What is Muay Thai?
What is Muay Thai? Muay Thai is Thai boxing and also the national sport of Thailand. Muay is pronounced “moy” like “boy” but with an “m” and Thai is pronounced like the word, “tie.”
Muay Thai is known as, “the art of eight limbs.” This refers to the eight points of contact used including the fists, elbows, knees, and shins.
Muay Thai is a combat sport and as such, is considered a martial art. However, modern Muay Thai looks much more like kickboxing than like martial arts such as taekwondo or jiu jitsu.
What does Muay Thai mean?
The word “Muay” literally means “combat,” though it is also often translated as “boxing.”
Muay Thai History and Origins
Two Muay Thai fighters in combat in a traditional setting by Kru Tony Moore
So what is Muay Thai really? While the early history and origins of this fighting style are not clear, it is known that Muay Thai began as a close combat fighting skill for use on the battlefield. Eventually, Muay Thai was also practiced as a sport.
People from all walks of life, from commoners to the king himself, enjoy training and competing in Muay Thai. Legend has it that in the early 1700s, King Prachao Sua, known as “The Tiger King,” enjoyed Muay Thai so much that he often disguised himself as a commoner so he could fight local champions in small cities and villages.
It wasn’t until the 1930s that Muay Thai underwent major changes and began to resemble the sport as it is practiced today. Fights previously took place in courtyards or open spaces but were now held in boxing rings. Rules and regulations were codified. Timed rounds were introduced. Traditional rope bindings that protected arms and hands were replaced by boxing gloves. Where traditionally fighters would fight anyone of any size, weight classes were introduced resulting in more evenly matched fights.
Modern Muay Thai
Muay Thai Fight in Thailand
In 1993, the International Federation of Muaythai Amateur (IFMA) was formed and now includes 130 member countries. The organization hosts the IFMA World Championships and works to promote the International Olympic Committee (IOC) code of ethics.
Two years later, the World Muay thai Council was formed and is the official world governing body for professional Muay Thai. The organization includes members from 120 countries.
At the end of 2016, Muay Thai was granted provisional status by the IOC. After three years of provisional status, Muay Thai can apply to become an official Olympic sport.
Muay Thai in Thailand
Muay Thai has always been a major part of Thai culture. It is even said that hundreds of years ago, national issues were decided by Muay Thai contests. Today, it is a wildly popular sport with top professional fighters competing in glitzy, live-streamed global events.
However, life for most Muay Thai fighters is tough. Often training begins at the age of seven or even younger, as fighting is often the only hope a child has for making any money or even eating regularly. Many families in poor, rural areas encourage their children to fight to eke out a living for themselves and for the family.
Young fighters don’t make much money when they win and they often have to fight multiple times during a week or even during a single day. Injuries are common and are considered simply a part of training.
Only those who manage to attain a professional, championship level of skill can make a good living but due to such high injury rates, careers are often short.
However, in Thai culture, Muay Thai is much more than a fighting style. It is a spiritual practice and a way of life. Muay Thai is closely linked with Buddhism, and the martial art itself emphasizes values such as respect, humility, self-control, and compassion.
One unique element of Thai fight culture is the prison fights. Select inmates are given the opportunity to win their freedom by participating in Muay Thai fights against other inmates or foreign fighters.
One true story is of English boxer Billy Moore who was imprisoned in the infamous Klong Prem prison and granted freedom after a series of fights. Billy’s story was turned into the recent movie A Prayer Before Dawn.
Muay Thai in the US
It is thought that in 1968, Surachai (Chai) Sirisute was the first instructor to introduce Muay Thai to America. However, the sport did not take off the same way taekwondo and karate did at the time. This may have been due to a lack of qualified instructors to help advance the sport in the US. In the 1980s, Muay Thai was overshadowed by boxing’s popularity and after that, by kickboxing and MMA.
Consequently, it hasn’t been until just the last 10 to 20 years that Muay Thai has begun to enjoy any sort of popularity in the US. It wasn’t until 2004 that the United States Muaythai Federation (USMF) was formed and began representing the US at IFMA World Championship Tournaments.
Felice Herrig (right) in a match with Emily Bearden (left) at Muay Thai Mayhem XIV. Photo by Aristotle Labiaga
Muay Thai Techniques
The “art of eight limbs” works to utilize the entire body as a weapon. A wide variety of punches, elbow strikes, knee strikes, kicks, and foot thrusts are used. (Foot thrusts are quick jabs with the foot used to control distance or knock an opponent off balance.) Clinches and defense moves such as blocking and evasion are also used.
While each fighter develops his or her own style within Muay Thai, it’s common for fighters to lean more heavily on kicking and knee strikes, using fists and elbows less frequently or as part of multi-strike combinations. This may be in part because Muay Thai kicks are executed with a straight leg, using the lower part of the shin as the point of contact. When executed correctly and at full strength, the resulting impact is comparable to being hit with a baseball bat.
James Turner, practices knees while sparring with Grand Master Myong Chae Kim. Photo by Adam Grant
Muay Thai Basics
It is not uncommon for serious Muay Thai students to make a pilgrimage to Thailand to train and study. While finding a qualified Muay Thai instructor is becoming easier than it once was, it is still important to choose your instructor and gym wisely. At the very least, your trainer should be knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the sport.
Keep in mind that while Muay Thai is a martial art, there is no belt system. Belt ranking as it is seen in other martial arts is considered by Muay Thai practitioners to be only a Western practice. The only “belts” that are earned in the sport are similar to those in pro boxing that are only earned after winning a major championship title fight.
Namsaknoi Yudthagarngamtorn with his belts.
However, this may be changing. Much like how taekwondo was standardized in Korea and spread worldwide, there is a movement to standardize Muay Thai in an effort to increase participation and popularity around the world, as well as give the sport structure for both students and instructors. This may include the introduction of belt ranking along with instructor certification. However, this has yet to come to pass.
Muay Thai Gear
Muay Thai doesn’t require a lot of gear. Boxing gloves, a mouth guard, and a groin cup for men are all that’s needed, though sometimes students will also train with shin guards. There is no uniform so you can wear whatever you would wear to work out at the gym.
Professional Muay Thai fighters are often seen wearing arm bands during their fights. These grew from a tradition of tearing a piece of fabric from the clothing of a loved one to wear during a fight. These arm bands have come to represent and pay homage to the fighter’s gym.
Muay Thai for Kids?
A Team Shaw child hits a glove held by a member of Team Robinson MMA. Photo by Kelsey Tucker
While it’s extremely common for children in Thailand to practice Muay Thai competitively, the jury is still out on whether or not it’s appropriate for children to practice it. As with any physical activity, there are certainly safety issues. There is evidence that child boxers are at high risk for sustaining brain injuries that can lower IQ and increase risk for Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s.
However, if appropriate safety precautions are taken and training is conducted by a qualified instructor, the risk for head trauma and brain injury is greatly reduced. When considering Muay Thai for your child, it is imperative to ask prospective instructors if head contact is allowed and if so, at what age or level of training. Also be sure to ask what protective gear is used. While adults practice Muay Thai without head protection, instructors may recommend head protection for children.
Benefits
Practicing Muay Thai provides a full body workout like no other. It also strengthens the mind and builds confidence. There are many who attest to Muay Thai’s ability to beat out all other martial arts and fighting styles. Whether you are training for competition, fitness or self-defense Muay Thai has something to offer everyone. Many students also remark on the sense of camaraderie and connection students of Muay Thai report developing while training as Muay Thai’s greatest benefit.
photo by MartialArtsNomad.com
About the author: Holly Layman is a writer based in Southern California. She holds a first degree black belt in taekwondo.
To learn more about the history and practice of martial arts check out the other articles in the Puncher “What is” series on Judo, Boxing, Karate, Taekwondo, Muay Thai, Sambo, MMA and more.
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