| The basic offensive techniques in Muay Thai | | | | The elbow can be used in seven ways: |
| use fists, elbows, shins, feet, and knees to | | | | horizontal, diagonal-upwards, |
| strike the opponent. To bind the opponent for | | | | diagonal-downwards, uppercut, downward, |
| both offensive and defensive purposes, small | | | | backward-spinning and flying. From the side |
| amounts of stand-up grappling are used: the | | | | it can be used as either a finishing move or |
| clinch. Muay Thai is often a fighting art of | | | | as a way to cut the opponent's eyebrow so |
| attrition, where opponents exchange blows | | | | that blood might block his vision. The blood |
| with one another. This is certainly the case | | | | also raises the opponent's awareness of being |
| with traditional stylists in Thailand, but is | | | | hurt which could affect his performance. This |
| a less popular form of fighting in the | | | | is the most common way of using the elbow. |
| contemporary world fighting circuit. With the | | | | The diagonal elbows are faster than the other |
| success of Muay Thai in mixed martial arts | | | | forms, but are less powerful. The uppercut |
| fighting, it has become the de facto martial | | | | and flying elbows are the most powerful, but |
| art of choice for competitive stand-up | | | | are slower and easier to avoid or block. The |
| fighters. As a result, it has evolved | | | | downward elbow is usually used as a finishing |
| accordingly and incorporated much more | | | | move. |
| powerful hand striking techniques used in | | | | |
| western style boxing, and the Thai style of | | | | There is also a distinct difference between a |
| exchanging blow for blow is no longer | | | | single elbow and a follow-up elbow. The |
| favorable. Note: when Muay Thai fighters | | | | single elbow is an elbow move independent |
| compete against fighters of other styles (and | | | | from any other move, whereas a follow-up |
| if the rules permit it), they almost | | | | elbow is the second strike from the same arm, |
| invariably emphasize elbow (sok) and knee | | | | being a hook first with an elbow follow-up. |
| (kao) techniques to gain a distinct advantage | | | | Such elbows, and most other elbows, are used |
| in fighting. Almost all techniques in Muay | | | | when the distance between fighters becomes |
| Thai use the entire body movement, rotating | | | | too small and there is too little space to |
| the hip with each kick, punch, and block. The | | | | throw a hook at the opponent's head. |
| rotation of the hips in Muay Thai techniques, | | | | |
| and intensive focus on "core muscles" (such | | | | Kicking techniques |
| as abdominal muscles and surrounding muscles) | | | | |
| is very distinctive and is what sets Muay | | | | The teep (literally "foot jab," similar to a |
| Thai apart from other styles of martial arts. | | | | front kick) and the roundhouse kick are the |
| | | | two most common kicks in Muay Thai. The Muay |
| The Clinch | | | | Thai roundhouse kick has been widely adopted |
| | | | by fighters from other martial arts. The |
| The clinch is applied by holding the opponent | | | | roundhouse kick uses a rotational movement of |
| either around the neck and head or around the | | | | the entire body. Thai boxers are trained to |
| body, although clinching around the body is | | | | always connect with the shin. While sensitive |
| rare and is usually avoided. The neck hold is | | | | in an unconditioned practitioner, the shin is |
| usually called the Thai clinch. Clinching is | | | | the strongest part of the leg. The foot |
| used extensively in Muay Thai and sometimes | | | | contains many fine bones and is much weaker. |
| goes on for a whole round, although this is | | | | A fighter may end up hurting himself if he |
| very rare. In Western Boxing, the two | | | | tries to attack with his foot. |
| fighters are separated when they clinch, in | | | | |
| Muay Thai however, they are not. It is often | | | | Muay Thai also includes other varieties of |
| in the clinch where knee techniques are used. | | | | kicking, such as the crescent kick, side kick |
| The clinch should be performed with the palm | | | | or spinning back kick. But these are rarely |
| of one hand on the back of the other and not | | | | used compared to the teep and the roundhouse |
| as shown in the picture.[citation needed] | | | | kick. |
| There are two reasons why the fingers must | | | | |
| not be intertwined. 1) In the ring fighters | | | | Knee techniques |
| are wearing boxing gloves and cannot | | | | |
| intertwine their fingers. 2) The Thai clinch | | | | Some knee techniques ("kao") |
| involves pressing the forearms or elbows | | | | |
| together to get control of the opponent's | | | | Kao Dode (Jumping knee strike) - the Thai |
| head or neck and move him around. | | | | boxer jumps up on one leg and strikes with |
| Intertwining the fingers makes it much harder | | | | that leg's knee. |
| to apply the amount of pressure on the neck | | | | |
| needed to gain control. | | | | Kao Loi (Flying knee strike) - the Thai boxer |
| | | | takes step(s), jumps forward and off one leg |
| A correct clinch also involves your forearms | | | | and strikes with that leg's knee. A quite |
| pressing against the other fighter's collar | | | | spectacular sight when it connects. |
| bone while your hands are around the | | | | |
| opponent's head rather than his neck. | | | | Kao Tone (Straight knee strike) - the Thai |
| | | | boxer simply thrusts it straight upwards. |
| Defense against punches and kicks | | | | According to one written source, this |
| | | | technique is somewhat more recent than Kao |
| Defensively, the concept of "wall of defense" | | | | Dode or Kao Loi.[citation needed] Supposedly, |
| is used, in which shoulders, arms and legs | | | | when the Thai boxers fought with rope-bound |
| are used to hinder the attacker from | | | | hands rather than the modern boxing gloves, |
| successfully executing his techniques. | | | | this particular technique was subject to |
| Blocking is a critical element in Muay Thai | | | | potentially vicious cutting, slicing and |
| and compounds the level of conditioning a | | | | sawing by an alert opponent who would block |
| successful practitioner must possess. Low and | | | | it or deflect it with the sharp "rope-glove" |
| mid body roundhouse kicks are normally | | | | edges or sometimes by the glass glued onto |
| blocked with the upper portion of a raised | | | | the "rope-gloves". This explanation also |
| shin. High body strikes are blocked with the | | | | holds true for some of the following knee |
| forearm/glove, knee/shin. Mid section | | | | strikes below as well. |
| roundhouse kicks can also be caught/trapped, | | | | |
| allowing for a sweep or counter attack to the | | | | Kao Noi (Small knee strike) - the Thai boxer |
| remaining leg of the opponent. Punches are | | | | hits the inside upper thigh (above the knee) |
| blocked with an ordinary boxing guard. | | | | of the opponent when clinching. This |
| | | | technique is used to wear down the opponent |
| Elbow techniques | | | | or to counter the opponent's knee strike or |
| | | | kick. |