Thai Boxing Personal Training: Developing Curved and Horizontal Knee Strikes in the Clinch
- jamie03066
- 30 minutes ago
- 4 min read
14.11.2025
When it comes to clinch work in Muay Thai, knee strikes are some of the most effective weapons you can develop. Recently, I had the opportunity to teach the head teacher of the Cotswold Karate School more advanced knee techniques from Muay Thai. After focusing on the spear knee in our previous session, we expanded the training to include curve knees and horizontal knees, both executed within the clinch. This blog post shares the key insights and practical drills from that two-hour session, designed to help you improve your clinch game and knee striking skills.
1. Building on the Spear Knee Foundation
Before diving into curve and horizontal knees, it’s important to understand the spear knee, which we covered in the previous course. The spear knee is a powerful, straight knee strike delivered from a tight clinch position. It’s great for penetrating an opponent’s guard and causing damage at close range.
Because the head teacher already had a solid grasp of this technique, we could focus on expanding his arsenal with variations that add unpredictability and control in the clinch.
2. Introducing Curve Knees in the Clinch
Curve knees are delivered with a sweeping motion, targeting the opponent’s ribs or side body. Unlike the spear knee’s straight trajectory, curve knees come from a slight angle, making them harder to anticipate and block.
Key Points for Curve Knees
Use a sideways pendulum step to create rhythm and open angles.
Aim for the ribs or floating ribs to disrupt breathing.
Combine curve knees with sweeps to off-balance your opponent.
Maintain a strong clinch grip to control your opponent’s posture.
Practical Drill: Curve Knee Set-Ups with Sweeps
We practiced light technical partner work where the curve knee was paired with sweeps. For example, after delivering a curve knee to the ribs, the partner would be swept off balance, creating openings for follow-up strikes. This drill helps develop timing and fluidity between strikes and takedowns.
3. Training Horizontal Knees to Create Distance
Horizontal knees are delivered with a swinging motion, often aimed at the opponent’s midsection or thighs. They are effective for creating space in the clinch when you feel trapped or need to reset.
How to Use Horizontal Knees
Use horizontal knees to push your opponent back and regain control.
Target the body or thighs to weaken your opponent’s base.
Combine horizontal knees with body lock positions for maximum leverage.
Adapt the strike as a last-moment change from other techniques, like turning a round kick into a horizontal knee.
Drill: Body Lock Positions with Horizontal Knees
We worked on body lock clinch positions where horizontal knees could be delivered efficiently. This included partner drills focusing on maintaining control while delivering knees that force the opponent to step back or lose balance.
4. Adapting Techniques for Injury and Efficiency
Due to a persistent shoulder injury, we had to modify some of the usual sparring drills. This meant focusing more on technical partner work and less on intense sparring. The head teacher’s experience in clinch work made this transition smooth.
We emphasised:
Controlled partner drills to avoid aggravating injuries.
Using the belly pad for safe, precise knee strike training.
Heavy bag work to develop rhythm and footwork, especially for curve knees.
5. Combining Knee Strikes in Continuous Patterns
One of the most valuable parts of the session was training continuous movement patterns that combined all three knee types: curve, horizontal, and spear knees.
Example Pattern
Close clinch with a curve knee to the ribs.
Follow immediately with a horizontal knee to create space.
Use the space to set up a spear knee.
Adapt the spear knee into a curve knee if the opponent closes in again.
This flow helps build instinctive transitions between strikes, making your clinch work unpredictable and effective.
6. Last-Moment Adaptations for Real Fight Scenarios
We also explored how to adapt strikes on the fly, which is crucial in a dynamic fight environment.
Turning a spear knee into a curve knee when the opponent shifts their guard.
Changing a round kick into a horizontal knee if the distance closes suddenly.
These adaptations keep your opponent guessing and allow you to maintain offensive pressure even when situations change rapidly.
7. Using Thai Boxing Personal Training to Enhance Your Clinch
Training these techniques with a skilled coach or through Thai Boxing Personal Training can accelerate your progress. Personalized sessions allow you to focus on your specific strengths and weaknesses, receive immediate feedback, and practice safely with tailored drills.
If you want to improve your clinch knee strikes, consider booking focused personal training sessions that emphasize technical precision and practical application.
Mastering curve and horizontal knees in the clinch adds depth and versatility to your Muay Thai striking. By combining these techniques with the spear knee and practicing continuous movement patterns, you can control the clinch and create powerful openings. Whether you train solo on the heavy bag or with a partner, consistent practice and smart adaptations will make your knees a formidable weapon.
If you’re serious about improving your clinch game, investing in Thai Boxing Personal Training can provide the guidance and structure you need to reach the next level. Start incorporating these knee strikes into your training and watch your clinch control and striking power grow.
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