When choosing a contact sport for yourself, you need to take into account many factors, how mobile you are and how developed your legs and arms are. There is no doubt that, if desired, even the weakest person can achieve heights in sports at the world level; there are many such examples in the history of martial arts.
However, it is better to choose from internal preferences. When choosing a section, many often ask the question - what is better boxing or Thai boxing? Out of ignorance, these types of combat can be equated, but they have one fundamental difference.
It lies in the fact that in classic boxing the legs are not used. Additionally, the forearms are also not used, as, for example, in Thai boxing. Therefore, a boxer in a real fight will be limited. Since he is used to working in contact only with his body and hands.
If you want to fully develop your body and use striking combinations that involve the legs and arms completely, then we recommend training in Muay Thai.
All workouts are structured in such a way that they allow you to fully and evenly develop the entire body. Thanks to the exercises and warm-ups, you can significantly develop your endurance and flexibility, which is an important quality in sparring.
How the training is carried out
This sport requires a certain approach to all actions performed. Thai boxing does not have clearly established rules for striking combinations, such as kata, which are established in different styles of karate.
Therefore, fighters first need to deliver a blow. After grueling practice, a combination of several such blows is carried out. Further, as they gain experience, fighters begin to independently use techniques and types of strikes, combining them 2-4 times.
You can learn the best techniques from eminent professional Russian trainers in our sports section by signing up according to the specified contact details.
During my life I tried myself in many sports: basketball, volleyball, hand-to-hand combat, football, volleyball, but I found an outlet in only one - Muay Thai
I have been practicing Muay Thai since I was 7 years old. Muay Thai is the most bloody sport. Even despite the fact that recently he has become more civilized. But this never scared me, the training was very interesting and full of various combat movements. Why did I start doing Muay Thai? Firstly, this is the discipline of a person - a disciplined person is reserved, looks at things happening with a cool head, and not hot, as is usually the case (calm in any situation, no matter what he finds himself in). Secondly, this is the education of body and spirit, which is something that people so lack. Thirdly, this is self-knowledge (what you and your body are capable of). And finally, this is the art of life (the science of combat), the meaning of life. Well, of course, stand up for yourself or your friends on the street (it’s better, of course, if such an opportunity does not arise). Martial arts, like any other sport, teach you to set goals and achieve them, stepping through pain, snot and tears!
Many years ago, I studied information about martial arts on the Internet with interest. Having discovered this already faded discussion, I decided to tell how things work in practice. I’ll say right away that I studied with a Thai master in Moscow, i.e. Thai by nationality. I never doubted that this is really a master - if you want, you can find his website. Maybe my story will be of some use to those people who are interested in “real” Muay Thai. I’ll say right away that within a year, a person familiar with martial arts can quickly adopt many Thai boxing techniques - especially if the person is talented in this area. I’m not very talented and I had no experience, so it was hard. The problem is that the movements in Muay Thai are very different from what karatekas and boxers show. And relearning is quite difficult and in some cases not even pleasant. Defense against punches - this is also very different from the traditional boxing "keep your hands near your head." In general, as it began to seem to me over time, Muay Thai, although a martial art, is quite spectacular, and many of the techniques that I have not mastered are very spectacular, but I have never seen them in competitions. And, by the way, my teacher said that “real Muay Thai” is never shown on TV - what is shown on Thai channels is a highly Europeanized version, greatly modified under the influence of European boxing. It is easier to hit your opponent with your hands, but in traditional Muay Thai the hands are used little. We practiced a lot of attempts to unbalance the opponent by grabbing the head of the opponent and, as I called it, “hilling” the opponent with knees in the clinch. This is sacred. I haven’t heard anything about the dog step or the simplicity of elbow strikes. The kick starts not from the supporting leg, but from half a step forward in one of three directions, and the striking leg is thrown out like a whip - the kick is very fast and different in technique from kickboxing and karatesh. In a wide variety of styles and schools, of which there are a huge number in Indochina - just like the wushu styles in China. There are no styles as such - my teacher began studying Muay Thai as a child, in Cambodia - he says that he has not heard of any special styles. But strikes have a lot of ornate names - even elbow strikes, depending on the angle of application, have many of their own names that a Russian person cannot pronounce. There are small bundles of techniques, no more than three or four. But my teacher doubted the effectiveness of the series in relation to Muay Thai. The fight begins with a “tip” blow - a direct kick to the chest. I honestly don't understand how a regular boxer can avoid it. Another bad boxing habit is avoiding a blow by bending over. In Muay Thai, such an evader will immediately receive a knee to the head. Therefore, when I was doing regular boxing, I physically didn’t like the idea of these withdrawals. A Kyokushin karateka friend of mine, having gone to training, said that, in principle, he was not interested in this, he was more interested in aikido (at the same time, he was aware that aikido is more like the “way of the warrior” than a real martial art). A friend, having gone to a couple of classes, said that it was “stupid training” and he was not interested - he would rather do tango. Yes, there is a lot of stuffing - but it is done mainly on Thai paws, which is much more effective than a pear.
Over the past hundred years, millions of young people in Thailand have followed the rocky path to become famous boxers in Muay Thai, but only a handful have managed to achieve the status of "legendary fighter".
This is a very difficult competition and to reach the top in this sport requires years of dedication, grueling training, as well as enormous talent.
In the history of Muay Thai, the reward for these fighters is the eternal glory that they literally won.
Let us tell you about ten boxers who will be remembered for their achievements in the ring long after they hang up their gloves.
Samart Payakaroon
Samart Payakaroon, like no one else, deserves the reputation of an honored Muay Thai master of all times. His first championship titles Lumpinee he won the 47 kg (105 lb) class in 1980 and later added Lumpinee flyweight, flyweight and featherweight titles to his collection.
Samarth received the most prestigious of all annual awards in Muay Thai - "Fighter of the Year" several times in 1981, 1983 and 1988. Trained at a famous camp in Thailand Sityodtong.
In addition to Thai boxing, he also made a name for himself in professional boxing (21-2; 14 KOs): in 1986 he became World Champion bantamweight according to WBC.
He finished his career as a Thai boxer with a record of 129-19-2.
Dieselnoi Chor Thanasukarn
The 80s are the golden era of Muay Thai. Dieselnoi Chor Thanasukarn was a star of the era, winning the Lumpinee Lightweight Championship in 1981 and holding it until 1985. In the end, he ended his career undefeated.
Dieselnoy was famous for his knee technique. For some, the question of classifying him as a “legend” may seem controversial, but he won victories over many famous fighters, including Samart Payakaroon.
He finished his career with a record of 110-10-2.
Saenchai Sor Kingstar
Saenchai is already 34 years old, but he continues to perform at various promotions, and in a very busy schedule. He won his first title at Lumpinee Stadium at age 15 in the super flyweight division, and then he collected several more belts in his collection: bantamweight, super bantamweight, super featherweight and lightweight.
He was twice named "Fighter of the Year" in 1999 and 2008, highlighting his continued dominance in Muay Thai, which he held strong for over 10 years.
Saenchai is known for his dazzling performances using unorthodox attacks, including his famous cartwheel kick.
Today's statistics: 285-52-2.
Namsaknoi Yudthagarngamtorn
Namsaknoi Yudthagarngamtorn, nicknamed "The Emperor", defeated everyone he faced in the ring in different weight categories. Won the Lumpinee Lightweight Championship and held it for over five years. His achievements include belts in the second flyweight and second bantamweight categories. In 1996 he received the title "Fighter of the Year".
Record: 285-15
Orono Wor Petchpun
Orono has victories over Saenchai Sor Kingstar, Yodsaenklai Fairtex and Buakaw Por Pramuk - that's it!
He won the Lumpinee champion title in the super featherweight division, and also became the champion of Thailand in the featherweight and super featherweight categories. Has titles of various international organizations, such as WMC, WPMF, Showtime. Record: 120-36-3
Kongtoranee Payakaroon
Kongtoranee Payakaroon is Samart's older brother and is no less successful than his famous brother. He won Lumpinee titles in five different weight classes, ranging from flyweight to lightweight.
Record: 200-74
Fight with the famous Sakmongkol Sitnchuchoke
Nontachai Sit O
Nontachai Sit O won his first title in the bantamweight division at Lumpinee Stadium, also winning victories in other weights and was repeatedly awarded championship belts, moving up in the category above. Middleweight became stadium champion Rajdamnern. During his career he has more than 250 fights.
Sagetdao Petphayathai
Sagetdao Petphayathai has victories over such fighters as Saenchai Sor Kingstar, Petboonchu FA Group, Nong-O Gaiyagandao, Singdam Kiatmoo9, Penek Sitnumnoi and Anuwat Kaewsamrit. Among his achievements, he has champion titles in several weights: featherweight, super featherweight and lightweight.
Record: 162-62-1
Pornsanae Sitmonchai
He was the Lumpinee super bantamweight and featherweight champion, the Rajadmnern stadium super flyweight champion, and the Omnoy stadium super featherweight champion. This is one of the most famous fighters, he fought about 300 fights throughout his career, and won the respect of the public with his aggressive style.
Record: 200-54-8, 87 wins by knockout.
The fight "Pornsanae vs Pakorn", which took place in 2010 at Lumpinee Stadium, received the nomination "Fight of the Year".
Buakaw Por Pramuk - Sombat Banchamek
Buakaw did not win titles at either Lumpinee or Rajadamnern. Featherweight won the Omnoy Stadium title. He won the K-1 tournaments in Japan in 2004 and 2006. Let me say that it was thanks to these victories that Muay Thai began to attract the interest of an international audience.
Buakawa's achievements include many victories in various tournaments and various competitions.
Text: Maria Semendyaeva
In 2011, I worked at Kommersant as a correspondent for the culture department. I lived in a rented room in a commune, and my salary was barely enough for food, and the need for sports became completely obvious when I couldn’t fit into my only winter pants. I took up Thai boxing for several reasons: the gym was close to work, the training was merciless, all the equipment was given out during classes three times a week, and it cost about 4 thousand rubles a month. It was especially nice that your own body became the main instrument, and you could train anywhere - as long as you had a sparring partner.
Thai boxing, or Muay Thai, is a form of wrestling that is considered an adaptation of an even deadlier ancient martial art. Muay Thai uses three levels of shin strikes (high to the head, middle to the stomach and low to the thigh), as well as striking boxing techniques, elbow and knee strikes, a straight foot strike (tib) and, of course, clinch - fighting without the ground, that is, on your feet, not on the mat. In order to start training, the only equipment you need at first is boxing gloves, bandages and a mouthguard, but in the future you will need shin protection, a helmet and chest protection. Thai shorts are a special aesthetic pleasure, but not only that: you can’t imagine anything more convenient for training.
Contrary to the popular belief that Thai boxing is a tough martial art “not for girls,” there are many girls in this sport, and they, other things being equal, often achieve much more serious results than boys. This happens because, firstly, not all girls are such fragile creatures, and secondly, because there is much less competition in this area than for men. For example, in the category up to 70 kg, as it was for me at the beginning, it is, in principle, difficult to find a worthy opponent. Even in the category up to 63.5 kg there are several times fewer female athletes than athletes, and in a few years, in principle, it is possible to achieve the title of master of sports.
Even if you don’t set yourself the goal of participating in competitions, Muay Thai training will definitely help you believe in yourself, but in order to achieve at least some progress, you need to train at least three times a week. Today, contact martial arts can be considered a type of lifestyle: people visit the gym once every couple of weeks, do without practicing techniques and without heavy, exhausting sparring, lightly pound a punching bag and then post cute selfies from the locker room. You can meet girls and boys who have been practicing Muay Thai for several years, and yet they have neither striking technique, nor strength, nor even resistance to pain.
Speaking about why people go into martial arts in general, there is a risk of going too deep into complex combinations of complexes, social attitudes and aesthetic preferences. For me, Thai boxing became a path to emotional health (although it did undermine my physical health a little). Firstly, Muay Thai training develops the habit of overcoming difficulties: usually a lesson lasts from one and a half to two hours, and about an hour of this time is devoted to a tedious warm-up and cool-down.
Going all out in training is an effective way to get rid of irritation and resentment,
and push-ups clear your head much better than caffeine or alcohol
Running, jumping rope, push-ups, jumping, stretching, practicing technique, exercises for coordination and the vestibular system develop the body from a variety of angles. Every good coach will explain that even if one thing doesn’t work out - for example, my vestibular apparatus is very weak - you can develop some other area and focus on it. After just six months of training, for the first time in a long time, I believed in my strength when, in a light sparring session, I defeated a newcomer who came from classical boxing - I simply used my knees, realizing that he was stronger than me “with his fists.”
Secondly, after I started practicing Muay Thai, I became much more confident in myself. It was the confidence that I could stand up for myself, even if I had to do it physically. Unfortunately, this method is less accessible to girls than to boys, because from childhood we are taught to negotiate, and not to insist, and to rejoice in the fact that violence is used against us, and not to fight back - after all, tugging on our braids and squeezing in the corridor is a sign of attention . As soon as I realized that I could fight back, it literally became easier for me to live and cope with stress - just from the awareness of my security, and not from the readiness to get down to business. In addition, going all out in a workout is an effective way to get rid of irritation and resentment, and push-ups clear your head much better than caffeine or alcohol. A punching bag with the boss's face is a world-famous invention of Japanese clerks, who cannot better vent their irritation than by beating such a stuffed animal to their hearts' content.
I will not hide that sometimes even thinking about how exactly (in detail!) you can respond to the aggression of others helps to restrain the manifestation of this aggression on your part. True, it is better to be careful with these thoughts, because in fact, hitting a person is very unpleasant, and a feeling of shame for this act will inevitably come - sooner or later - especially if your opponent is not a Thai boxer at all. Recently, a Facebook friend wrote that after the action he began to think about sending his daughter to knife fighting classes. I told him the following: if you master some kind of deadly skill, it is very difficult not to use it. Now I understand that when I was a neophyte in Muay Thai, my behavior was often unjustifiably aggressive.
Like any other wrestling, Muay Thai is not easy to be a beginner. The prospect of a fight with a real opponent scares off many from the very beginning - they say, they will beat me down, I don’t know how, they will beat me. The truth is that the danger usually comes from the beginners themselves, who do not yet know how to calculate their strength and can hit too powerfully, causing real injury. Girls in Muay Thai often behave in a specific way: many apologize a lot at first when they put a little more force into a blow than to swat a mosquito. “Oh, sorry! Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to,” every girl utters these absolutely uncontrollable phrases in the first few months of classes. People who have already been training for several months can react to this in their own way: it often seems to them that the opponent is “being a hypocrite” and is not working at full strength.
Another question is the attitude in society towards a girl who has learned to stand up for herself. Today, martial arts are no longer considered an aggravating circumstance when committing a crime, and yet in the news about the case of Russian powerlifting champion Tatyana Andreeva, who stabbed a rapist friend to death and was convicted, she is persistently called an “athlete,” as if this type of activity determines the degree of resistance during rape. In turn, MMA (mixed martial arts) star Ronda Rousey was even convicted of domestic violence after she described her quarrels with her ex-boyfriend in her autobiographical book. However, such cases are rather rare: real violence and sports-limited “violence” in training are completely different things, and it is quite possible to say that in wrestling classes, women and men gain experience of equality and learn respect.
The relationship between athletes and athletes during training is a separate difficult issue. Sexist jokes in the gym are not uncommon, as is internal misogyny among female athletes. However, if a girl can be joked about her period, a guy cannot avoid ridicule for the fact that a girl hit him with a high kick.
For many men, standing in a pair with a woman is akin to humiliation, but having gradually learned that the partner has a chest that cannot be hit, and a much lighter weight category, a Thai boxer may well get used to sparring with a girl. There are also athletes who like to “teach” beginners, especially women, they immediately hit with full force, as if declaring: “If you want to be on an equal footing, get it.” In this case, it is very important how the coach behaves. If he encourages such behavior, you need to leave this gym, because sport is sport, and not a platform for self-affirmation and demonstrative flogging.
Like any other combat sport, Muay Thai is dangerous and not very beneficial for physical health.
The passion for Thai boxing came to the masses from street confrontations between fan groups and conflicts between left-wing radicals and right-wing radicals, but is gradually becoming a thing of the past along with these phenomena. After three years of training, I lost seven kilograms, became the champion of the Moscow region in Thai boxing, won one master's tournament, and attended several amazing competitions. However, when at that very master tournament one of the coaches began to tell me that the Holocaust was invented by the Jews, and several guys from my gym once again began to joke about the oriental name of my opponent, I realized that all this no longer had anything to do with sports that I spend a huge amount of time with people who are completely alien to me.
This is one of the most important problems that people face when entering the world of martial arts. The regulars of ordinary, not the most expensive gyms, where very serious fighters can be trained, are mainly schoolchildren or students, schoolgirls or students, most likely belonging to some ideological group. For example, in one of the gyms where I trained, all members of the Spartak fan firm “School” trained; in another club where I went, Evgenia Khasis, convicted of complicity in the murder of lawyer Stanislav Markelov and journalist Anastasia Baburova, trained. The last time I made an attempt to go to Thai boxing classes a year ago at the Institute of Physical Education, at the end of the training they offered me to study cheaper at the expense of a sponsor. In exchange, it was required to go on call to rallies and support the point of view of the construction company, known, in particular, for dispersing the old editorial office of the Russian Planet.
This was the last straw in my passion for Thai boxing: it became obvious that it was extremely difficult to practice it and be away from ideology. Today, Muay Thai in Russia is a sport that will require you to restructure your life and perhaps even your interests and views - and even more so the longer you do it. While you are still interested in exploring the world of youth subcultures, trying yourself in a new role as a boxer, choosing multi-colored bandages and running to training with the anticipation of new knowledge, it makes sense to think about what sport you will take up next. Unless you plan to become a professional and make money from fighting, any sport has a ceiling for development.
In any case, the opportunity to learn a couple of simple strokes and generally become physically stronger is a definite plus. In addition, any girl who has tried herself at least once in martial arts expands the possibilities of self-realization for all women. Once during a training session, a guy asked me: “Why did you go to boxing, it’s not a women’s sport?” I asked if his mother drove a car and if his sister wore jeans. Of course, he answered in the affirmative, because it could never have occurred to him that in many countries of the world this is still “not a woman’s” activity.
Combat sports like boxing and kickboxing can have a lot in common. However, upon a detailed study of each type of martial arts, it becomes clear that there are even more differences between them. To make a choice, a beginner needs to learn more about kickboxing and boxing.
Boxing matches are classics
The rules of boxing have been formed over centuries. Today, English boxing, which has a long history, is considered a classic. However, the type of martial arts itself was borrowed from more ancient cultures. It is known that something similar to boxing existed in the Egyptian and even Sumerian civilization. Fist fights have always been spectacular and attracted attention.
Boxing has several serious advantages:
- Boxing fights look not only spectacular, but also aristocratic and noble.
he has established rules;
This is a type of fight with ancient history;
boxing pays a lot of attention to fist strikes;
A young form of martial arts
We know more about kickboxing than about boxing. It’s difficult to say when boxing originated, but kickboxing appeared in 1960. This sport combines Thai and traditional boxing, as well as taekwondo. The influence of eastern traditions did not pass without a trace - complex kicks appeared in kickboxing. This expanded the capabilities of the wrestlers, but at the same time changed the course of the fights.
All types of martial arts usually have strict rules. With kickboxing, everything is more complicated - today there are several variants of kickboxing with their own rules. The most famous:
- Japanese school.
American school;
In American schools, full contact is accepted. The Japanese variety has more elements from Muay Thai. Kickboxing has advantages and disadvantages. When kicks appeared in this type of martial arts, many schools began to focus on them. As a result, athletes rarely began to focus on punches. The technique of punches began to seriously lag behind in contrast to boxing schools.
Kickboxing has slightly different equipment, which was adapted to the specifics of martial arts. The equipment is the same in all kickboxing schools.
Difference in technique
What to choose: boxing or kickboxing? The choice depends on which fighting technique is closer to the beginner. Kickboxing requires good stretch for kicks and excellent flexibility. Boxing does not place any special demands on flexibility and is suitable even for older people. Boxing rules are strict, so controversial situations rarely arise during competitions. In kickboxing, the composition of the jury decides a lot.
The rules of boxing influence the course of the fight. Boxing fights look respectable and aristocratic. It is difficult to imagine a respectable person who carries out a series of powerful kicks. It cannot be said that kicks in kickboxing are stronger - a boxer can inflict an equally crushing defeat on an opponent with a good hook.
A kickboxer has a wider arsenal - he can work not only with his arms and legs. Elbow and knee strikes came from Muay Thai to this type of martial arts. However, most often the strikes are carried out with the legs at medium distance. Combat sports of this type are more suitable for young people who have excellent training and can still regain flexibility.
How to choose?
When choosing types of martial arts, you need to take your goals into account. Boxing or kickboxing is ideal for physical development. You can choose any direction for training, there will be no difference. For protection on the street, the optimal combination would be boxing and kickboxing - boxing will help develop punches, kickboxing will expand the fighter's capabilities through kicks and elbows.
If you want to get a belt, then it is better to choose boxing - here the rules are clearer, and there are usually no problems with counting points. The rules in kickboxing are too vague, which does not add to the popularity of this sport. As an analogue of kickboxing, you can choose Thai boxing - it has all the advantages of boxing and kickboxing, but at the same time the rules in martial arts have already been developed. Muay Thai has an ancient history.
Place for training
It is worth taking up boxing or kickboxing in a professional school where there are good mentors. Under the guidance of a coach, a fighter will quickly master the correct technique and be able to move on to more complex work in the ring. Sparring is recommended only after mastering the basic technique, otherwise the athlete may practice incorrect blows in the ring. This will lead to problems when participating in competitions. Professional boxing and kickboxing schools have everything you need for training and practicing punches.
If a fighter wants to progress faster, then it is worth taking individual lessons with a trainer from time to time. In martial arts, much attention is paid to the endurance of a fighter - for example, a boxer must withstand 12 rounds in the ring. Therefore, you cannot do without visiting the gym. Flexibility and stretching are also very important in kickboxing. For rapid progress, it is recommended to stretch your tendons every day.
