Thailand’s national martial art, Muay Thai, has gained popularity in recent decades as it emerged as the most effective striking-based martial art. Its ancient predecessors, like Muay Boran and Lethwei, aren’t as well-known, mainly because these were martial arts born by the needs of a brutal age characterized by conquest and survival.
Martial arts like Muay Boran aren’t essential for survival in today’s industrialized world. Still, many of its techniques remain effective in combat, even if deemed irrelevant for spectator sports.
Muay Boran is the term coined to reference the many hand-to-hand techniques developed in Thailand that existed before Muay Thai was developed as Thailand’s national sport in 1930. Muay Boran was created for military training in the 13th century. Many of the documents that detailed its history were lost during the Burmese-Siamese War that took place between 1765 to 1767. These battles gave rise to the most famous Muay Boran fighter to ever live, Nai Khanomtom, who is viewed today as the father of Muay Thai.
Burmese King Hsinbyushin organized a tournament that pit Muay Boran against Lethwei (the equivalent of Muay Boran that developed in Burma), and Nai Khanomtom dominated the event, defeating as many as ten Burmese boxers in a row. That performance earned him the freedom to return to Thailand, where he became a Muay Boran instructor. Muay Boran was codified into Muay Thai in the 20th century on the orders of King Rama V.
This article will explore how ancient martial arts, like Muay Boran, helped shape modern Muay Thai.
Five Muay Thai Techniques Inspired By Muay Boran And Other Ancient Thai Styles
Some of the Muay Thai techniques that were inspired by ancient Thai martial arts include:
1) Spinning Heel Kick/Jorakhe Fad Hang (Crocodile Tail Kick)
The spinning heel kick is still used a lot today in Muay Thai and other martial arts that allow kicks. It’s a powerful technique that transfers the rotational force you generate by spinning into your opponent’s head or torso. Its ancient name, which translates to crocodile tail kick, couldn’t be more fitting. Getting hit with a spinning heel kick might be worse than getting whipped by a crocodile’s tail.
To perform a spinning heel kick:
- From your fighting stance, move your lead foot to the other side of the centerline so it’s on the same side as your rear foot. You can skip this step once you’ve mastered the technique since it telegraphs your intent to opponents.
- Shift your weight to your back foot as you enter a spin, rotating your hips and shoulders clockwise (assuming you’re in an orthodox stance)
- Lift your rear leg up as you enter the spin and extend it toward your target as you complete your spin.
2) Flying Knee/Kao Loy
Flying knees have been around for centuries as they were an effective weapon on ancient battlefields. Tony Jaa and the highly successful Ong Bak movie franchise popularized many flying knee techniques used in Muay Boran, and they remain an effective weapon in modern combat sports that allow knees. Check out ONE Championship‘s Flyweight Champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson‘s finish of Adriano Moraes during their second fight to see how powerful a flying knee can be.
To perform a flying knee:
- Drive your rear knee up from your fighting stance as you push off with your front foot.
- Leap forward into the air while bringing your knee up to your chest as you take flight. You can aim at your opponent’s head or torso.
- For extra effect, yell “ooh wee” as you launch yourself toward your opponent.
3) Push Kick/Teep (Foot Jab)
Teep translates into push kick or foot jab in English. It’s one of the most used techniques in Muay Thai. It’s another ancient technique passed down from Muay Boran and other ancient Thai martial arts, and it remains just as effective in modern times.
The teep serves many purposes in Muay Thai, including setting up combinations just like a jab, measuring how far away an opponent is, and keeping aggressive opponents off you.
The teep should be one of the first techniques you master if you’re new to Muay Thai, given its versatility and effectiveness. The technique can be performed with either your lead leg or rear leg. The front teep works more like a jab, while the rear leg teep lands with much more power, making it an effective tool to prevent opponents from crowding your space.
To perform a teep:
- From your fighting stance, lift your lead leg toward your chest and extend it forward in a fast, pushing motion.
- Target your opponent’s hips, midsection, or face to disrupt their balance and create distance.
- The mechanics remain the same when performing the technique with your rear leg. You lift your knee before extending your leg toward your target.
4) Roundhouse Kick/Tae (Kick)
The roundhouse is one of the most devastating strikes used in Muay Thai, and its origins date back to ancient Thai martial arts. A flush connect with a roundhouse kick would leave most people unconscious or, at the very least, severely stunned.
The roundhouse kick is also used in other martial arts like Karate, but Muay Thai teaches a more powerful variation of the technique. Instead of whipping your legs like martial arts like Karate, Kung Fu, and Taekwondo teach, Muay Thai’s roundhouse is thrown as if you were trying to chop a tree down with an axe. Students are taught to follow through and use their legs like a baseball bat to make the strike more powerful. Muay Thai also teaches students to connect with their shins instead of their feet, like many martial arts teach.
To perform a roundhouse:
- Pivot your lead foot while in your fighting stance and swing your leg toward the target in a circular motion.
- Follow through by twisting your hips and torso while swinging your lead arm down to generate maximum power. While swinging your arms down in the standard way to throw a roundhouse, many professionals often choose to keep their lead arm up to protect against counters.
- When done correctly, your body should spin 360 degrees if you miss your target.
5) Spinning Back Elbow/Sok Klap
“Sok klap” translates into “spinning elbow” in English, and its roots go back to the 13th century. It was developed as a close-quarters technique warriors could use to deliver an unexpected blow.
The spinning back elbow remains a powerful technique in modern Muay Thai and other combat sports like mixed martial arts, along with its cousin, the spinning back fist.
To perform the technique:
- From an orthodox stance, spin your entire body clockwise while keeping your guard up.
- Extend your rear elbow as you approach the end of your spin and connect with your target.
Tested And Proven For Centuries
Muay Thai is widely regarded as the most effective striking-based martial art, and many of its techniques come from ancient martial arts like Muay Boran and Lethwei, which were tested and proven on battlefields.
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