By Matt Filart
It’s a fairly common thing for Muay Thai practitioners to have a sense of superiority when it comes to other martial arts. There's a fair amount of reasoning behind this, due to Muay Thai’s practicality in the real world and how, nowadays, Muay Thai fighters usually beat other styles.
The downside to this mentality (aside from just being pretty lame and annoying) is that it makes a lot of people think that other martial arts, like Taekwondo, have nothing to offer.
This is nowhere near the case. Even if Taekwondo is not all well rounded and all-encompassing as Muay Thai, there are still a lot of things to learn from it, especially in its kicks.
(Side note: Why is Taekwondo considered a "traditional martial art" but Muay Thai isn’t? Muay Thai is older than Taekwondo and most Karate styles by literally every measurement! Rant over.)
We all know that the roundhouse kicks...
By Sean Fagan
Needless to say, the Muay Thai roundhouse kick is what makes Muay Thai one of the most deadliest martial arts in the world.
However if you throw a Muay Thai kick with sloppy technique you be less efficient (which makes you more tired) and you will leave openings in your defense.
Even though the roundhouse kick is one of the most basic Muay Thai techniques you’ll first learn when you step into a gym, it takes a lifetime to perfect. I’ve been training Thai boxing over 10 years now and still know that there is plenty of room to improve my kick technique to add more power and speed to it.
Basic Kick Technique Tips
- Be loose! Your leg should almost be completely dead weight that is guided by your hips, shoulders and torso.
- Push up on the balls of your post foot. This will help you generate more hip action and be more free to rotate through. If you...
From Muay Thai Guy
High kicks. The golden technique of martial arts and, in many ways, the mark of a good martial artist.
No one just throws a high kick; only people who dedicate their life to martial arts or ballet are able to get their leg that high that easily. Be it Jean Claude Van Damme or Saenchai, everyone who throws a high kick has spent years mastering it. You need great static and dynamic flexibility, great technique and, most important of all, the ability to set up your opponent for that highlight reel KO.
So if you want to be a part of the high kick club, there are a few things that you’ll need to know.
It should come as no surprise to anyone reading this that high kicks require a little bit of flexibility.
After all, if your leg can’t stretch up there comfortably, then there’s not much use kicking here. Lacking flexibility while aiming for a high kick will almost feel like...
From Muay Thai Guy
Movement is balance.
The body is balance. If your chest is overdeveloped, your shoulders will round forward. This is both ugly and…not so pretty on your body. If your right is dominant, you’ll forget to use your left. This can quickly spell disaster when a certain action from your opponent requires a reaction from a certain side of you.
Balance of the body and equilibrium are both necessary in fighting. A strong foundation is balance, a strong foundation is power, and power…equals knockouts. Train your balance with this Muay Thai heavy bag drill and you’ll be like a cat, always landing on your feet and always being in a good position.
Flowing between soft and hard is an excellent way to train your body. Now here’s an entire workout you can shape around your training.
Drills make skills, and the more you...
Observing Saenchai’s skills in person is mentally exhausting.
His raw talent is just mind-blowing and it’s nearly impossible to figure out how he fights so perfectly. I was blessed to watch him teach a session at Phoenix MMA (Bournemouth, UK) and managed to film a lot of the techniques and drills he was demonstrating.
Saenchai has been my idol since I started Muay Thai, so it’s my absolute privilege to share his favourite techniques with you. Whilst they are mechanically quite simple, the timing and precision he performs them with is what makes them so effective:
His unique flexibility allows him to bring his chamber up high with amazing speed and control. When he raises his thigh for a round kick, you have NO idea whether you’re about to get booted in the leg...
By Sean Fagan
You need to learn how to throw a push kick before you step into the ring to spar or fight!
This basic Muay Thai kick technique also called ‘teep’ or front kick is important for keeping your opponent at bay, upsetting his/her tempo and even using it to hurt your opponent!
Needless to say the teep technique seems like there isn’t much to it and that it wouldn’t really hurt that much getting hit by it. Take it from a guy who has been hit with a lot of front kicks to the body… that shit hurts!
There are many reasons why you should learning how to throw a push kick. Regardless whether you use it for offense, defense or set up purposes, it’s important to know the minor details in order to get the most out of your Muay Yhai front kick technique.
By Sean Fagan
If you’ve ever seen Buakaw throw a Muay Thai switch kick then you already know how powerful, fast and effective this type of Muay Thai kick is.
It’s one of the go to weapons for many Thai fighters and the switch kick should definitely be a part of your arsenal of attacks if you want to succeed in Muay Thai.
A Muay Thai switch kick is a basic Muay Thai technique but it doesn’t mean it’s easy to learn and perfect. Just like any basic or advanced kicking technique you have to learn how to throw your hips, shoulders and entire body into the strike to deal maximum damage. Check out these basic tips to help you get the full effect of the switch kick:
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