The Muay Thai Stance: Breakdown and Analysis

The Basic Fighting Stance For Muay Thai

By Sean Fagan

Now I don’t have the typical Muay Thai Stance, but it does have a lot of similarities to the traditional fighting stance that the Thai boxers use. Regardless whether or not you choose to do your Muay Thai training in the same type of fighting stance that I do, it’s important to take in consideration these factors:

• Feet shoulder width apart to allow for easy movement and a solid base to attack and defend from.
• Elbows tucked in to allow straighter punches and protect from body strikes. The traditional Thai fighting stance would have your hands a little higher with your palms facing outwards. I prefer to have my fists in towards my chin.
• Hands up and chin tucked! Pretend you have a $100 bill underneath your chin and you lose it if you drop it!
• Have power hand/foot in back. This will allow for you to turn your hip into your more powerful, natural side.
• Never be flat footed. Make sure to be light on your feet and have your back heel off the ground to allow for more fluent motion. This will also help speed you your strikes and defense!
• Be relatively square to your opponent. This is a HUGE difference between a boxing and a Thai boxing stance. If you are turned away from your opponent you leave a lot more openings and eliminate the quickness/efficiency of your strikes because of the extra movements you’d need to take.

Also take in consideration your footwork. It’s basic technique but very important!

Whenever you move to your left, your left food moves first. Whenever you move forward, your lead foot moves first. Basically, whichever foot is closer to the side your moving should be the foot you move first!

DO NOT criss-cross your feet. 

This will leave you off balance and unable to attack or defend. This is one of the most basic but essential aspects of your footwork. A solid Muay Thai stance will allow you to attack and defend at any point of your movements; once you criss cross your feet you take away your options.

DO NOT take HUGE steps.

Same idea, once you lunge too far you leave yourself open for attacks while being unable to unleash your own strikes. Take small, calculated steps and always return to your original Muay Thai fighting stance.

Try different variations until you find a comfortable fighting stance. Every one is different so chances are your stance isn’t going to look the same as mine or other Muay Thai fighters. Just keep to the basic principles I listed above and you’ll have a solid thai boxing stance in no time!