As a keen and even sometimes credible martial arts student, I decided to take some private lessons in Muay Thai while in Krabi.
I didn't know a huge amount about Muay Thai, other than it is sometimes called 'the science of eight limbs' because it's a striking art that utilises kicks, knees, punches and elbows. I've also caught bits of classes at London Fight Factory, and I've seen enough UFC fighters who are trained in Muay Thai to realise how brutally effective it is as a fighting system. Watch Anderson Silva's plumb clinch demolition of Rich Franklin, or Jose Aldo low leg kicking opponents to the point where they can no longer stand if you want to see some of it in action.
As a long-term hapkido student who's also boxed and does BJJ, I think it's interesting to sample something new every once in a while as it helps keep your views on anything you train in more balanced. And you can always learn something new from something else if you're open to it.
So here are my initial thoughts after three private lessons. I fully appreciate, however, this does not make me any kind of authority...
1 Stance
The foot positioning I was shown is basically a front stance that alters back and lead legs for switch kicks, but the position of the arms is elevated. Instead of being tightly tucked to cover the floating ribs, they are held slightly higher. My teacher explained this means there is less wind-up on cross elbow strikes as the elbow is nearer the target. It also aids one element of defensive posture (see later).
2 Foot Movement
The advancing and retreating sliding foot movement is pretty much the same as in hapkido and boxing. Because there are a lot of low leg kicks in Muay Thai, though, I am guessing it does not pay to have a stance that is too spread out or one that prevents a rapid retraction of the lead leg.
3 Defensive Posture
One of the defensive postures for blocking against roundhouse kicks is slightly different from hapkido. This involves bringing the leg under attack up off the floor to connect to the elbow on the same side to form a barrier. When blocking, the lead leg and hand are more directly facing the opponent and the rear leg and hand are more angled out. I like this. Blocking kicks with single hand and arm blocks does work, but this creation of a unit seems to offer a bigger shield spread over a bigger area. I am incorporating this into my sparring.
4 Elbows
The cross elbow strikes seem to be thrown with less wind-up and rely on hip rotation to deliver power. They are also thrown on either side without a stance adjustment. The uppercut elbows like an uppercut punch seem to rely on a step in that slightly lowers the stance, then a vertical extension up through the feet as the elbow moves from south to north. I like this slight drive upwards to create a more dynamic strike. It also reminded me of how much my own uppercut punches need work. We use cross and uppercut elbows in hapkido, but the set-up is slightly different. This now gives me an option to throw them a different and faster way.
5 Knees
The knees in Muay Thai are brutal. We use upward knee strikes in hapkido, but I particularly like the forward knee strike in Muay Thai. This is delivered a bit like a harpoon by thrusting the back knee forward and leaning slightly back to move potential targets for the opponent out of the way and help the strike deliver more momentum. I am definitely adding this to my technique toolbox.
6 Roundhouse Kicks
High and mid-section roundhouse kicks feature in many martial arts. In Muay Thai, they seem to be more full-blooded and less slappy. The low leg and ankle kicks are something I have long admired in Muay Thai Fighters, too, and I haven't seen them much anywhere else. I was shown a basic set-up for one, which went something like this:
i) You are left leg lead front stance; opponent throws a high right roundhouse; you block using left knee and elbow shield; slightly switch stance as left leg comes down; drive your own right roundhouse into thigh of opponent.
Two other set-ups are: left jab, fake right cross, low right roundhouse; or cross, left hook, right roundhouse kick
I am going to experiment with low roundhouse kicks. As I get older and my knees become more dodgy, my kicking is slowing down and it's not as dynamic or high. But the low kicks will leave me less vulnerable to counters and won't compromise my balance as much.
7 Front Kicks
Front kicks in Muay Thai have several uses. As in other martial arts, they can obviously cause damage by landing in the face or the solar plexus, but they are also used to push attacking opponents away by front kicking the post leg as the opponent prepares to deliver a roundhouse kick. This kick, aimed at the thigh or, more damagingly, through the knee, not only forces an opponent back and kills his initial offence, but it can also set up other attacking options for you. I had a play with this use of a front kick several years ago when I first saw a UFC fighter use it. I has sort of forgotten it, but i shall be reintroducing it.
8 Grappling
We did a little bit of stand-up clinch work and I was introduced to the plumb clinch and knee strikes from it. This involves clasped hands locked around the back of an opponent's neck and arms pulling tight inwards and downwards, then pulling the opponent's head down as you drive knee strikes up. It's pretty devastating. One defence is to turn slightly and bring your own knee across to block incoming knees, but that also means you are off balance and ripe for getting your post leg kicked. There was also a position involving an undertook and an overhook where you essentially push your opponent off with one hand and armbar him, leaving you free to punch him in the face.
I genuinely had a ball doing this. If I ever had the time and I thought my knees would be OK for a prolonged enough period of time, I would certainly add some Muay Thai training in.
As I become an older man, though, I am aware my fighting style has to change from an extensive style where I fight at distance using my long kicking to a more compact and close-range style. I like hapkido because it offers close-range strikes and joint locks and trips and throws, but I can see how long-term training in Muay Thai would add some additional and highly effective close-range weapons into that mix.
I am a fan and I can see why so many MMA Fighters train in it.
