Thai fights are a kind of sport in Thailand that involve stand up striking combined with different grappling techniques. This traditional Thailand combat of fighting is famously known as the art of eight limbs since it involves the use of all limbs: fists, knees, feet, and elbows. There is a professional league in Thailand organized and governed by the World Thai Council.
The technique was used in the past as an actual fighting combat in actual warfare, after which it was later introduced as a sport to entertain spectators. The opponents would meet in the ring where the spectators would gather in the arena to watch them fight as a form of entertainment. As time passed, the fights became a crucial part of the local traditions and customs of the Thai. They were even held in the temples. The sport evolved, and a form of fight called the muay khat chueak was introduced where the fighters were given hemp rope that they used to wrap around their forearms and hands.
During the 19th century, with the rise of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V), muay advanced to a great height, and the country became at peace, using the technique mostly as a means of leisure and sometimes in self-defense. The first boxing ring in Thailand was constructed in 1921, where referees were brought in and fighters were clothed with modern gloves and hard groin protectors.
Later on it was found that, when knots were tied on the ropes on the knuckles, the strikes were more deadly and caused severe injuries to the fighters. This kind of fight was known as muay boran. A fighter was once killed in a ring, thereby leading to the introduction of gloves and cotton coverlets to replace the hemp rope. This was banned and is only available as an exhibition form of art.
The latter is now practiced mainly as a presentation art form. There are two groups of muay Thai fighting combats: major techniques (mae mai ) and luk mai ( minor techniques). In any case, most of the techniques involve the movement of the whole body, circling the hip when taking every kick, punch, elbow or block.
Many techniques are used to prevent attack. The fighter can use blocking, in which the he /she prevents a strike by stopping it before it reaches him/her. Redirection is used where a defender wades off an attack by changing its direction, making it to miss its designation. The defender can decide to use avoidance, in which he/she moves his/her body or part to avoid getting hit, and then finds space to counter attack.
The defender may also use the evasion technique, in which he moves the whole body out of the way, and then moves back again for a counter attack. Additionally, he may use disruption technique, by bridging an attack. Occasionally, the defender may find it useful to use the anticipation technique too. This could be in the form of countering a roundhouse kick to the body before it lands.
In the old days, when Thailand was at peace, the sport was used to improve body fitness. Training methods used are weight training, running, shadowboxing, abdominal exercises, medicine ball exercises and bodyweight resistance exercises. These are important to the well being of the fighter.
The technique was used in the past as an actual fighting combat in actual warfare, after which it was later introduced as a sport to entertain spectators. The opponents would meet in the ring where the spectators would gather in the arena to watch them fight as a form of entertainment. As time passed, the fights became a crucial part of the local traditions and customs of the Thai. They were even held in the temples. The sport evolved, and a form of fight called the muay khat chueak was introduced where the fighters were given hemp rope that they used to wrap around their forearms and hands.
During the 19th century, with the rise of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V), muay advanced to a great height, and the country became at peace, using the technique mostly as a means of leisure and sometimes in self-defense. The first boxing ring in Thailand was constructed in 1921, where referees were brought in and fighters were clothed with modern gloves and hard groin protectors.
Later on it was found that, when knots were tied on the ropes on the knuckles, the strikes were more deadly and caused severe injuries to the fighters. This kind of fight was known as muay boran. A fighter was once killed in a ring, thereby leading to the introduction of gloves and cotton coverlets to replace the hemp rope. This was banned and is only available as an exhibition form of art.
The latter is now practiced mainly as a presentation art form. There are two groups of muay Thai fighting combats: major techniques (mae mai ) and luk mai ( minor techniques). In any case, most of the techniques involve the movement of the whole body, circling the hip when taking every kick, punch, elbow or block.
Many techniques are used to prevent attack. The fighter can use blocking, in which the he /she prevents a strike by stopping it before it reaches him/her. Redirection is used where a defender wades off an attack by changing its direction, making it to miss its designation. The defender can decide to use avoidance, in which he/she moves his/her body or part to avoid getting hit, and then finds space to counter attack.
The defender may also use the evasion technique, in which he moves the whole body out of the way, and then moves back again for a counter attack. Additionally, he may use disruption technique, by bridging an attack. Occasionally, the defender may find it useful to use the anticipation technique too. This could be in the form of countering a roundhouse kick to the body before it lands.
In the old days, when Thailand was at peace, the sport was used to improve body fitness. Training methods used are weight training, running, shadowboxing, abdominal exercises, medicine ball exercises and bodyweight resistance exercises. These are important to the well being of the fighter.
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