We share with you interesting material from Boec.com and although it is about Muay Thai, we believe that each of us can learn something useful from other martial arts.
Muay Thai is known as the “art of 8 limbs” for its use of the parts of the body for combat. It is a well-rounded striking art that involves two fists, two elbows, two knees, and two shins. In order to master or improve your Muay Thai skills, it is important to first work on the foundation by mastering each individual weapon and then putting them together into combinations.
Basic Muay Thai Techniques
Muay Thai techniques were originally designed for unarmed combat on the battlegrounds. The techniques mimic weapons used by soldiers in battle. Before we get into the methods on how to improve your Muay Thai skills, let’s take a quick look at the different basic Muay Thai techniques:
Punches
Muay Thai is a stand-up striking style and punches are the most natural and fastest weapons in the arsenal. Punches are common in almost all stand-up martial arts including boxing, karate, and many styles of kung fu.
Punches require less energy to execute compared to kicks but when delivered with power and accuracy, they can knock out an opponent or send him to his knees with a body shot.
Basic punching techniques in modern Muay Thai are influenced by classic boxing. They include the jab, straight punch (also called cross), hook, and uppercut.
Elbows
The elbow strike is a signature technique most commonly associated with Muay Thai. The elbow is the hardest and sharpest bone in the human body, making it a dangerous weapon to possess.
In Muay Thai, the elbow can be thrown to knock (like a hammer) or slash (like a dagger) an opponent. Muay Thai elbow strikes have ended fights often with devastating results, leaving deep bloody gashes or plain-out knockouts.
Elbows can be thrown from different angles and directions such as horizontal, upward, downward (12-6), or from a jump for more impact.
Knees
The knee is the largest joint of the human body. In Muay Thai, knee strikes are akin to spears and thrown in a stabbing motion. Knee strikes typically target the ribs but can also target the head like an axe via a flying/jumping knee.
Knees can be executed within the clinch in close-range or outside of the clinch in mid-range. Statistically speaking, there aren’t as many knee KOs compared with other techniques but they can and do happen.
Basic Muay Thai knee techniques include the straight knee which is directed at the sternum or abdomen, the diagonal knee which is thrown to the ribs or the side, and the jump knee which is aimed at the head.
