An Introduction To The Sport of Muay Thai

Muay Thai is a combat sport that has been there for so long and has gained a huge popularity in the recent times. Individuals taking part in this sport are allowed to make use of different types of striking and clinching techniques. The origin of this sport is from Thailand and it is also the national sport of Thailand. The present day sport began over hundred years ago and in the beginning, there were a few rules. In the early twentieth century, it got to fame when its practitioners defeated notable practitioners of other combat sports.

How Muay Thai Is Different From Other Sports?

Individuals taking part in this sport attack their opponent by making use of fists, knees, elbows and shins and that's why it is known as “The Art of Eight Limbs”. There are eight points of contact, which act as weapons or equipment for individuals taking part in a competition. The hands act as the sword and dagger; the shins and forearms act as armor against blows; the elbows are used to drop your opponent on the ground just like a mace or hammer; the legs and knees act as axe and staff respectively. The body will operate as one unit.

It is not just about attacking techniques, but one also needs to know about defense techniques to protect itself from the attacks of his/her opponent. There are mainly six different types of defense techniques, which are redirection, anticipation, blocking, evasion, disruption and avoidance. You must be familiar with these techniques and know how to make use of these techniques. Like other sports, there is also specialized equipment for this sport, which includes gloves, head guards, shin guards, hand wraps and headgear. You can buy Muay Thai gear from any sporting goods store near you or search the web to find a retailer online.

World Muay Thai Council is a governing body that looks after all the matters related to this sport. If you have an interest towards this sport and want to learn it, then you need to join a Muay Thai training center. However, you should know that there are only selected training centers that provide Muay Thai training. You need to do some research on your own to find the right training center near you. Internet can be the best place where you will get a solution to this. You will find several training centers in the search results. Next, you have to visit some of those centers in order to get an idea about the environment at these training centers. You can ask the instructors at the training centers about their experience and achievements. The job of choosing one among the available options is solely yours.