MUAY THAI

Following body weapons are used in Muay Thai. But in Muay Boran there are addition of few more variations of punches, kicks, elbows and knees.

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• Punching (Known as Mat in Thai) – Jab , Cross, Short Hook, Long Hook, Large Arc Hook Punch, Spinning Back Fist, Upper Cut and Superman Punch, Both Hand upper Cut Punch.

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• Kicking ( Known as Tae in Thai)- Straight Kick, Diagonal Kick, Roundhouse Kick, Tornado Kick, Half Shin- Half Knee Kick, Reverse Roundhouse Kick, Down Roundhouse Kick, Axe Heel Kick, Jump Kick,  Step Up Kick and Various Foot Thrust techniques.

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• Elbow Strikes (Known as Shok in Thai)- Elbow Slash, Horizontal Elbow, Uppercut, Forward Elbow Thrust, Reverse Horizontal Elbow, Spinning Elbow, Double Elbow Chop, Mid Air Elbow Strike.

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• Knee Strikes (Known as Khao in Thai)- Straight Knee, Diagonal Knee, Curve Knee, Horizontal Knee, Knee Slap, Knee Bomb, Flying Knee, Step- Up Knee Strikes

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Muay Thai fighters can fight in long range, middle range and close range easily. Below description explains the bodily weapons of Muay Thai fighter in different different ranges.

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Long Range weapons:

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In long range, Muay Thai fighter uses hard roundhouse kicks known as Tae in Thai and Push kick known as Teep in Thai. Round house kicks of Muay Thai fighter are usually fiered by most of the martial artist as one or two low round house kick can jam the thighs or side of the shin or can break the ribs or can knockout easily if kick is placed on face or side neck.

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Middle Range weapons:

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In Middle range, Muay Thai fighter uses punches a lot. Punches of Muay Thai are same as of boxing that are thrown by hips with completely relaxed body. But stance of Muay Thai fighter is little different from normal boxing stance. Most of the time actual traditional Muay Thai fighter will never place too much weight on front leg as it helps in checking the kicks of the opponent. In this range few types of Knee attacks can also be placed easily. Few fighters specializes in kicking in this range too. But for this lot of flexibility and kick training is required. Once mastered kick in this range one can add one more additional weapon in this range.

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Close range weapons:

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In close range, Muay Thai fighter uses short punches, Elbows and Knees. There are multiple combos of these attacks but requires patience to practice. Most of the amateur fighters are not so good in fighting this range. As soon as they go in this range, they instantly grapple each other without using this range effectively. To use this range special range control training is required. Once mastered this range, fighter can keep on hitting his opponent without letting him grapple.

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Grappling range:

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Muay Thai fighters specializes in stand up grappling, also known as clinching. Fighters grapple each other and avoid going on the ground. As soon as fighters grapple each other both starts using elbow and knee strikes while clinching and dis-balancing each other for a throw or takedown. Elbow is smashed on opponents face which can knockout or can cut the face of the opponent depending on the type of elbow one hits. Elbow can be hit with tip of the elbow as well as with area above the elbow joint. Tip of the elbow leaves a cut like a knife is slashed on face and area above the joint is used to give hard blows to each others face, ribs and hands to knockout each other. In combination to elbow, knee strikes are used on each others stomach, ribs, liver, chest, thighs as well as face. For kneeing the face, one has to take down the neck of the opponent by grabbing the upper part of the back of the head which can seriously injure the face and can destroy the nose. If one is able to save his face when his face is down then other fighter rains the elbow strikes from above. Though other martial arts style also has elbow and knee strikes but the variety and combination of these two strikes is dominant in Muay Thai. No other style has this much variety of combos of knee and elbow in clinching. Small amount of takedowns are also used in Muay Thai. In Muay Thai competitions, though takedowns are not given points but are usually done to demoralize the opponent and to show superiority over the other fighter.

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Though Muay Thai can be learnt for fitness, good workout, general self defense but the fighting championships that our academy provide are a great platform for every fighter to increase their skill level, to face the fear of themselves. One thing is very well said in Muay Thai, one is definitely a fighter who enters the ring no matter he/she wins the game or loose the game. After each and every fight, fighter learns to control his fear, anger and patience level which helps them in other parts of life too. Actual Muay Thai fighter is very down to earth but very dangerous in ring.

Four types of skill workout are mostly done in Muay Thai but with lot of varieties. 

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• Air Workout - This is the starting of the Muay Thai course. Students are given the correct scientific explanation step by step of each and every move. After few classes student moves to other types of workout too. Advance form of air workout is shadow boxing in which student practices combos of punching, Kicking, Kneeing, Elbowing and various stance/leg switches.

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• Bag Workout - Student can also switch training to bag workout but with his teacher consent after learning few basics of stance and any of the 8 body weapons. Bag workout is mainly for increasing stamina and power/force of the hits. Before moving to this workout student must have boxing gloves and hand-wraps to avoid injury to hands.

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• Pad Workout - After learning the basics in air and on bag student can move to pad workout. Instructors or seniors will help the student in this practice. Instructors will let the student kick, punch, elbow, knee in all ranges as per his/her ability and knowledge he/she has gained. This practice prepares students very well for sparing sessions. In every workout, student will have to use any of the body weapons as per pad shown by instructor. Continuous practice of this increases stamina a lot. 

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• Partner training - This is the best form of practice/ workout as it prepares students for actual fighting in ring. Practice with a good partner and keep on increasing your skill level or practice with a bad partner filled with ego and ruin your day. Point to note is even a skilled partner can be filled with ego. It is the responsibility of a teacher to give actual martial arts knowledge to student so that ego/ hatred/ jealousy do not come in between the practice.

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Below terms very well explain the combat requirement of this great sport.

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• Power - Power means the force one can produce in his attacks instantly. Physics says, Power = Force x Velocity. So this means power is directly proportional to force generated. Power will keep increasing if force generated keeps increasing. Power practice/ workout is mostly done on bags and pads. Correct technique while punching, kicking etc is the most important requirement to generate power in each attacks.

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• Balance- Balance means how well a fighter can stand in fight. There are many exercises in Muay Thai to increase the balancing of the body and stances. If this is not correct, even the one with great power is nothing in fight. Just for a tip, press the below part of the thumb on ground for increasing balancing power.

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• Endurance - Endurance can be defined as the capacity of a person to do anything for long period of time. Suppose a person with great power in his/her attacks cannot punch even for few seconds, then he/she will exhaust easily after that limit. Endurance practice is done to increase that limit so that student can fight or do any activity for long period of time.

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• Strength/ Toughness - Strength can be defined as a person's ability to withstand external force for long time. This comes by regular strength building exercises. Muay Thai fighters have a very solid core, shoulders, forearms, Shins, Calves, Thighs and the jaw which makes them very tough fighters. Usually calisthenics and few weight lifting exercises are done for strength building.

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• Technique - Technique can be defined as a person's ability to attack or counter attack opponent with best possible way. This is achieved by good knowledgeable teacher and self research too.

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• Skills - Regular practice of technique and applying the same in sparing makes students skilled. This can be boring sometimes but very fruitful as real confidence comes by regular and repeatative practice of one thing. 

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• Flexibility - Flexible body means good energy flow in body. Good energy flow in body means long life and pain free body. This is often overlooked by most of the Muay Thai academy's and fighters as a result they get injured in fights specially upper part of body.

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• Conditioning/ Hardness - This is one of the most important aspect that Muay Thai fighter must specialize. Muay Thai fighters must have hard shins and hard forearms to withstand external explosive force. This helps them in bearing hard blows from opponent. This is achieved by hitting on hard bags, tyres, slow and repetative hitting of bones. Please note this practice has to be done very scientifically otherwise one can ruin his body and will suffer health problems and pain in old age.

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• Stamina- Stamina can be defined as the persons ability to control breath in fight/ exercise without getting exhausted. In Muay Thai, this is very important to develop. For example, if a fighter can land very powerful blows and can throw thousands of punches but is out of breath in fight, then fighter forgets how to throw punches in fight as brain stops giving signal to muscle memory.

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• Reflexes- Reflexes is fighter's ability to recognize the incoming attacks before getting hit. One with greater reflex has less chances of getting hit and one with lesser reflexes will take hits a lot. 

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• Accuracy- Accuracy is the fighters ability to land clean shots on the opponent. One with greater accuracy can throw less attacks but will land maximum and one with lesser reflexes may throw many attacks but will land lesser attacks on opponent.

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• Focus/ Meditation- Meditation is the fighter's ability to be in present state during a fight or ability to focus clearly on each and everything happening in a fight. It is very simple to understand that if fighter is not in present state during a fight then no matter how much technique he/she knows will definitely suffer in fight.

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Continous Muay Thai practice brings following changes in body.

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• Immune system - Immune system increases a lot. Fighters develops immunity towards common diseases.

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• Blood circulation - Blood circulation in the body increases making fighter healthy and energetic.

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• Heart rate - Heart rate becomes normal for long time. Read precautions too in last.

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• Nasal pipe - Because of intense stamina workout nasal pipe opens up due to which diseases like sinusitis gets treated.

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• Memory power - Effects little bit in improving memory power because of increase in blood circulation in body.

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• Age/ Lifespan - Due to health benefits fighters lifespan increases.

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• Sexual health - Improved sexual health can be seen after regular stamina workout as fighter learns to control breath.

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• Weight loss - Muay Thai practice can help in loosing weight very easily. There is rarely any art that helps in loosing weight so easily.

• Stress remover - Continuous bag workout, pad workout can help practitioner loose anger and frustration and finally stress of life.

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• Cardiovascular system - As there are lot of cardio workout in Muay Thai so it improves cardiovascular system and makes practitioner recover from many cardio diseases too.

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• Standing old age - Practitioner develops strong bones, tough muscles which lasts long till old age. 

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• Boost happy chemicals - Regular practice and strong bond developed in Muay Thai gyms between practitioners releases endorphins in body which makes life happier than before.

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Precautions:

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Student needs to clearly mention the existing health problems he/she is suffering to his teacher. But yes teacher needs to be knowledgeable in understanding what to give and what to avoid to such students otherwise it can increase the problem of student. For example—if a student suffering from Asthma is given a high intensity workout, then it is possible that student will faint and even pass out. So do attend classes under knowledgeable teachers only. Since main teacher Ranjit Mishra is experienced in different martial arts system like Muay Thai, Kung Fu , Kalaripayattu etc. so he is well versed with this knowledge. He is trained under an able Kalaripayattu Guru who is expert of ayurveda and marma therapy.