Thai Boxing as Self-Defence (diary entry)

English: Muay Thai Boran 1 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

20.08.14 The ninth part of my client’s Muay Thai for martial arts cross training focused bringing the training covered back to the self-defence pathway. We warmed up with a re-cap on most areas covered at stand-up and clinch range within the boundaries of the Muay Thai sport. This was done on the Thai focus mitts. We then began exploring areas within the clinch range that can be applied to self-defence. Besides the excellent methods Thai boxers use to execute their lethal low round kicks, Muay Thai provides superb attribute training for the fighting outside of the sport at its clinch range. Humans have evolved to hold and strike when they fight. The striking is usually performed using a handheld weapon, but in the absence of this an empty hand will suffice. Taking this natural instinct, Muay Thai has developed some excellent methods for positioning, controlling and referencing a target whilst simultaneously using a free limb to strike. We continued working this through and overlapped onto the basic self-defence focus mitt exercises, which included controlling and removing obstructions.

We also brought in techniques like the headbutt, which used to be a part of mainstream Muay Thai competitions until the 1923 and can still be seen in the Muay Kaad Chuak annual event. This latter event sees Thais and Burmese fight on Thai/Myanma (formerly Burma) border in the Thai town of Mae Sot. Like the Burmese sport of Lethwei, this competition has combatants bind their hands in hemp rope or hand bandages and, in addition to headbutts, fights permit a wider variety throws now banned from mainstream Muay Thai. Muay Kaad Chuak (bound fist boxing) We also brought in eye gouges and bites at close range, emphasising their place as support tools rather than primary weapons. This was done with a small amount of resistance in partner work, also on the focus mitts and then the heavy bag. Heavy bag work was discussed as an isolation exercise where the fighter was not permitted to lose contact with the bag during his scheduled rounds. This was an article I rather enthusiastically wrote whilst I was in the midst of my intensive Muay Thai training with Kru Tony Hayes in 2003-2004. Sadly Tony, a very colourful and enigmatic character, is no longer with us and neither is his Warwick Warriors/Hayes Muay Thai club. I learnt a lot during my time training privately with him, in his regular classes and being part of his invitation-only “Fight Club”. Since then I have trained with various Thai boxing krus and learnt how varied the art can be from teacher to teacher. Tony was fiercely defensive of Muay Thai’s benefits and often taught self-defence applications in lessons: Muay Thai as Self-Defence

Related articles

• Female Muay Thai Blogs and Websites (undertheropes.com)

• "Muay Thai, An ancient martial art style & a popular combat sport" (visit-chiang-mai-online.com)

• Muay Thai is education: How martial arts impact learning (literacyteaching.net)

• Tire Training: Great Full Body And High Energy Workouts (tirebuyer.com)