# Muai Thai techniques



## PhotonGuy (Mar 3, 2016)

I've done some Muai Thai on and off. From what I've learned from my Muai Thai training is they focus mostly on the low round kick. They do also work on front kicks mostly as a setup, punches, elbows, and knees but most of their training is on the low round kick and the clinch. When they throw knees usually they do it from the clinch and clinching and locking in Muai Thai is a whole field of study in and of itself, you could say its an art within an art. But aside from that the bulk of the training is the round kick, at least where I've trained. That is what I think makes Muai Thai so effective, they don't try to learn a hundred different kicks but rather focus on very few techniques with most of it on the round kick making the techniques that much more effective.


----------



## drop bear (Mar 3, 2016)

In general focusing on solid basics makes most fighting more effective.


----------



## marques (Mar 3, 2016)

drop bear said:


> In general focusing on solid basics makes most fighting more effective.


I agree... I think. I would say _In general *master* some solid basics makes most fighting more effective_.
Simply focusing on a few things makes a fighter limited. And eventually with big 'holes'. We're just using different words, I guess.


----------



## Flying Crane (Mar 3, 2016)

You don't want to be limited, but there is something to be said about getting more mileage from less material.  

I have experienced some curriculums that seem...excessive to the point of being cumbersome.  That doesn't help.


----------



## Danny T (Mar 4, 2016)

PhotonGuy said:


> I've done some Muai Thai on and off. From what I've learned from my Muai Thai training is they focus mostly on the low round kick. They do also work on front kicks mostly as a setup, punches, elbows, and knees but most of their training is on the low round kick and the clinch. When they throw knees usually they do it from the clinch and clinching and locking in Muai Thai is a whole field of study in and of itself, you could say its an art within an art. But aside from that the bulk of the training is the round kick, at least where I've trained. That is what I think makes Muai Thai so effective, they don't try to learn a hundred different kicks but rather focus on very few techniques with most of it on the round kick making the techniques that much more effective.


Actually there are numerous kicks in Muay Thai. Just not many are trained in most Muay Thai in America.

You do know there are several different Teeps?

Teep Top - Muay Thai Slapping Foot Jab
Teep Trong - Muay Thai Straight Foot Jab
Kradot Teep - Jumping Push Kick
Teep Dan Lang – Foot thrust to the rear
Teep Dueh Son – Heel push

The leg kick and body kick are utilized a lot to wear down the opponent and yes kicks setup the other strikes as punches are used to set up kicks. Knees are used to setup elbows and elbows are set ups for knees. A good nak muay will flow from all ranges and use any of the various strikes as a set up for something else.

Other Kicks;

Te Wiang - Round kick
Te Chiang - Diagonal Kick
Te Kot - Downward Roundhouse Kick
Te Klap Lang - Reverse Roundhouse Kick
Te Khao - Axe Kick
Te Trong - Front Kick or Straight Kick
Te Tad - Side Kick

Most knees are used in the clinch and yes clinch work is a art of its self with controls, counters, elbow attacks, knee attacks, shoulder butts, head butts, throws, sweeps, and take downs. Within most Muay Thai rules headbutts are not allowed and throws & takedowns do not count for points but will wear down the opponent mentally as well as physically.


----------



## PhotonGuy (Mar 5, 2016)

drop bear said:


> In general focusing on solid basics makes most fighting more effective.



Yes exactly, that's why a Muai Thai fighter will devastate you with the low round kick, its one of the few kicks they really spend a lot of time and effort developing instead of spreading themselves too thin trying to master 100 different kicks.


----------



## PhotonGuy (Mar 5, 2016)

marques said:


> I agree... I think. I would say _In general *master* some solid basics makes most fighting more effective_.
> Simply focusing on a few things makes a fighter limited. And eventually with big 'holes'. We're just using different words, I guess.


It is important to be well rounded but you also don't want to spread yourself too thin. Bruce Lee said that he doesn't fear the man who practices 10,000 different kicks, he fears the man who practices one kick 10,000 times.


----------



## PhotonGuy (Mar 5, 2016)

Danny T said:


> Actually there are numerous kicks in Muay Thai. Just not many are trained in most Muay Thai in America.
> 
> You do know there are several different Teeps?
> 
> ...



Wow I didn't know that. I've trained at a bunch of Muai Thai schools all of which are located in the USA and the only kicks that were taught were the round kick, front kick, and knees for in close fighting with an emphasis on the round kick and one school taught a variation of the front kick where you turn your foot sideways to make it more like a side kick and more of a striking kick. Also taught were the basic punches used in boxing, jab, cross, hook, uppercut, and elbows for in fighting. Maybe in Europe or in Thailand they teach all those different techniques, I've not had the opportunity to train in either of those places.


----------



## marques (Mar 5, 2016)

I'm used to read that traditional Muay Thai, Boran... have a lot of techniques (historically). I think now we only use/know what works the most in the ring/octagon.
The same for BJJ. I remember self-defence videos with Gracies in jeans and mustache defending against guns. Nowadays it is more rolling...


----------



## Dong xiao hu (Mar 6, 2016)

I spent two weeks in Thailand back in the early 90s learned a few variations of teep and te. I spent most of my time with Muay Baroan teacher though. A great deal of diversity in the technical arsenal there. Loved it.

Sent from my Z797C using Tapatalk


----------



## Danny T (Mar 6, 2016)

PhotonGuy said:


> Wow I didn't know that. I've trained at a bunch of Muai Thai schools all of which are located in the USA and the only kicks that were taught were the round kick, front kick, and knees for in close fighting with an emphasis on the round kick and one school taught a variation of the front kick where you turn your foot sideways to make it more like a side kick and more of a striking kick. Also taught were the basic punches used in boxing, jab, cross, hook, uppercut, and elbows for in fighting. Maybe in Europe or in Thailand they teach all those different techniques, I've not had the opportunity to train in either of those places.


Unfortunately for Muay Thai most in America don't learn all of what is in Muay Thai. Mostly what is taught as muay thai is kickboxing with a roundhouse shin kick to the leg, body, and head. 
I taught a MT seminar yesterday and better than half of the participates said they had never experienced most of what I was showing in their muay thai training. Muay Thai is much more than boxing punches with roundhouse kicks contacting with the shin.


----------



## jks9199 (Mar 6, 2016)

Let's be real... A whole lot of people coaching Muay Thai here in the US got certified in a weekend somewhere or made a fairly brief trip to Thailand to "train" and get "certified" as a kru...  And (probably even more) many have no real Muay Thai training at all.  They learned a kick or two, and grafted them into boxing.  

And, of course, we have the current trend of labeling any striking in a MMA event as"Muay Thai" (just like all the grappling is called juijitsu or BJJ...)


----------



## Tony Dismukes (Mar 6, 2016)

If you want to see a top Muay Thai fighter who uses more than the conventional arsenal, check out Saenchai:


----------



## Danny T (Mar 6, 2016)

Tony Dismukes said:


> If you want to see a top Muay Thai fighter who uses more than the conventional arsenal, check out Saenchai:


Saenchai is amazing. Began training Muay Thai at 8 and also boxed for 2 years. Then returned to Muay Thai and is one of the absolute best Nak Muays around. Tremendous use of set ups, timing, and positioning. Having the quickness he has is certainly an asset as well.


----------



## drop bear (Mar 7, 2016)

This is a thing that is starting to gain ground. Caged muay Thai. 

I will probably give it a miss.


----------



## Danny T (Mar 7, 2016)

drop bear said:


> This is a thing that is starting to gain ground. Caged muay Thai.
> 
> I will probably give it a miss.


Beginning to see more and more of this in our area as well.


----------



## PhotonGuy (Mar 7, 2016)

Danny T said:


> Unfortunately for Muay Thai most in America don't learn all of what is in Muay Thai. Mostly what is taught as muay thai is kickboxing with a roundhouse shin kick to the leg, body, and head.
> I taught a MT seminar yesterday and better than half of the participates said they had never experienced most of what I was showing in their muay thai training. Muay Thai is much more than boxing punches with roundhouse kicks contacting with the shin.



How about in Europe? I know Muai Thai is very big in Europe. Do they learn all that stuff you mentioned with Muai Thai in Europe?


----------



## Danny T (Mar 7, 2016)

PhotonGuy said:


> How about in Europe? I know Muai Thai is very big in Europe. Do they learn all that stuff you mentioned with Muai Thai in Europe?


Most of what I have exposed to out of Europe has been Dutch Style Muay Thai. I can't respond as to traditional Muay Thai. Dutch Style is like Glory no clinching, elbowing is a non issue and knees are long range. Punches are scored higher than kicks so more punching is utilized.


----------



## PhotonGuy (Mar 10, 2016)

I see. So in Thailand there is a lot more to Muai Thai than what is taught in the USA or Europe. Anyway, aside from the round kick, front kick, basic punches, and for close range elbows, knees, and clinching what more would you need?


----------



## Tez3 (Mar 10, 2016)

PhotonGuy said:


> How about in Europe? I know Muai Thai is very big in Europe. Do they learn all that stuff you mentioned with Muai Thai in Europe?



Yes many places do in the UK, we have quite a few Thais teaching Muay Thai here.
Official WBC Muaythai UK


----------



## PhotonGuy (Apr 12, 2016)

Well I heard that Muai Thai in Europe in terms of popularity is like Tae Kwon Do in the USA. But anyway, Im trying to use Muai Thai as an example where to be a more effective fighter its better to focus on just a few techniques than many. Maui Thai is known for its effectiveness and the Muai Thai that I've trained in doesn't give you a big list of different techniques to be used within the art, rather you just focus on a few. According to Danny T Muai Thai in Thailand exposes a practitioner to many more techniques than Muai Thai in the USA. Now not just with Muai Thai but with all martial arts in general, I don't think its a bad idea to be exposed to many different techniques just so you will be familiar with them, but I do think its a good idea to only focus on a few and to hone those to perfection.


----------

