Muay Thai Techniques
Hanuman Thayarn (The Flying Knee)
This move is named after a pose of Hanuman ( the Monkey King, son of the Wind God) in the Hindu epic-story Ramayana. Hanuman was both a powerful and playful fighter.
Powerful Muay Techniques derived from Hanuman’s Combat against Ahiravan (Airawaan in Thai), Kumbhakarna (Kum Pa kaan in Thai), Hanuman presenting Rings to Sita etc (Double Fist Uppercut) etc
When used at the right moment, this move can be most effective due to the extra force from the momentum of going forward and upwards.
It is similar to the straight knee but that both feet are lifted off the ground and body weight and momentum drive the knee onto its target. By using the rear leg knee, you will optimise the power. Target areas for this blow are the lower abdomen, stomach, solar plexus, chin or face. It is important to stand close to the opponent – about 1 step is enough. Any further away and you should take a step fist so as to drive home the knee.
How to throw the Flying knee:
The fighter should start in the right triangular stance with the left leg in front and the fists in a similar position. The right foot pushes the body upwards.
While jumping, the right leg should be bent a little with the left pointing down, use the arms to tightly protect the chin, face and stomach . By holding the elbows at an angle to the body, you By twisting slightly, added momentum can be added.
The best way to practices this is by repetition on the sand-bag. Remember to aim quite high as the chin is one of the areas of impact.
courtesy: wmcmuaythaiDotorg
Muay Thai Rules!
Muay Thai is acknowledged today as the undisputed and the most powerful style of martial arts. Muay Thai fighters utilize the maximum power in every technique which is generated by the twisting the hips and the turning of the waist in execution of the movement. Bone strength, endurance, and stamina must be achieved in order to become a proficient Thai fighter. The art of self-defense where the elbows, feet, fists, and knees are used to pummel the opponent. The fists and feet are used for long-range combat while the elbows and knees are used for short-range combat.
Muay Thai is sometimes called “Thai Boxing” or “Thai Kickboxing” because the techniques of this style are not practiced in sets commonly referred to as “forms – Kata’s or Koso’s” which can be found in Japanese, Chinese and Korean martial arts. They are, however, practiced in much the same manner as in regular western boxing (hence the addition of the term “Boxing” ), which allows the practitioner to develop power, speed, and a spontaneous reaction to attacks. The practice of “forms” do not properly develop the qualities which are the most essential elements in becoming a good Thai combatant. The simplicity of the footwork and techniques are some of the main reasons why Muay Thai has been considered to be one of the most effective styles of Asian martial arts. Also, techniques that were believed to contain less destructive power such as finger strikes and “snap” kicks were completely removed making it a more efficient fighting art. There are many types of grabbling which can involve the arms, body, leg, neck, and shoulders of the opponent. Clinches can aid the Thai fighter in maintaining balance while striking with the knees, in maximizing the force of a blow by pulling the target area closer to the striking weapon, and in preventing one’s adversary from getting away while offensive techniques are being executed. A Thai fighter usually delivers an elbow, knee, punch, or kick while grabbing the opponent rather than a “push kick straight or thrust kick, which is mainly used for defense and for creating distance between his opponent. No other fighting art has adapted this form of close range combat and in the specific use of the elbows and knees more than Muay Thai. The length of time needed for a fighter to acquire the self-defense attributes found within Muay Thai is much less than in most other martial arts.
STANCE There is only one stance in Muay Thai. Every technique is performed from this fighting position. One leg is placed in front of the body with the foot of that leading leg facing straight towards the opponent and the heel of that foot is slightly raised off the ground. The other leg is placed behind with the foot of that rear leg facing at approximately 45 degrees away from the leading foot. The rest of the body is also turned at a 45 degree angle in sync with the rear foot. A side-on stance is much more advantageous to the fighter than frontal-stance because it minimizes the target areas. Frontal-stance exposes most of the bodies vital points while side-on stance makes it extremely difficult to effectively deliver any of Muay Thai’s most powerful techniques. The distance between each foot should be about shoulder-length and shoulder-width apart from each other and most of the bodyweight should be in the rear leg.
The shoulders are raised and the forearms are lifted in front of the face. The hands can either be in an open or closed position depending upon the personal preferences of the boxer in question. Some Thai fighters choose to bounce their leading legs up and down in order to be able to execute a “push, straight, or thrust kick at any given moment. The footwork prevents the legs from being crossed during combat as doing so puts a fighter of balance.
Most modern muay thai students start at an older age, usually entering competitions in the mid teens, which makes it a lot harder for them to toughen their shin and fore arms as their bones have usually passed the stage of continues growth. It is therefore better to begin training as young as possible.
Courtesy: MuayThaidotCom; UsmtaDotcom
