Muay Thai: Fancy Techniques, anyone?

[JP Prideaux]

Just interested in knowing if anyone here who practices Muay Thai on a competitive level ever uses 'flashy' techniques in their fight plan... im talking spinning back kicks , Brazilian high-kicks , Axe-kicks , jump kicks and the like.

From the fights Ive seen involving the real Thai fighters Ive never seen anything like a back-kick used. Strictly low kicks , occassional high kick , punches , knees. Fanciest thing Ive seen in a fight in Thailand was a vicious spinning elbow which dropped the guy for a 10-count.

So... does anybody here use anything flashy or highly technical? If so does it work for you?

just curious

[JIMI]

I dont believe any of that stuff is traditonally used at all. Thats sounding more the kickboxing/ tae kwon do route. Those are typically not Thai Boxing techniques

[BlackSnow]

I am not in competitive level but I want to respond to it anyway. Such kicks takes to "much to time" to execute, therefor they rather give a good high kick, and low kick then other kind (flying) of kicks. Ones I train with some one who was intend to do a flying kick and during the time he was in the air i simply kicked against his hanging leg and boink...

So why not:
- Too much Time
- More difficult to keep control
- Not more effective then a well given high, low, etc kick.

So why yes:
- it's beautiful

Just what I think, in some points it might be the other way around.

[JP Prideaux]

Sparred with some Taekwondo fighters before under Thai rules. I found their techniques way too telegraphed. A certain jump back up-over-and-down kick looked really good... but all i had to do was take a step back... wait for him to come land... then move in.

Then again Ive had a hard time dealing with two Kyokushin fighters when sparring. Had the crap kicked out of me. Never felt more useless in the ring in my entire life.

I know the long-pants kickboxers are very fond of their karate-orientated techniques. But Ive always questioned the use in traditional real-deal Muay Thai.

To be honest Id never try any of that fancy stuff against a veteran Muay Thai fighter. Though Id probably throw a few flashy stuff just for show if its against an inferior opponent... good for the crowd... and the ego

[kungfupanda]

how about a jumping knee...they are pretty, swift, easy, and they do LOADS of damage.

[kh_s]

Is it possible to give details

How is a jumping knee performed ? What does it look like, what is the body movment like ? If you can describe how a jumping knee is executed please reply.

Anyways are there any varieties of a Jumping knee ? Like with a straight leg, or bent supporting leg ?

[JP Prideaux]

Re: Is it possible to give details

Originally posted by kh_s
How is a jumping knee performed ?

Ah glad you asked. Very technical move this one... basically

You jump... and you knee

Seriously. I still think this falls into traditional Muay thai strikes. You can do it from a clinch position - by just thrusting yourself off the ground with your knee doing what its supposed to be doing. Though thats more of a 'hop' than a proper jump knee.

Jumping knees (in K-1 Stefan Leko did a beautiful one against Remi Bonjaski in Vegas August last year)... sometimes there a bit of a run up involved (seen that done a few times in MMA) ... and just get height and power behind the jump while hoping your knee will connect with the nose or chin or something. Has its disadvantages... in K-1 a japanese figther (Takeru) tried a jumping knee on Mike Bernardo who tagged him in mid-air with a left which sent him down HARD in an almost-WWF fashion.

Thats how i see it. Im no expert. Different strokes for different folks...

Ive seen a Thai use a jumping knee variant where he springs up (with no run-up) and he brings his knee around his opponents guard - so basically his knee 'hooks' the guys jaw. One guy that was probably the best Knee-specialist in modern Muay Thai was Diesel Noi. Undefeated from what i hear.... anyone know what his fight record was?

Anyway...

[eXcessiveForce]

well I do not train muay thai but I did see a bout on television
with a guy fighting out of Fairtex.

I do not remember his name but they called him the president. He was a small guy with asian features. Maybe paul chen. Not sure thought. But I have seen a few of his fights. I have seen him throw spin sidekicks, an Ax kick, and a few head high round house type kicks.

The announcers said his Spin Side kick was his favorite and his specialty.

I have seen similar kicks in other fights that were on TV that were Muay Thai bouts.

That's all I know, I'm not a Muay Thai fan but I usually watch it if it's on TV. From what I have seen most of the fights on TV are terrible. The fighters have no idea how to kick and they look like they are kicking in slow motion. They may have good conditioning and may be effective fighters that I cannot say, but their kicking skills usually leave a lot to be desired.

[JIMI]

hey it wasnt Jongsanan Fairtex or Bunkerd Fairtex was it? Do those names ring a bell?

[eXcessiveForce]

nope I don't recognize those names. The guy I saw was just on TV during all the ESPN martial arts stuff. I think the last time I saw the guy was in 1999 or 2000 and he was supposed to be the world champion but ranked number 2. I have no idea what that means for muay thai. It's just what the announcers said in the last fight i saw.

[Great Sage]

Interesting... I have 3 Muay Thai Boxing Friends with whom i spar with regularly... We don't go by any specific rules, just spar... Here are a few things I've noticed:

Side kicks & hook with my front leg have been effective, as I am side ways and while my friends counter immediately with a low kick, I am already recovered with an inside position.

Thai round kicks to the head are almost useless... They spin completely around sometimes and meet my foot at the other end.

Spin kicks are a good way to get knocked out...

Hook sweeps and leg sweeps are the great techniques from both sides, Muay Thai or TKD...

Sometimes fancy kicks and footwork can throw someone who's very into simple techniques off, so don't be afraid to try it, but use caution.

Thai kicks have more swing than snap like TKD... But in some cases, both are quite similar.

Thai boxers have VERY GOOD defense, and are hard to hit because their stance is very compact and hunched... But if you fall on the ground... it's a cinch.

[DJ Coldfusion]

That spinning elbow technique is sweet!

Great fighters are like great pool players. Sure they can hit a three ball combo off of a four bank delivery but why take the chance at missing when you have a straight shot at popping the six ball into the corner pocket?

Thaiboxing allows the fighter to use "high-percentage" tools that will work more often than jumping-hybrid-magentabelt- flustered crane-spinning-grasping bear-back kicks ever could.

Its all about the odds, sometimes you hit and sometimes even the best fighters miss, and Muay Thai puts the odds on your side more than other striking arts (so you will be more effective more often).

[yungsmoke]

muay thai is not a pretty boy martial art!

[JP Prideaux]

Originally posted by yungsmoke
muay thai is not a pretty boy martial art!

True. Considering what those spinning elbows can do to a person's good looks.