Muay Thai is an extremely admired and famous activity in Thailand. Its fights are dynamic and astonishing.
At the heart of this Thai discipline is the percussion technique. It is a system developed in Thailand aimed at the teaching of how to achieve such physical and psychological qualities that are necessary to win the fight. Unlike other oriental sports, its movements are applicable in street battles after a short period of active preparation workouts. In the concept of this martial art from Thailand, much attention is paid to a long-established custom. Prior to each fight, boxers mentally prepare for the fight and conduct a special ritual dancing process (ram), the main purpose of which is to pay tribute to elders and teachers. The dance is performed with a mongkon, a headband made up of 108 threads.
The origins of Muay Thai
The first mention of this Thai combat discipline dates back to the 17th century. But this martial art didn’t come out of anywhere. It had two progenitors – Muay Boran and Krabi Krabong. It is generally accepted that Muay Thai has its grassroots in the second. They are really similar and it seems that Muay Thai is a logical continuation of Muay Boran. Krabi Krabong has its origin in Thailand in antiquity, when the country was constantly involved in armed conflicts with its closest, and not only, neighbors. This is the Thai art of combat with weapons, which was the Thai sword, staff – these two items actually determine the name. Thailand warriors also used swords, shields, and blades. Well, what does the history of Muay Thai have to do with it? A reasonable question may arise.
Everything is simple. In addition to learning the tactics of fighting with weapons, the warriors were taught the unarmed combat methods necessary in case of weapon loss or damage. This is not a separate martial art, as many believe. Under this name lies a collective image of all types of combat, without the use of any weapon. Moreover, in Thailand itself, it is believed that it is just a part of the wider Krabi Krabong.
Muay Thai and self-defense
When there is a necessity to learn how to protect yourself, it’s a very efficient punching technique. It should immediately be noted that the disadvantage is the lack of elements of the struggle. There are twists and throws, but, nevertheless, there are no ground elements. Such a concept is a significant drawback, somewhat reducing the effectiveness of this discipline for self-defense.
Naturally, since this is a sports technique, there is no training in combat against several enemies, an armed enemy, and psychological preparation for street self-protection. But in terms of striking technique, it is almost an ideal martial art for a street fight, it is as close as possible to a real fight.