# Does muay thai scramble your brains?



## InvisibleFist

I'm interested in maybe trying my hand at Muay Thai.  (I'm a kung fu guy)  But I've got a question.  Does muay thai result in brain injuries of the type that boxers get?


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## OULobo

InvisibleFist said:
			
		

> I'm interested in maybe trying my hand at Muay Thai.  (I'm a kung fu guy)  But I've got a question.  Does muay thai result in brain injuries of the type that boxers get?


 
Only if you do it wrong.  :ultracool:

Seriously, brain injuries occur from brain trauma, so if you wish to avoid brain trauma, limit how much you full contact spar and compete. There are plenty of people out there who train year round and only compete on rare or special occasions. Most pro Muay Thai fighters start young and end young, due to injury. Protect yourself and know your limits.


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## InvisibleFist

So when sparring in class, do you go light contact?  

 My impresssion was that Muay Thai was pretty much full contact including elbows and knees...sounds pretty brutal.  

 Amateur competitors wear headgear, right?


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## OULobo

InvisibleFist said:
			
		

> So when sparring in class, do you go light contact?
> 
> My impresssion was that Muay Thai was pretty much full contact including elbows and knees...sounds pretty brutal.
> 
> Amateur competitors wear headgear, right?



We train padwork, heavy bag and shadow boxing the majority of the time. From time to time we do light sparring (20-30% power). We do heavy sparring only in preparation for a match. Most people wear gear whenever they face anyone outside of competition. The rules for matches differ by state and athletic association. Due to injury possibility and venue insurance most places don't allow elbows or knees, some allow knees, but no elbows, some only allow either with headgear, ect. Go to a practice and feel it out. It won't take you long to decided if you want to continue. Good luck.


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## OUMoose

OULobo said:
			
		

> We train padwork, heavy bag and shadow boxing the majority of the time. From time to time we do light sparring (20-30% power). We do heavy sparring only in preparation for a match. Most people wear gear whenever they face anyone outside of competition. The rules for matches differ by state and athletic association. Due to injury possibility and venue insurance most places don't allow elbows or knees, some allow knees, but no elbows, some only allow either with headgear, ect. Go to a practice and feel it out. It won't take you long to decided if you want to continue. Good luck.


I'll echo Lobo here i nthat we do mostly bagwork and shadowboxing, with some partner drills for flavor.  The partner drills are light contact with pads, but you can ask your partner to step things up if you're feeling bold.  

Try it out.  It's actually alot of fun.


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## Slihn

InvisibleFist said:
			
		

> So when sparring in class, do you go light contact?
> 
> My impresssion was that Muay Thai was pretty much full contact including elbows and knees...sounds pretty brutal.
> 
> Amateur competitors wear headgear, right?


 

Muay Thai ,like Western Boxing,contact is often quite brutal,so the chance of brain tramua is very much alive and well.Even though amatuer competitors wear headgear,it does not protect the wearer from brain damage because the tramua itself comes from the brain clashing into the inside of the skull when a forceful blow is received. A remedy to this (or to keep much of the impact from being absorbed by the brain)  is to buy a mouth guard that protects against concussions(by stabilizing the lower jaw upon impact).

It is also not a bad idea to go medium(not light) contact to the body and only instructional contact blows to the head to advoid concussions.Headgear can be worn ,but it does not prodive as much protection as many may think.

Good Training!


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## AdrenalineJunky

Err. . .what. . .huh?


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## Slihn

..what I mean in other words is that an effective mouthpiece(one that protects against cocussions;like shock doctor or brain pad) will help guard against brain damage.When the jaw receives heavy impact(like from a powerful cross),the force travels to the back of the jaw and is absorbed by the brain(because upon impact the lower jaw becomes unstablized).When the Mouthpece stablizes the lower jaw, it helps protect against concussions because it (the mouthpiece) is now absorbing the impact and not the brain.

Did that clarify things at all?


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## WingChun Lawyer

Only my two cents, but I would say the risk of significant trauma in MT is much lesser than the risk represented by western boxing - simply because, brutal as it is, MT does allow the fighters to kick and use their knees, which actually lessens the amount of hits you will get in the head (again, when compared to western boxers, of course) - if you are in kicking distance, you probably won´t get a punch in the noggin, and it is harder to land a kick in the head than to land a hook.

AFAIK, the worse injuries happen in competitions, so just don´t compete and limit yourself to sparring in class. This is what many people do, including me.

Personally, I´ve been doing it for two years and I have never seen anything worse than a nosebleed or a black eye. So don´t be scared by it, give MT a chance!


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## Odin

WingChun Lawyer said:
			
		

> Only my two cents, but I would say the risk of significant trauma in MT is much lesser than the risk represented by western boxing - simply because, brutal as it is, MT does allow the fighters to kick and use their knees, which actually lessens the amount of hits you will get in the head (again, when compared to western boxers, of course) - if you are in kicking distance, you probably won&#180;t get a punch in the noggin, and it is harder to land a kick in the head than to land a hook.
> 
> AFAIK, the worse injuries happen in competitions, so just don&#180;t compete and limit yourself to sparring in class. This is what many people do, including me.
> 
> Personally, I&#180;ve been doing it for two years and I have never seen anything worse than a nosebleed or a black eye. So don&#180;t be scared by it, give MT a chance!


 
I know what your saying,its like my girlfriend couldnt understand when I told her that mma/cage fighting is less dangerous then mt and boxing after all in mma you get hit 3 times its over where as in boxing you get hit in the head 299 times before you drop!.......saying that though,knees to the head and mid section do kill,its easier to crack a skull with a knee then a gloved fist.


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## WingChun Lawyer

Odin said:
			
		

> I know what your saying,its like my girlfriend couldnt understand when I told her that mma/cage fighting is less dangerous then mt and boxing after all in mma you get hit 3 times its over where as in boxing you get hit in the head 299 times before you drop!.......saying that though,knees to the head and mid section do kill,its easier to crack a skull with a knee then a gloved fist.


 
True.

Then again, in a simple sparring match, your partner is supposed to NOT crack open your skull with a knee. In a competition, on the other hand...


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## Jimi

I agree for the most part that in western boxing there are many more cranial knockouts (thus more possible brain damage) and in Muay Thai there are many more technical knockouts from leg,body kicks etc.... That is not to say a Muay Thai fighter can not cause brain damage. A Muay Thai elbow can cause brain damage without even hitting the jaw itself (a shot to the jaw is not the only possible cranial knock out)as well a knee strikes. There are books on common boxing head injuries, look into it. Even while wearing headgear, the brain can still take a hellava jolt. Commit the sin of dropping your hands in either western boxing or Muay Thai and your opponent may just send you to hell. Even the most well trained pros can make the mistake of dropping their guard. No one art has the monopoly on knock outs, though some cause it more often. Just my opinion.


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## Hand Sword

Only if you get kicked!...or, punched....or elbowed....or kneed...or thrown repeatedly ... Yeah, I guess it does.


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## Drag'n

In class we usually go pretty light when sparring, but sometimes the contact can get a little heavy, particularly when preparing for a fight.
I've suffered from headaches the evening or day after a fight. And thats with headgear. So yeah I dont think A fighting career is something you want to keep up for too long. The Thais do it as an effort to try and escape poverty. I do it for fun and for the experience.
 I realise that there are dangers and consequences to the type of training I do, and I try to be as cautious and sensible about it as possible.
You dont have to compete if its not your thing, but if you get seriously into the training then there deffinitely is pressure to compete, because the experience of fighting is such a valuable learning tool.


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## green meanie

Ya just gotta use your head... no wait, don't. 

Seriously, you just gotta use a little common sense when you're training. There's no reason why you shouldn't be able to learn the art and sport of Muay Thai with no more than the occasional bang or bruise you'd get from any contact sport. Have fun and good luck.


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## Odin

Jimi said:
			
		

> I agree for the most part that in western boxing there are many more cranial knockouts (thus more possible brain damage) and in Muay Thai there are many more technical knockouts from leg,body kicks etc.... That is not to say a Muay Thai fighter can not cause brain damage. A Muay Thai elbow can cause brain damage without even hitting the jaw itself (a shot to the jaw is not the only possible cranial knock out)as well a knee strikes. There are books on common boxing head injuries, look into it. Even while wearing headgear, the brain can still take a hellava jolt. Commit the sin of dropping your hands in either western boxing or Muay Thai and your opponent may just send you to hell. Even the most well trained pros can make the mistake of dropping their guard. No one art has the monopoly on knock outs, though some cause it more often. Just my opinion.


 
Fact:there are approx over 70 deaths a year in the ring in Thailand....there are 0 deaths while training though.speaks for itself.


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## Slihn

Over 70 deaths in Thailand!?Wow! I always thought that fatilities in the ring where rarely fatal;that must only be in K-1,Ufc,and Pride.


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