (Opinion). Bangkok Post . Retrieved 30 March 2020.
^ Historic ABC of Thailand. (due north.d.). (n.p.): Lulu.
^ Vail, P. T. (1998). "Mod "Muai Thai" Mythologu". Crossroads: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Southeast Asian Studies. 12 (2): 75–95.
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^ "5 Main Kicking Techniques In Muay Thai". Muay Thai Teacher. v April 2016. Archived from the original on 26 August 2018. Retrieved 22 December 2016.
^ Cimadoro, Giuseppe; Mahaffey, Ryan; Babault, Nicolas (Apr 2018). "Acute neuromuscular responses to short and long roundhouse boot striking paces in professional Muay Thai fighters" (PDF). The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fettle. 59 (2): 204–209. doi:10.23736/S0022-4707.18.08295-6. PMID 29619797. S2CID 4647910.
^ "Muay Thai Weapons" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
^ ^a ^b ^c Jitcharoenkul, Prangthong (26 December 2016). "Good urges 'no head contact' among young boxers". Bangkok Post . Retrieved 27 Oct 2018.
^ ^a ^b "Doctors telephone call for crackdown on child boxing". Bangkok Post. 22 December 2017. Retrieved 22 Dec 2017.
^ Amsangiam, Lerpong; Panyasuppakun, Kornrawee (27 Oct 2018). "The loftier toll of Muay Thai". The Nation . Retrieved 27 October 2018.
^ "Child boxer dies subsequently fight". Bangkok Postal service. xiii November 2018. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
^ "Assoc. Prof. Plitapolkarnpim Adisak". ThaiScience (วิทยาศาสตร์ไทย). Archived from the original on 18 May 2017. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
^ "The worst type of child corruption – Doctors call on ban for underage boxing". The Thaiger. 8 November 2018. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
^ ^a ^b Gartland, Malik (2001). "Injury and injury rates in muay Thai kicking boxing". Gale Group. 35 (five): 308–13. doi:10.1136/bjsm.35.5.308. PMC1724381. PMID 11579062.
^ Cox, Rob (31 January 2019). "The fall of a fighter: corruption and gambling in Muay Thai". Asian MMA . Retrieved 3 April 2020.
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^ Newhall, Lindsey (13 February 2015). "The Globe Muay Thai Angels: Marketing the Women Fighters of Thailand". Vice . Retrieved 4 March 2015.
- Newhall, Lindsey (4 September 2014). "An American in Thailand: Muay Thai for the Rich". Vice . Retrieved 4 March 2015.

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