Or Muay Thai is rightfully the toughest martial art. First of all, this is due to the high efficiency of strikes, as well as active work with arms, legs, elbows and knees. Every year, various Muay Thai tournaments are held in the world, in which fighters from all over the planet take part. Due to the great popularity of this sport, we want to highlight in this article the most successful representatives of this martial art.

Kaoklai Cannorsing

He is one of the youngest Thai boxers. He won his champion title K1 in 2004. It should be noted that one of the easiest representatives of this promotion. His fights are a good example of the confidence and lightning speed of attacking actions. In K1, he was nicknamed the "giant killer", as he easily copes with opponents who are heavier than him.

Ramon Dekkers

This professional fighter is known for being an eight-time world champion in Thai boxing and kickboxing. The main advantage of Ramon is powerful blows, both with his feet and with his hands. His tactics for the fight is to constantly attack and put pressure on his opponent. That is why he became a favorite fighter of the fans.

He began his first steps in martial arts at the age of 12. At first it was judo, which gradually developed into boxing, and then he finally settled on Muay Thai. He won his first title at the age of 18.

Samart Payakarun

A true legend of Thai boxing. It used to be called the "Tiger with the face of a child." He won championship titles both in his homeland (Thailand) and in the international arena. He had his first professional fight at the age of 11.

Buakhow Po. pramuk

The absolute record holder in the number of fights held. Since the start of his professional career, he has fought over 400 fights. He started his first steps in Muay Thai at the age of 8. hometown, and then went to conquer Bangkok. It was in Bangkok that he began to win his first titles. In the summer of 2004, the fighter became the owner of the K1 championship belt, defeating three strongest opponents in one night. In 2005, the situation almost repeated itself, but then in the final on points the Dutchman Andy Sauer was awarded the victory, although the whole hall was against it. It is noteworthy that in 2006 the fighters met again in the final, this time the Thai did not miss his own and simply destroyed his counterpart, having won another title.

Artem Levin

The best Russian Thai boxer and one of the best in the world. Multiple winner of Thai boxing and kickboxing tournaments among both professionals and amateurs. Current It's Showtime Champion.

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Or Muay Thai is traditional combat system Thailand, which emerged from its more ancient form muay boran at the junction with other martial arts of the peoples of Indochina. The very concept of "muay thai" is of Sanskrit origin, it can be translated as "free fight".

At home, this art is often called "fight of eight limbs", because fists, feet-shins, elbows and knees are involved in the fight. This is an effective combat system based on a simple paradigm - the fastest victory over an opponent in any conditions.

Initially, in Thai boxing, basic complexes were used like kata or taulu from karate and wushu, but today they have been replaced by percussion combinations and ligaments.

When and where did Thai boxing originate?

It is not known when the style originated muay boran, but it is obvious that in the territory of modern Thailand it existed for many thousands of years. There is a version that the style could become the basis for Thai boxing. krabi krabong, which literally translates from Thai as "swords and sticks."

It is known for sure that a relatively modern version of this martial art appeared in the 16th century and was called mai si sok, and then - plow, which means "multidirectional fight." In the medieval Thai state of Ayutthaya, this art was perceived at the national level, then single combat was adopted by Siam, which replaced Ayutthaya, and then Thailand, which in turn replaced Siam.

The phrase "Muay Thai" began to be actively used only in 1934, from the moment of the official emergence of Thailand.

Muay Thai in antiquity and today

Thai boxing was originally a compulsory discipline for warriors and members ruling family. Fights took place at all holidays without exception, including at major fairs. Fighters, winners of folk tournaments, could receive the title of a nobleman and start serving in the royal guard. They were called "muay luang", which means "warrior of the king." It is known that up to the Rama VII(the first half of the 20th century), an elite group was formed from the best muay thai fighters military unit“grom nak muay”, in translation - “association of royal warriors”.

Before period Rama III(first half of the 19th century) fights were fought with bare hands, but then they decided to wrap the hands of the fighters with patches of horse skin, then hemp ropes and special cotton ribbons replaced the skin. It is important to note that such a measure practically did not protect the hands of the fighter, quite the contrary - the purpose of the ropes on the hands was to cause maximum damage to the enemy, including lacerations. However, contrary to Hollywood tales, Muay Thai fighters never dipped their hands in broken glass.

Until 1929, Muay Thai combat did not involve the possibility of surrender, the loser left the ring either with serious physical injuries or already dead. At the same time, initially the score was not kept by the clock, but with the help of a coconut palm fruit placed in water. Once the fruit sank, the round ended.

In the first decades of the 20th century, apart from new system scoring and three-minute rounds, an adequate ring (a square with a side of 6 meters) was introduced, the role of which was previously played by a flat earthen platform of variable size.

Note that initially in Muay Thai there were grabs, throws, ground confrontation, pain and suffocation, even accented attacks in the groin. But bringing martial arts to competitive standards made fights more humane, weight divisions appeared, of which, according to the rules of the World Thai Boxing Federation, there are nineteen - from 45.5 kg to 104.5 kg.

Code of honor and traditions of muay thai

Thai boxing categorically prohibits insulting or disrespectful attitude towards an opponent; a forfeit defeat can be assigned in a tournament for this. Also, a warrior never passes under the ropes, climbing into the ring, he steps over them, because nothing should be higher than his head (Thais revere the head as a sacred part of the body).

However, there is a special action - a foot attack in the face or even a light touch is perceived as a deliberate insult (symbolic overtones - your head is below my feet). Drawing an analogy with European culture, this action can be compared to a dismissive spit in the face.

Everyone who begins to study this art is obliged to take an oath - to be honest and fair, modest and noble, always and everywhere to honor the laws and traditions of their country. Anyone who breaks an oath may be expelled from the training club in disgrace.

Before the fight, Muay Thai warriors perform two rituals - this is a prayer wai kru and trance war dance Ram muay. Prayer focuses the spirit, dance brings the body into a state of heightened concentration. It is important to note that the Wai Kru prayer necessarily implies that the warrior is looking in the direction of his teacher.

During prayer and dance, a warrior must have mongkon- a headband that a fighter weaves from 108 threads, and then it is consecrated by his teacher. Sacred Buddhist signs are applied to the mongkon.

Another traditional element of a fighter's equipment is an amulet. pratyaat, this is also a rope structure with freely hanging ends, worn on one or both shoulders. Pratyat, like mongkon, is woven in a special way under special spells, this is an important ritual, because according to tradition, these bandages protect the fighter from injury and death, giving him the blessing of the gods.

According to the current rules, just before the start of the fight, mongkon and pratyat must be removed.

famous muay thai fighters

One of the most famous Thai boxers is Apidey Sit-Hirun, who received the title of "Fighter of the Century". He spent 350 fights, winning 340 of them. He won seven championship titles in Thai and classical boxing, was known for brutal kicks, with which he often broke the arms of his opponents.

Samart Payakarun is another bright representative Thai school. Four times he became the Champion of Lumpinia (a stadium in Thailand where world-class title fights take place) and two times - the Champion in boxing in the featherweight division (WBC).

The Dutchman Rob Kaman, who has been practicing Thai boxing all his life, has repeatedly been recognized as the best kickboxer in the world, he was nicknamed "Mr. Low-kick" for knockout kicks. Nine times he became the World Champion in Muay Thai and kickboxing, out of 97 victories, 77 won by knockout.

Of modern K-1 fighters, this unique martial art is practiced by Gevorg Petrosyan, Remy Bonjasky, Bard Hari, Peter Arts and other champion-level fighters. The brightest athletes from the world of MMA, who have a base in the form of Thai boxing, are Alistair Overeem and Mauricio Rua, both UFC and Sherdog tops.

Thai boxing rules - punches, muay thai fighting technique

Thai boxing or muay thai is unusual and interesting view martial arts! Difficult and dangerous
elbow and knee strikes are a feature of this species.
Thai boxing or Muay Thai came to us from Thailand. To date, this type
martial arts is gaining popularity all over the world.

History of Thai boxing rules

Muay Thai competitions were held during the reign of King Rama V. The rules were much tougher and different from those adopted today. For example, hemp rope, scraps of cloth or strips of leather were wound around the hands. Severe injuries and deaths in these battles were common because mostly experienced warriors took part in them. The fights continued until the victory of one of the participants, then 5 rounds were introduced with a rest of 3 minutes each, and it was allowed to admit defeat ahead of schedule. The main difference between Thai boxing and kickboxing is the ability to hit with elbows and knees, and not just with hands and feet, which is why Muay Thai is also called the “fight of eight limbs”. The fight is conducted at any distance and in the clinch - this is a situation when the fighter tightly presses against the opponent and wraps his arms around him. For example, in boxing, fighters in the clinch are separated, but in Thai boxing, they are not.

Basic kicks in Muay Thai

Hand punches:
Cross (cross) and jab (jab)- direct blows;
Hook (hook)- side impact;
Uppercut (uppercut)- a blow from the bottom up to the jaw or to the body;
Hammerfist (hammerfist)- a blow to the head from top to bottom or from the side, more often used in the stalls than in the rack;
Backfist (backfist)- blow with the back of the fist from a backhand turn.

Elbow strikes:
Such blows in Thai boxing are effective on close range or in the clinch. in muay thai
an elbow strike is used while standing, in a jump, from a turn, as in a horizontal direction,
and vertical and is very dangerous.

Leg kicks: Middle kick (middle kick)- side blow to the body on the ribs or liver;
Front kick (front kick)- direct hit;
Low kick (low kick)- side impact on the central part of the thigh, calf or lower leg;
High kick (high kick)- Side kick to the head.

Knee strikes:
In Thai boxing, a knee strike occurs in a jump and from a run, there is also a direct strike. in muay
thai knee strike is carried out at close range or in the clinch.

To practice Muay Thai, you need to purchase equipment: gloves, bandages, inguinal bandage (shell), chest protection for women, a mouth guard for protecting teeth, a helmet, shin protection, a top or T-shirt, shorts.
Competitors are divided by age and weight. The duration of the fight and the number of rounds depends on the qualification and age of the participant - from 3 to 5 rounds lasting 1-2 minutes. Rest between rounds - 1 minute. Points are awarded for strikes that were not blocked and harmed the opponent. Points are deducted for violations of the rules.

Possible end of the fight:

Win on points by majority decision;
- A clear advantage of one of the fighters;
- Trauma;
- Refusal to continue the fight due to injury or for any other reason;
- Victory due to disqualification of one of the participants;
- Victory by knockout;
- Victory due to absence;

Victory can be awarded:
- Per large quantity technical strikes than the opponent;
- For applying more powerful blows;
- For the least number of injuries and exhaustion than the opponent;
- For the most aggressive fighting style;
- For demonstrating the best style of Thai boxing;
- For a lesser violation of the rules.

If at the end of the fight the participants have an equal number of points, the judge is obliged to give the victory to the one who shows the best style or more effective defense.

Forbidden by Muay Thai rules:
- Beat the head;
- Throw through the chest, through the thigh, do "steps", sweeps;
- Hold the opponent's neck or elbow with the intent to choke;
- Use the ropes to hold or strike, push off the ropes;
- Go into a deaf defense or intentionally fall in order to avoid a blow or gain an advantage over the enemy;
- To strike a lying or rising opponent;
- Beat in the back of the head, along the spine, in the groin of the enemy;
- Intentionally spit out the mouth guard;
- To enter the ring without the necessary protective equipment or with inappropriate requirements;
- Ignore the instructions of the referee and show disrespect to the referee;
- To carry out an attack on the eyes of the enemy, to bite;
- Spitting, insults, unsportsmanlike behavior.

If you have ever been to Thailand, you know that Thai boxing is a part of the national culture, a hallmark of Thailand and a widespread sport that has begun to conquer the whole world. Of course, this wave of love for Thai boxing could not pass by the island of Koh Samui: there are many schools and training bases, and international Muay Thai competitions are regularly held at the main stadium (that's what it is called correctly). Thai boxing).

Muay Thai, although called "Thai boxing", is significantly different from classical boxing and is a very tough martial art. In Thai boxing, you can strike with fists, elbows, shins, knees, feet - because of this, Muay Thai is called the "fight of eight limbs." In the United States of America, Thai boxing has been called "death combat" because of its ruthlessness and effectiveness. After all, opponents strike each other with such powerful and swift blows that it is extremely difficult not only to block them, but even to see them!

Modern Thai boxing

In modern Thai boxing, very little is left of traditional Muay Thai - after all, initially all knowledge in it passed from Teacher to student. First of all, the process of teaching traditional Thai boxing affected the development of the personality in spiritual terms - with the help of various practices, the student was prepared for the difficulties of life and a real fight, not only physically, but also mentally. Only fighters who are serious about the art of Muay Thai know what "Wai Kru" and "Ram Muay" are. And by the way, according to tradition, this is where the fight should begin.

It looks like a meditative dance, but in fact it is a demonstration of reverence and gratitude to parents for their care, and to the teacher for experience and skills, because each teacher puts a part of himself into the student. In addition, the Ram Muay dance is a warm-up for the arms, legs and body, as well as a psychological setting for the upcoming fight. According to the performance of “Ram Muay”, Thai boxing experts can determine which school a fighter studied in, and sometimes they even see the winner even before the first blow, because the style of behavior in the dance largely reflects the style of fighting.


Ceremonial dance

During the ceremonial dance, each fighter wears a "Mongkon" on his head - a rope of 108 threads (108 is a sacred number for Buddhists). On "Mongkon" applied magic signs and symbols, it is worn only during the Wai Kru ritual and the Ram Muay dance and is removed before the start of the battle. The significance of this sacred item for Muay Thai fighters is very great. Often it is the property of a martial arts school or a coach, which is transferred from one fighter of this school to another, making it easy to determine whether a fighter belongs to a particular school.

The second required attribute is Pratyat (or Prajet). This is a traditional Thai amulet that protects the fighter from fatal wounds. The bandage is worn on one or both hands throughout the fight. The bandage is woven from strips of matter, on which magical formulas, prayers and spells are repeated, and the weaving process itself is a whole ceremony. The prajet created by the teacher has the maximum power, since in traditional Muay Thai the teacher is a person who has the art of magic.

Also before the fight on the neck of a Muay Thai fighter you can see Pong Malai - a woven flower wreath. Pong Malai brings good luck, it is given to the fighter by fans, friends or relatives.


Many modern athletes do not know or do not understand the purpose of all these "ancient strange rituals and talismans" and only affect the physical part of the exercise. At one time, the doors to learning traditional Muay Thai were not open to everyone, Thai boxing was taught to the elite, because the mastery of Muay Thai was almost the only chance for a commoner to raise his status and break into the elite, so the popularity of this type of martial arts among Thais is difficult to overestimate.

Fights in Muay Thai are always accompanied by traditional Thai music, which sets the rhythm of the fight, frees the thoughts of the fighter from everything superfluous and puts the fighter into a kind of trance. The music combines the sounds of four instruments: Pi jawa - Javanese clarinet, Klong kak - double drum, Shing - metal cymbals, Kong mong - Thai type of drum. The rhythm of the party is set by the Thai clarinet Pi jawa, the sound of which the Thais consider magical. It is important to note that in Thailand all Muay Thai fights are accompanied by live music, where the rhythm and tone of the music adjusts to the events taking place in the ring.


Modern Thai boxing, spread all over the planet, is a simplified sports version of Muay Thai. Today, sections of Thai boxing can be found in almost any city, and every year there are more and more sections. Unfortunately, quite often sections are run by frank charlatans who have neither the proper education nor qualifications. That is why many athletes come to Thailand - the birthplace of Muay Thai - in search of the true art of combat, and not just simple physical activity.

Thai boxing on Koh Samui. Training bases and camps

The most popular Muay Thai training bases are located in the eastern part of the island: on Lamai, Choeng Mon, Chaweng. Below is a list and short description main schools.

Lamai Muay Thai Camp

Website: http://www.lamaimuaythaicamp.com/

The legendary (first opened on Koh Samui) traditional Thai boxing camp, Lamai Muay Thai Camp, exists with the support of the World Muaythai Council (WMC) - the most authoritative organization of professional Thai boxing. Coaches are experienced fighters, each of them has more than 100 fights.
Trainings are held daily in the camp: in the morning (7.00-9.00) and in the evening (17.00-19.00). For guests who purposefully came to Koh Samui for Thai boxing, the camp has an excellent offer that includes training, accommodation, breakfast, airport transfer and free laundry.

Jun Muay Thai

Website: http://junmuaythai.com/
Location: Lamai area
The owner of the training camp is professional fighter Koson Matyuet (better known as Jun - Jun). The site has it short biography, where it is indicated that he has won more than 200 fights and is ready to share his experience. The training scheme is the usual - first 30 minutes of jogging, then shadow boxing, bag work, pads / paws and clinch. Training takes place twice a day: in the morning (7.30) and in the evening (16.30), individual training is possible from 9 am to 15:30, on Sunday the gym is closed. Reviews about the camp are very good.

Wech Pinyo Muay Thai

Website: http://www.wechpinyomuaythai.com/
Location: Lamai
Strict discipline and a serious atmosphere - the gym is ideal for those who want to train for the sake of high results and develop their skills - the owner named Vech watches every trainee and teaches them to improve through repetition of techniques and self-improvement. Vech participates in all the processes taking place in the hall, and monitors everything. It is he who conducts evening training. The fighters who have been in this hall highly appreciate the quality of training and their focus on deep work on themselves, and not on a quick superficial result, as happens in other Thai boxing schools. Training schedule: Monday-Saturday, 2 workouts per day: morning 8.00-10.00, evening 17.00-19.00

Samui Fight House

Website - http://www.samuifighthouse.com/
Location: Hua Thanon
This training camp teaches Muay Thai, Ultimate Fighting (MMA) and Jiu Jitsu. Trainers speak English, Thai, Swedish and Spanish- therefore, the school is popular with guests from different parts of our planet. On the site, the owners of the gym promise that at the very first workout you will feel the work of muscles that you didn’t know existed before and leave with a feeling the best workout in your life. A very bold statement, but it is worth recognizing that the reviews about this camp are very positive.

Jungle Gym Samui

Website: no
Location: Choeng Mon area
The trainers of this gym speak a little Russian, so it is very popular among our compatriots - you must admit, it is much easier to learn something new when you are focused on the process and progress, and not on the words of the coach, which you cannot understand. Workouts include bag work, clinches, sparring, stretching and other essential exercises. Training schedule: Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from 18.00 to 20.00.

Yodyut Muay Thai

Website: www.yodyutmuaythai.com
Location: Choengmon
Hall owner, Son. She has been practicing Thai boxing since she was 9 years old. He is also the head coach in the camp. In addition to him, 8 more experienced coaches work in the camp, the history and list of victories of each of them is described on the website. "Someone comes here to fight, others - for a good sportswear, and someone comes for the sake of life experience. It doesn’t matter to us how old you are and what level of training you have, we will do our best so that you achieve your goal and be satisfied with the result.” - This is how they describe their attitude towards training process employees of this school. Group classes are held from Mon to Sat from 8 am to 10 am and from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm. Individual training is possible on any day of the week from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. or after 6:30 p.m.

Tom Muay Thai

Site: https://vk.com/tomgym
Location: Chaweng
Training camp organized by Russian guys. Suitable for all those who do not know foreign languages, and who wants to learn Muay Thai in a pleasant, relaxed atmosphere. Reviews about the guys are good.

Superpro Samui

Website: http://superprosamui.com/
Location: Chaweng area.
Professional training base for MMA and Muay Thai fighters. Here it is possible to rent a room or a house for living, the conditions of accommodation are described on the website. All residents can train for free.
The training schedule is standard: in the morning (8:00-10:00) and in the evening (17:00-19:00) - all days except Sunday. The structure of the lesson is standard: work with a bag, with paws, sparring, clinches and so on. Also in the camp there is a large good fitness room, which is open 7 days a week.

If you are not ready to join the ranks of Muay Thai fighters, but would like to see how real fights go, be sure to visit Thai boxing at the stadium located in Chaweng - Petch Buncha Boxing Stadium(link to google map). Every Tuesday and Friday at 21:00 Muay Thai fights are held here, where fighters perform different levels- at the end, the masters of Thai boxing enter the ring. All fights are accompanied by live music. Ticket price from 1000 baht.


Women's Muay Thai

Increasingly, martial arts attract representatives of the beautiful half of humanity. And this is easily explained - a balanced load in training allows girls to quickly achieve the desired effect - excess weight goes away, and the muscles become embossed and toned. It is also important that classes and Thai boxing help to develop an excellent reaction and learn the basics of self-defense.

But no matter how far progress has stepped and no matter how equal women have achieved in different areas of life, discrimination against women is still very noticeable in Muay Thai. There are still rings where women are not allowed to compete. Many Muay Thai camps have built two (or more) training rings - often one of them is not available for women even to train. Girls should take this fact into account when coming to classes in Thailand and respect these requirements.

According to legend, during the war with Burma, several Thai guards, who were recognized masters of Muay Thai, were captured by the Burmese. The King of Burma, Lord Mangra, wanted to find out which of the martial arts is stronger: Thai boxing or Parma, an ancient Burmese martial art. In 1775, Mangra ordered a duel between fighters from different schools. Among the captured Thais was Nai Kham Tom (Nai Khanom Thom) - a well-known Thai master of Thai boxing at that time. He was to have his first fight. Before the fight, Nai Khanom Tom performed a strange (for the Burmese) dance around his opponent - it was the Ram Muay dance you already know.

The fight began and ended immediately, but the judge did not count the victory of the Thai, because he decided that he deliberately misled the enemy with his ridiculous movements. The Burmese put up another fighter, but everything happened again. Ten masters went out in turn to fight, and they were all defeated by the Muay Thai master, who did not even have the opportunity to rest between fights. Mangra was so amazed by what happened that he immediately granted the captive freedom and offered a choice of reward - either money or the love of young slaves. Nai Kham Tom chose the second, rightly judging that he could receive a decent salary at any time. Soon, the Thai boxing master returned home, and in his homeland, Nai Kham Tom became a real symbol of the invincibility of Muay Thai, and therefore the invincibility of the Thai spirit and the invincibility of Thailand.

The content of the article

(Muay Thai), martial arts Thailand. One of the meanings of the word “tai” is free, so the name of this martial art can also be translated as “free fight”. Muay Thai fights are fought in full contact according to very strict rules. The basis of Muay Thai is percussion technique. Blows are applied at all levels: to the head and to the body, with hands and feet, elbows and knees. Grabs and throws play a secondary role. Applied techniques are also cultivated in Muay Thai: work with piercing and cutting weapons, various types daggers, sticks, throwing knives, etc. The Thai government in every possible way promotes the development of Muay Thai and allocates considerable funds for this. Currently, Thai fighting is popular far beyond the borders of the country.

History reference.

Already in the 13th century. on the territory of modern Thailand there was an art of fighting with bare hands and feet - mai si sok. Later, with the formation of the state of Ayutthaya (Siam), a new martial art appeared - plow (lit. "multilateral combat"), which eventually became also called "muay thai". Muay Thai is widely practiced in Ayutthaya. Outstanding fighters were enrolled in the royal guard and assigned to them title of nobility. Muay Thai in without fail blood princes and aristocrats were trained. Long time it developed as a system of rigid hand-to-hand combat. A warrior who mastered the techniques of Muay Thai could successfully continue the fight, even having lost his weapon.

The legendary warrior Nai Khan Tom is considered the "patron" of Thai boxing. During the war with Burma in 1774 he was taken prisoner. The Burmese had their own martial art - parma. The King of Burma, Mangra, decided to arrange a duel between Thai boxers and parmu masters to find out which art is stronger. Nai Kham Tom alone fought ten Burmese masters in turn without interruption. Having won all ten fights, he received freedom and returned home. national hero. Until now, every year on March 17 in Thailand, “boxing night” is celebrated: fights are held throughout the country in honor of the legendary warrior.

In 1788, representatives of Muay Thai first met in the ring with Europeans. Two French boxing masters who traveled to Thailand asked the Thai king for permission to fight with local fighters. Thai Defense Ministry senior instructor Master Muen Plan accepted the challenge and defeated both opponents.

Thailand took part in the First World War on the side of the Entente. It was at this time that information about Thai boxing began to spread widely to Europe. The poorly armed Thais made a big impression on the European allies with their physical training and excellent hand-to-hand combat skills.

In 1921, during the reign of King Rama VI, Muay Thai began to develop as a sport. General Phraya Nonsen Surendra Pandey, on behalf of the king, organized a center for the study of Muay Thai on the territory of one of the colleges in Bangkok. In 1929, "modernized" rules were adopted. (Muay Thai is still considered one of the toughest martial arts, and in those days the death or serious injury of a fighter during a duel was common.) Earthen platforms were replaced with a ring measuring 6x6 meters, fenced with ropes. The time of the duel was limited to 5 rounds of 3 minutes each with minute breaks (before the duel continued until one of the opponents lost the ability to continue the fight). Boxing gloves were introduced instead of the traditional leather belts with which the fighters bandaged their hands. Leg protection was not provided, but the rules allowed bandaging the shin and instep. 7 weight categories were introduced (previously there was no division into weight categories in Muay Thai).

In the mid-1960s, a real boom in Thai boxing began in Europe and the USA. It was then that the representatives of Muay Thai invited representatives of other martial arts to fight them. The challenge was accepted by masters of Kyokushinkai karate. The historic match took place on February 17, 1966 in Bangkok. 3 athletes participated from each side. The match ended with a score of 2:1 in favor of the Kyokushinkai karate masters. Nevertheless, they appreciated Muay Thai and adopted some of its elements.

In 1984, the International Amateur Thai Boxing Federation (IAMTF) was established. Today it includes regional organizations more than 70 countries, this is the largest of the amateur associations of Muay Thai. In parallel, there are organizations that conduct professional fights. With the growing popularity of Muay Thai around the world, many professional leagues kickboxing switched to Thai boxing and its European variety - thai kickboxing.

Seven-time world champion in full contact and famous actor Chuck Norris calls Muay Thai "the sport of the 21st century". Steps are currently being taken to have it recognized as an Olympic sport.

Technique, preparation and fights in Muay Thai.

Muay Thai is considered one of the toughest martial arts. His technique allows him to fight equally well at long, medium and close range. But Muay Thai fighters are most dangerous at medium range and in close combat. “The elbow beats the fist, and the knee beats the leg,” says one of the basic principles of Thai boxing. It is in close combat that the knees and elbows pose the greatest danger to the enemy. Another "signature" Muay Thai technique is the low kick (circular shin kick on the thighs). In general, the use of the shin as a striking surface is not the rise of the foot (as in most other martial arts), but the lower leg is one of characteristic features Muay Thai. For "stuffing" of a shin are developed special exercises: blows on the trunks of palm trees, on sandbags, “knurling” with a faceted stick - followed by treatment of the lower leg with special ointments. After such a “stuffing”, a Muay Thai fighter can break a baseball bat with a kick. With the help of the lower leg, the enemy's low kicks are also blocked. great attention in Thai boxing, it is also given to “stuffing” the body, stretching, and developing endurance.

Hand technique in Muay Thai looks like the technique of "European" boxing, but is very diverse.

Unlike other martial arts, there are no formal complexes in Thai boxing (like, for example, kata in karate), but there are so-called “three-step movements” (yan saam khum) - short bundles consisting of basic movements that are in the process of training brought to automaticity. Most of the combinations and techniques used in Thai boxing have been known since the time when this art was called "puff". In total, there are 30:15 such basic combinations of the main ones (mae mai) and 15 additional ones (bow mai).

Muay Thai has two styles. Muay lacquer (lit. "hard fight") is now rare. Previously, this style was common in the villages. Muay lacquer is a solid, stable position of a fighter, powerful defense, slow movements. Actions are built on counterattacks, the battle is mainly fought at close range. Muay kiu (lit. "dandy fight") is built on feints, escapes, deceptive movements, the fighter is constantly moving. At the same time, the specificity of Muay Kiew does not affect the rigidity of the battle.

The art of working with weapons in Muay Thai is called "kraba-krabong" (swords and sticks) and was formed primarily on the basis of Indian, Chinese and Japanese combat methods. The first school of crab, krabong, opened in the 14th century - buddhai-savan - is still functioning. traditional weapons Thais - daab - is a heavy two-handed sword medium length and is used as a single and dual weapon. Also, the Muay Thai combat arsenal includes: the ngou halberd, the thuan spear, many sticks and daggers, as well as throwing knives, the thanu bow and the naa mai crossbow.

A fight in Muay Thai is preceded by a ram muay dance. It's not just a tribute ancient tradition, but also a kind of physical warm-up, as well as the psychological preparation of a fighter before the fight. (By performing ram-muay, you can determine which school he belongs to and which technique he prefers). Before the fight, the opponents meditate. The duel takes place to the traditional wai-kru music that sets the rhythm of the battle. It is believed that the sounds of instruments are endowed with magical properties.

In Europe and America, wai kru and ram muay are optional. Eurothaiboxing (or Thaikboxing) differs from classic Muay Thai in its rules: elbow strikes to the head, long grabs, and in some cases knee strikes are prohibited in it. This adapted version of Muay Thai eventually became one of the seven styles of kickboxing. In addition, in Europe and America, almost no attention is paid to working with weapons.

The Thai boxer's uniform is sports shorts, a ritual bandage on his head (for the duration of the fight, it is given to the coach) and boxing gloves. Previously, mollusk shells were used for protection, now they are standard inguinal shells.

Muay Thai in Russia.

The widespread development of Muay Thai in Russia began in 1992, when, on the initiative of Sergei Zayashnikov, a professional Russian league Muay Thai (RLMT). In December 1995, the Thai Boxing Federation of Russia (FTBR) was organized on the basis of the RLMT. Sergei Zhukov was elected President of the Federation, S. Zayashnikov became Vice President. Currently, Muay Thai is cultivated in many large cities of Russia. National championships are held regularly. Russian athletes more than once became the winners of the world championships and other major international competitions.