# Starting Muay Thai for selfdefense?



## Warappo (Jun 18, 2017)

Hello guys,

I'm thinking about picking a martial art, mainly for self-defense purposes. I'm a gay guy, and although my country is pretty tolerant, there are always those who want to cause harm to others simply for being different. I would like to be able to defend myself.

I was given advice that I should focus on "punching" MAs, such as MMA/Muay Thai/box, as they're the most realistic ones when it comes to a streetfight.
I was thinking about Muay Thai - it looks great and effective at self defense too. However, I've read that it is very hard and brutal MA, which puts me off a little. I can take a punch or two, but I would prefer to avoid any permanent injury (I realize that during the training, body protectors and stuff like that is used in order to minimise the risk of any serious injury, but still... is MT a martial art that anyone can pick up, given sufficient determination?)

Also I have a little health problem - at 17 I underwent an open heart surgery (a very common heart defect, nothing serious). My heart is 100% healthy, but my chest bone is a little deformed - it doesn't hurt, but I would still prefer to avoid too many direct hits in this area. Is it possible to train with a chest protector?

Other than that, I try to hit the gym 3 to 4 times a week, so I'm not in a bad shape. I am 178 cms tall (5ft10') and weigh 75 kilos, if it makes any difference.  I intend on sticking with it for a longer period of time (possibly a lifetime?), so any suggestion / advice / comment is welcome.

Sorry for the long post and thank you for reading me 
(Also sorry for any potential mistakes - English is not my native language)

Cheers


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## Gerry Seymour (Jun 18, 2017)

Warappo said:


> Hello guys,
> 
> I'm thinking about picking a martial art, mainly for self-defense purposes. I'm a gay guy, and although my country is pretty tolerant, there are always those who want to cause harm to others simply for being different. I would like to be able to defend myself.
> 
> ...


There are many approaches that are useful for physical self-defense. I think the best approach is to have a mix of grappling and striking, but that's my personal opinion. There are those who lean very far in favor of grappling, and those who lean very far in favor of striking. More important is that you find a style you will enjoy training, you can afford, and which is convenient to you - those things will help ensure you keep going. Training takes time and repetition, so pick something you'll keep going to for a long time.


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## Headhunter (Jun 18, 2017)

Warappo said:


> Hello guys,
> 
> I'm thinking about picking a martial art, mainly for self-defense purposes. I'm a gay guy, and although my country is pretty tolerant, there are always those who want to cause harm to others simply for being different. I would like to be able to defend myself.
> 
> ...


Injuries happen in martial arts...that's just a part of it....just like in any sport injuries happen. Anyone can do anything if they want it bad enough


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## marques (Jun 18, 2017)

Some general ideas:

- Muay Thai is a great martial art, but it focus pretty much on the sport side. For self defence you would need to complement it with something else (even readings about how incidents can be avoided).

- I hope no gym put you at risk of a serious injury, especially being you a beginner. On the other hand, it is a contact sport/art and the risk is there, even if the probability of a serious injury is really low.

- You will be kicked in the body. And people may be careful with the head (in training - even lot allowing head strikes sometimes), but not so sure about the body or legs. I don't think chest protections really help. Better telling your partners to avoid power on your chest.

- For me it is difficult to think MT as a MA for a lifetime, because of the focus on competition and fitness requirements. But I also saw some old guys (over 50) there doing better than me...

- Before choosing, check what is available/affordable in your area. Do your list. And visit the clubs you think you prefer, before any decision. Ultimately, it is your decision and opinions and style names only help up to a level.

- Good luck and tell us any progress.


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## drop bear (Jun 18, 2017)

Is yours worse than this?







But yeah. Wear a chest protector if you want.

Muay Thai is something anyone can do. It is like most things the amount of will you put into it.

Otherwise before you get this impression that everybody trains like world champions. There is a progression.


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## Warappo (Jun 18, 2017)

Hey guys, 
thanks a lot for the responses, I appreciate it very much.

So from what I've seen, Muay Thai alone is not a good choice for someone like me, who wants to focus more on the "self defense" part of a MA?

Truth be told, initially I was very interested in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Krav Maga, but discouraged from both by some people I talked to. They basically said that BJJ is a great MA for sport purposes, but the self defense part is weak because of the fact that it specialises in ground fight, which is very dangerous if there are more people around on the street, for example. 

As for Krav Maga, they said that it's good for self defense, but only if you have some previous experience with some MA, and that unless I knew some basics of body contact like punching/kicking/throws etc., it wouldn't be of much use to me. Any ideas on this?

Could I maybe get some suggestions on what style should I try? One that wouldn't be only for sport purposes, and with striking/grappling, as gpseymour suggests? Or what to complement MT with, marques?

I think I might have expressed myself wrongly before. I am fully aware that we're talking about  contact sports here, and that there will always be a risk of some injury - it would be silly to think otherwise. I do not expect to always come out of the gym unscathed and without some bruises. My point was whether Muay Thai wasn't excessively "brutal", even when compared to other MAs? 

Other than that, I live in the centre of a pretty large city, so availability isn't much of an issue for me - I've got plenty of gyms around to choose from. Affordability is good as well, I have a stable job despite being a student, so that's that.

Lastly, my chest isn't nearly as bad as in the picture  I just have a small bone "lump" protruding from my sternum, but it's really tiny. I even think getting hit there from time to time wouldn't be much of a deal, I just figured I would mention it, just in case.

Thanks again for your time & responses, much appreciated!


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## Warappo (Jun 18, 2017)

Hey guys, 
thanks a lot for the responses, I appreciate it very much.

So from what I've seen, Muay Thai alone is not a good choice for someone like me, who wants to focus more on the "self defense" part of a MA?

Truth be told, initially I was very interested in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Krav Maga, but discouraged from both by some people I talked to. They basically said that BJJ is a great MA for sport purposes, but the self defense part is weak because of the fact that it specialises in ground fight, which is very dangerous if there are more people around on the street, for example. 

As for Krav Maga, they said that it's good for self defense, but only if you have some previous experience with some MA, and that unless I knew some basics of body contact like punching/kicking/throws etc., it wouldn't be of much use to me. Any ideas on this?

Could I maybe get some suggestions on what style should I try? One that wouldn't be only for sport purposes, and with striking/grappling, as gpseymour suggests? Or what to complement MT with, marques?

I think I might have expressed myself wrongly before. I am fully aware that we're talking about  contact sports here, and that there will always be a risk of some injury - it would be silly to think otherwise. I do not expect to always come out of the gym unscathed and without some bruises. My point was whether Muay Thai wasn't excessively "brutal", even when compared to other MAs? 

Other than that, I live in the centre of a pretty large city, so availability isn't much of an issue for me - I've got plenty of gyms around to choose from. Affordability is good as well, I have a stable job despite being a student, so that's that.

Lastly, my chest isn't nearly as bad as in the picture  I just have a small bone "lump" protruding from my sternum, but it's really tiny. I even think getting hit there from time to time wouldn't be much of a deal, I just figured I would mention it, just in case.

Thanks again for your time & responses, much appreciated!


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## Headhunter (Jun 18, 2017)

Warappo said:


> Hey guys,
> thanks a lot for the responses, I appreciate it very much.
> 
> So from what I've seen, Muay Thai alone is not a good choice for someone like me, who wants to focus more on the "self defense" part of a MA?
> ...


Here's what you should do...ignore everyone and just do what you want.


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## Buka (Jun 18, 2017)

Welcome to MartialTalk, Warappo.

What's probably best is for you to visit all the dojos near you, and WATCH classes at each one. Watch them on different days. You'll get a great idea on what fits you best, what interests you, who goes there, who teaches there, what it is they do.

Should be fun, too. Enjoy the process.

As to the _"initially I was very interested in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Krav Maga, but discouraged from both by some people I talked to_."
Yeah, you'll get a lot of that from some people, because that's what people tend to do. That's why you have to go see for your self what's available in your area, see what kind of chord it strikes in you.

All the luck going forward, bro. Keep us posted.


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## kuniggety (Jun 18, 2017)

Pretty much any martial arts that allows you to train full throttle, or close to it, is going to give you the skill set to have an edge up in a self defense scenario. Most people, even if they act tough, don't know their head from their *** once the blows start flying. MT (which actually teaches some grappling, i.e. clinch Fighting and trips and throws from it), boxing, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, judo, Krav Maga (depending on the school), American karate/kickboxing, etc are all great styles to train. As has been said, drop into the local schools, watch and/or participate if allowed, and see what grabs you.


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## marques (Jun 18, 2017)

No MA is perfect. Each one as something to blame to the eyes of someone. Do your research, but then start going to gyms, trial classes... There is no consensus about "the best" style for self defence. This is why there are many "the best".  At the end, it is your choice.

What to complement Muay Thai with? I really like MT. It is one of my favourites. And for sure, you will learn about fighting and about taking hits without panic. It is great on its own, up to a level (regarding self defence).

But it focus on competition, using big gloves. I would complement with something that teaches punching without gloves, for instance. Or something that prepares you for SD scenarios and mainly how to prevent trouble.


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## Reedone816 (Jun 19, 2017)

Just beware, because of the surge of popularity of MT, there are many 'MT' gym that teach not so good technique.

Sent from my Lenovo A7010a48 using Tapatalk


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## Midnight-shadow (Jun 19, 2017)

Any Martial Art can be used for self-defence as long as you are training for self-defence. When it comes to training Martial Arts, you can generally put them into 3 basic categories:

1. Fitness/health - Very popular where people train just to get a good workout, and nothing more than that. 
2. Competition - Whether it is fighting in the ring or competing at forms, you are training for a very specific situation based on a set list of rules. 
3. Self-defence - Learning how to defend yourself by any means necessary, usually by using techniques that are banned in most competitions. 

For example, one of the most common techniques taught to beginners of self-defence is a snap-kick or knee to the groin. It's very effective and takes very little skill to pull off. I don't know a single competition (pro or amateur) that allows kicks to the groin, so if the club or gym you go to focuses on competitions, they will never teach you such a technique. It's not just the physical techniques, but the mindset too. When you train for a specific competition, you are training based on very specific rules, with the idea of exploiting those rules as much as possible. For example, in Olympic TKD there is a rule that says you aren't allow to strike someone in the back, so Olympic TKD fighters are trained to stand fully sideways on to exploit this rule and make it harder for their opponent to hit the target areas (head and chest). Obviously in a self-defence situation there isn't a referee there to tell your opponent not to strike you in the back, so you have to take this into consideration and potentially go against all your training. This can be very hard to do especially if you've been training for a long time.  

My advice to you is find a school that specialises in self-defence and take it from there. If self-defence is your primary goal then you should train for that.


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## Warappo (Jun 19, 2017)

Thanks guys for all your responses, it's great that there are so many experienced people out there willing to help a newb like me haha.

Anyways, I think I became too theoretic about it. As you've suggested, I'm just gonna go and see some of the classes nearby for myself. There are some Muay Thai/ kickboxing / BJJ gyms around my place, so I'll just check them out and see what suits me the best. 

Once again, thanks to all for your time & responses. I'll keep you updated as I progress (hopefully  ) 

Cheers!


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## drop bear (Jun 19, 2017)

Midnight-shadow said:


> Any Martial Art can be used for self-defence as long as you are training for self-defence. When it comes to training Martial Arts, you can generally put them into 3 basic categories:
> 
> 1. Fitness/health - Very popular where people train just to get a good workout, and nothing more than that.
> 2. Competition - Whether it is fighting in the ring or competing at forms, you are training for a very specific situation based on a set list of rules.
> ...



Kudo allows groin kicks. MMA allows knee kicks. Muay Thai has an oblique kick to the knee. That I was told called a picking kick.

Muay Thai has an inside leg kick that sets up in the same way as a groin kick. And you will see illegal groin kicks in muay Thai that are inside leg kicks that miss. Otherwise you can throw an inside leg kick with real timing under resistance. Which you can't do with a groin kick unless you do Kudo. And if for some reason you forget you are in the street and throw an inside leg where you maybe should have thrown a groin.

Well the inside leg kick is still a real kick.

More importantly Thai had an inside leg check that is defense against a groin kick. So you won't get caught by an unfamiliar technique.

Now there are ways you can use an illegal technique better than what you would a legal one. 

There are a few tricks and traps you could use an eyegouge for that you can't use a punch for. But they are more of a side skill than a core skill.


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## KangTsai (Jun 20, 2017)

At this point, theory gets you nowhere. Go to all the places and pick your favourite. My biggest tip, after joining, is to actually care about improving and getting proficient; I see guys at my MMA gym who have been there for close to two years and are still sloppy as heck.


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