Muay Thai has gained mainstream popularity in recent years, as many MMA fighters use it for their striking base. Aside from being a highly effective striking style in the ring, Muay Thai is also one of the best martial arts for self-defense. The art of eight limbs provides options for all ranges, from long teeps to tight elbows. Today, we are pleased to share a beginner’s guide on Muay Thai for self-defense.
1) Stance
Your stance is your base foundation and should be carefully developed as such. To find your stance, start by standing with your feet side to side, about shoulder-width apart. If you are right-handed, you will take a small step backward and to your right, at a forty-five-degree angle. Turn your shoulders and hips clockwise forty-five degrees, keeping your feet shoulder-width apart. Your head should still be facing forward. This is called the orthodox stance and will be the position from which you throw all of your strikes.
If you are left-handed, mirror the above sequence to find your stance. This left-handed stance is called southpaw and provides different angles of attack than an orthodox stance. You can choose to be a southpaw even if you are right-handed, but be sure to develop one stance before switching between the two.
2) Footwork
Now that you have your stance, the next step is learning to move without exposing yourself. In general, you do not want to cross your feet, and you want to take small steps to maintain your guard and balance.
To move forward, step up with your lead leg, then slide your back foot forward to maintain your stance. To move backward, step back with your rear leg, then slide your lead foot back into stance.
Use the same principle to move laterally. To move to your right, step right with your right leg, sliding your left foot right back into your stance. Reverse this to move to the left.
Above is a simple box drill to help develop fluidity with basic stepping footwork.
Galloping style footwork is more advanced but can help close or create distance quickly. Here is Yodkhunpon Sittraiphum, elbow hunter of one hundred stitches, teaching his signature gallop.
3) Teep
The teep, or front push kick, is a staple of Muay Thai. Akin to a boxer’s jab, it is arguably the most important kick. Specifically, the lead teep is an important tool for both sport and self-defense.
The lead teep is your longest weapon and can be used to keep your opponent outside of their punching range. To throw a lead teep, start by shifting your weight over your rear foot. Your rear heel should be on the ground, providing stability. Raise your lead leg as your weight shifts and chamber your leg. Extend your lead leg and hip, while leaning back ever so slightly as a counterbalance. You can choose to make contact with your heel, whole foot, or ball of your foot. Aim for your attacker’s midsection, as this will give you the highest likelihood of success.
As you progress, you will be able to aim for specific targets with your teep, such as the liver, solar plexus, or bladder.
4) Long Guard
The long guard is a basic, but effective, form of defense that involves leaving your lead hand extended while shelling with your rear hand. Combined with the teep, the long guard can keep an attacker at bay until you see an opening to strike or run.
Your lead arm should make contact with some part of your attacker’s body. Some ideal targets are the biceps, shoulders, chest, or forehead. Making contact with your attackers’ biceps or shoulders will give you a tactile indication before they attack, like an early alarm system. From here, you can stiffen your arm and drive your weight into their chest, preventing them from closing the distance and stuffing any forward momentum.
Notable examples to study when training the long guard are Buakaw, Dmitry Bivol, and George Foreman.
5) Low Kick
The low kick is a tried and true classic in combat sport for a reason – it’s extremely effective. Landing just one good low kick can completely compromise an attacker’s balance and footing, which can take away their power completely. Although kicking in self-defense can be risky, as your leg can be caught, intentionally keeping your kicks below your attacker’s waistline can greatly mitigate said risk. Even if your attacker does catch your low kick, they will have dropped their hands to do so, opening their chin up for a knockout punch or elbow.
Liam Harrison is a stellar example of a prolific low kicker; his style of low kicks translates very well to self-defense. Although he doesn’t turn his hip over fully, like a traditional Thai low kick, he is able to strike fairly hard and with extreme speed. Watch Harrison himself teach the low kick in the video above.
One additional tip for self-defense is to aim at the calf, instead of the thigh of your attacker. The calf is a smaller muscle, and much easier to damage. If you time your kick as they step towards you, you might even sweep them and cause them to fall!
6) Punching
The above techniques aim to keep your attacker at a distance, outside of punching range, where the situation can become more dangerous. If your attacker does close the gap, it is imperative that you have some skill within punching range, often called “the pocket”.
Learning a basic one-two combination, combined with the above techniques will give you a solid foundation for self-defense.
The punches numbered one and two are the jab and cross, respectively. These are simple, but crucial punches to add to your self-defense arsenal. Watch Olympic boxer Tony Jeffries demonstrate and explain these two punches in the video above.
The punch numbered three refers to the lead hook. This can be tricky to learn, but is a very effective strike once mastered. Shane Fazen of Fight Tips explain how to throw a lead hook in the clip above.
Conclusion
The basic techniques discussed form a solid foundation for self-defense, regardless of age or gender! You can practice these by yourself, with no equipment by shadowboxing and paying careful attention to form. Happy training!
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