Muay Thai, or “Thai Boxing”, was developed in Thailand from Muay Boran as a hand-to-hand combat method to assure personal protection. Muay Thai Training uses not only fists and feet, but the head, elbows, knees, and shins during the fight. This focus on being able to deliver devastating strikes with knees and elbows, separates Thai Boxing from almost every other martial art. Muay Thai is a powerful art form that has been used successfully in combat, incorporating headbutts, punches, and kicks to the legs, head and groin. However, more recently, Muay Thai has become a regulated sport recognized around the world that, like every other modern combat sport, uses safety equipment such as mouth guards, gloves and groin guards. Sport Muay Thai no longer allows headbutts or strikes to the groin. This doesn’t do much to minimize the veracity of this type of competition.
Muay Thai training has been seen in mixed martial arts (MMA) events such as the UFC and now is considered a necessary component to a mixed martial artist’s arsenal. Muay Thai experts such as Anderson “The Spider” Silva have received a frenzy of media attention after competing and winning easily against some of the best MMA fighters in the world. [One of the main techniques in mixed martial arts training that is taken from Muay Thai is the clinch; a position in which fighters are in close contact and attempting to control their opponent’s body, especially the head. From the clinch, fighters attempt to throw knees to the body and head and possibly follow up with elbow strikes. The clinch is also used in mixed martial arts training to control the opponent in the ring and against the cage for not only striking techniques, but also to set-up takedowns and throws to bring the fight to the ground.
As previously noted, although Muay Thai originated in Southeast Asia, Muay Thai training has been recognized around the world as an important component of the martial arts community. With the popularity of mixed martial arts growing in the United States, martial arts schools in many major cities across the country host not only mixed martial arts training, but also Muay Thai St Louis, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, and New York included. If you are interested in mixed martial arts training or simply Muay Thai training, the Internet is a great resource for finding information about the schools and instructors in your area.
About Rodrigo Vaghi: Rodrigo started his Gracie Jiu-Jitsu at the age of 14, in the original Gracie Academy in Rio de Janeiro. Vaghi’s instructors were Grandmaster Helio Gracie and his sons: Rickson, Royce, Royler and Rolker. After many years of training with the Gracie Family, Rodrigo has become a close family friend and black belt instructor representing the undisputed champion of the Gracie’s: Rickson Gracie. Rodrigo Vaghi is the proud owner of Vaghi Martial Arts and head of its Muay Thai St Louis Program.
