So, what is Muay Thai? You may have read that it is known as the Art of Eight Limbs. This is because traditional Muay Thai not only employs punches and kicks, but elbows and knees as well. As a bonus, we throw in the clinch, which really ups the knee game, as well as allowing for sweeps.

Muay Thai is the national sport of Thailand, with Nak Muays going professional as young as 9 years of age. They practice dawn til dusk. It is a high stakes betting sport, and Nak Muays are very dedicated to their training. 

Traditional Muay Thai posture differs from other combat styles due to the high fists, palm outward, and flared elbows. This is protective in the traditional Thai style strikes but has disadvantages if your opponent uses a martial art, kickboxing, or western boxing style strike. The stance differs as well, with the hips more squared up than martial arts, but feet less so than western boxing. This results in a sort of hybrid stance that allows for maximum balance and strong, swift kicks.

Techniques differ from other combat sports because punches and kicks are designed to strike while limiting vulnerability to devastating elbows and knees. Once you learn the body mechanics – or unlearn those you may have learned from a more rigid style – you will find Muay Thai techniques to be intuitive to natural body mechanics.

You will learn the slicing elbow that ends fights, and the leg kick that can stop an opponent in his tracks without warning, or slowly chip away at their very ability to stand.

We will discuss the six styles of Muay Thai another time, but know that at Empower Muay Thai, we have borrowed what we have seen as the most effective techniques from two styles that are suited to opposing other combat styles, and developed a flow of techniques that offer maximum efficacy for both Nak Muays who have larger frames than a 9 year old, as in Dutch style, as well as the more slim, lithe practitioner.