Basic Muay Thai Techniques

Muay Thai is a mixed martial art (MMA) combat sport that employs a combination of boxing with striking using the elbows, knees and feet. It is an extremely effective fighting technique that has been in existence for centuries, which has now grown in popularity worldwide due to the prevalence of professional mixed martial arts fighting. Muay Thai employs a host of different moves, but let’s focus on the basics to learn how to properly execute each technique.

Kicking and Punching

Proper kicking and punching techniques are essential for those who wish learn Muay Thai and progress in the combat sport. A quality workout should be completed in proper Muay Thai gear done three to five times a week. The workout begins with practice punches done with a training partner or thrown at a heavy bag. These are classified into jabs, straights, hooks, uppercuts and elbow strikes. A trainee should devote equal time to each punching technique since Muay Thai is an eight-point combat sport.

Kicks, on the other hand, are classified as front kicks, clinch kicks, low kicks and roundhouse kicks, with all of them also practiced with a training partner or with a heavy bag. Clinch kicks, however, are much better practiced against a partner as opposed to a bag.

Defensive Techniques

Fighters must also know how to defend themselves from an opponent’s strikes to the head, torso and even the legs. This is the reason why they always face the sides of their bodies towards their opponents to become smaller targets, also protecting vital organs from being hit by critical strikes. The non-dominant hand is commonly at eye level with the other ready to strike. Movement is done by balancing on the balls of the feet, allowing fighters to move faster as opposed to a balanced distribution of weight on balls and heels.

Mastering these basic techniques is the first step in preparing for a Muay Thai competition. This also serves as a solid foundation for fighters when they move on to more advanced techniques. It may be beneficial for committed fighters to invest on training equipment such as high-quality Muay Thai punching bags and other essentials and avoid going for substandard equipment, for this may have negative effects on the quality of your training. Training with great equipment not only boost your level of enthusiasm, but also promote self-discipline while learning the combat sport.

As many of you probably know, the intense training and rigorous conditioning involved in Muay Thai is very demanding. It aims to turn your striking appendages into deadly weapons. Fighters who have been training for many years are able to take a beating from shin kicks that can break bones.

Ultimately, Muay Thai is a dangerous combat sport that involves punishing strikes with minimal grappling, so safety will always be your primary concern while training. Thai fighters are physically strong and able to take an opponent out with just one well-placed critical strike. This is the reason mixed martial arts fighters add this fighting discipline to their arsenal when it comes to stand up striking.
Bio: Marie Felipe is an online writer for more than 6 years now promoting the importance of being fit and healthy. She realized it is quite difficult to stay fit especially if you work online and just sits every day. Luckily with a help of a little diet and hours in a Muay Thai gym she stays fit.