Muay Thai Kickboxing is referred to as "The
Science of Eight Limbs",
as the hands, feet, elbows, and knees are all used extensively in
this art.
Techniques
The basic offensive techniques in Muay Thai Kickboxing use fists,
elbows, shins, feet, and knees to strike the opponent. To bind the
opponent for both offensive and defensive purposes, small amounts
of stand-up grappling are used: the clinch. The clinch is applied
by holding the opponent either around the neck or around the body.
In Western Boxing, the two fighters are separated when they clinch.
Defensively, the concept of "wall of defense" is used,
in which shoulders, arms and legs are used to hinder the attacker
from successfully executing his techniques. Because of the power
involved with Muay Thai Kickboxing techniques, fighters do not often
block strikes like in other martial arts. Fighters prefer to evade
attacks by stepping out of range or moving toward their opponent
in order to buffer techniques such as kicks.
Though the high kicks to the head appear spectacular during a competition,
the most destructive blows tend to be elbow and knee strikes. When
Muay Thai Kickboxing boxers fight against other stylists (and if
they are permitted to use the entire Muay Thai Kickboxing arsenal),
they almost invariably emphasize elbow (sok) and knee (kao) techniques
to gain a distinct advantage.
Two Muay Thai Kickboxing techniques were adopted by fighters from
other martial arts: The Thai low kick and the Thai roundhouse kick.
They are actually variations of the same kick, but hit at different
heights. The low kick uses a rotational movement of the entire body
to hit the opponent's outer thigh or side of knee with the shin.
When not properly defended against, this technique often leads to
the end of the fight, as the opponent has great difficulty standing
after a few powerful low-kicks. The Thai roundhouse kick is also
unique and was adapted for its efficiency. The kick is carried out
with a straight leg and the entire body rotating from the hip, which
is "locked" right before the leg makes contact to the
opponent. At close ranges, Thai boxers strike with the shin; at
longer ranges, the foot makes contact.
Almost all techniques in Muay Thai Kickboxing use the entire body
movement, rotating the hip with each kick, punch, and block. The
rotation of the hips in Muay Thai Kickboxing techniques, and intensive
focus on "core muscles" (such as abdominal muscles and
surrounding muscles) is very distinctive and is what sets Muay Thai
Kickboxing apart from other styles of martial arts.
