MuayThai dude beats 20 Shaolin Monks??

[Tee Sok]

Some time ago I read an interesting interview of 3 chinese masters (who are gong fu brothers) of Ba Gua, Chen Tai Chi and Hsing Yi; at one point one said something like "Don't forget that the great masters of the past trained much harder; compared to them,we are just playing."
On the other hand, Bruce Lee compared fighting to swimming saying that in order to learn how to swim you must get into the water and swim, something like that.

[TiamPiu]

True Tee Sok, long time ago all martial arts were used for real hand to hand combats, some military some for self defense. Today they are mostly geared toward street self defence, police or military training.

The old systems were tested in real life, wars or defending against bandits (which were plenty in past time China) and thus styles were corrected according to what worked. The deriving of these techniques compressed into forms still carry techniques that really work. Some lost, some still intact they are just not practiced and they lost their true meanings.

Muay Thai still develops as they discover what works better in a (regulated) combative situation. It is still regarded as the most dangerous combative sport, altough I would argue on that, I think the new mixed martial arts (MMAs) with ground fighting integrated generally do better - such as the UFC and other MMA events proved it.

The advantage of traditional arts come in where they are not limited to rules, you learn many 'lethal' and other techniques that work on the street but illegal in the ring (groin kick ... etc.). Also I like the health exercises I learn in traditional arts, chi kung, breathing, meditation that are not very much emphesized in Muay Thai training ... and the weapons trainings. Of course this is true to the old Muay Thai as well, it used to be much more dangerous as well - instead of using gloves, they taped two sticks on their forearms, used these to fight, were limited by only a few rules and no rounds.

I love both old and new and I strive to be the best I can, given the opportunities to me.

TP

[sdizier]

I think we have all heard this before, those who train for the ring will win in the ring and those who train for the streets will win in the streets.

With that said, I find it hard to believe that shaolin monks took a challenge from a kick boxer since shaolin monks are monks first and MA'sts last. In fact they are scholars, artists way before they are fighters.

Am I wrong?

So are we sure that one kick boxer won against 20 shaolin monks? I am sceptical.

sdizier

[B.M.S]

Didn't the monks teach the ninjas to protect there temples and themselfs of course. so wouldn't the ninjas come and try kicking the Muay Thai's fighters ass. I think there is something wrong with this story. I know for a fact that monks knew how to fight and yes Muay Thai is a kickass martial art but do you really think 20 shaolin monks, maybe a couple of monks.

Oh well I will try to find the story myself

[koto_ryu]

Didn't the monks teach the ninjas to protect there temples and themselfs of course. so wouldn't the ninjas come and try kicking the Muay Thai's fighters ass.

Sorry jubaji, beat you to it.

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[TiamPiu]

Wo wo wo BMS. If the ninjas were thaught by the same monks that were beaten by the Muay Thai fighter, wouldn't those ninjas also automaticaly lose? Also, Shaoling monks being chinese would hardly teach ninjas whom are actually japanese .

Seriously, I also have a hard time believing one Thai fighter kicking twenty monks at once. Maybe one by one, maybe not even the same day or same month. Like I mentioned those real fights earlier that actually took place in Bangkok that were also each fought one on one, that's more believable for me too.

Also would like to mention that I have seen some Shaolin school websites from china where they used heavy bags, focus mitts and punching gloves like in any other kickboxing schools. I think many of these schools now believe these help them improve the effectivness of their training, just like it does for the Muay Thai fighters.

TP